No heads have rolled over breathtaking lack of protection for vulnerable children

THE matters detailed in two reports being published by the HSE today should be a source of national shame.

Vulnerable children, many with intellectual disabilities, were allowed stay at a foster and respite home in the south east over a prolonged period despite huge safety concerns.

Inexplicable decisions were taken in the case of one of those, a woman known as Grace, who lived there between 1989 and 2009.

Despite the fact over €500,000 was spent compiling the reports and on associated legal costs, many questions remain unanswered and no heads have rolled.

Experienced investigators were unable to uncover the reason why a decision to remove Grace from the home in 1996, after allegations of sexual abuse by the male foster carer emerged, was subsequently reversed.

The health board decided no other children should be placed there, but for some reason it allowed Grace to remain for another 13 years.

At a later stage, the very fact she was still at the home seemed to have been forgotten by the health board, with prolonged periods where it appears there was no monitoring of the home.

A commission of investigation will now probe whether or not, in the words of Fine Gael TD John Deasy, “a clique of HSE managers” helped cover things up.

Like many recent scandals, these matters would not have come to light but for the bravery of whistleblowers who risked their careers to bring the case to attention via protected disclosures.

One of the reports, by consultants Resilience Ireland, details how the home got multiple referrals from health authorities despite the fact there was no apparent approval for it to act as a foster home.

That report looked at the experiences of 34 other children who spent time at the home. The foster family applied to take children for respite breaks under a scheme set up in the 1970s.

But Resilience Ireland said they didn’t think the foster family were ever approved to be full-time foster carers.

The consultants also said they did not think that health services in the area carried out necessary checks, such as checks on who was living in the house, the sleeping arrangements and living conditions.

It said respite care was supposed to be for short periods, but at least three children, including Grace, spent lengthy periods there.

About a third of the children placed there were referred by health services in the area. Other children came from special schools and other services.

The lack of oversight over a service for such vulnerable people was breathtaking.