Vulnerable children injured 116 times last year amid surge in violence at special care units
Darragh Mc Donagh
Vulnerable children detained in high-security special care units were injured 116 times last year as the number of incidents involving violence, harassment and aggression at the facilities increased by almost a third.
Tusla has described such incidents as “an ongoing challenge” at the three residential care units, which have a combined capacity of 26 and are located in Limerick and Dublin.
They provide secure accommodation for children with “complex psychological and sociological profiles” who are aged between 11 and 17, according to the child and family agency.
Records released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that the number of incidents involving violence, harassment and aggression increased from 532 to 704 last year, representing a rise of 32 per cent.
There were a total of 2,123 events that could have or did lead to unintended injury or harm at the three facilities in the past two years, nearly three-quarters of which involved violence or aggression.
Around 20 per cent of these events involved self-injurious behaviour, while 31 incidents related to chemical hazards, 12 related to biological hazards, and 40 involved slips, trips or falls.
The total number of incidents increased by over 28% last year, while the number of complaints relating to special care units also increased by more than 23 per cent during the same period.
Ballydowd Special Care Unit in Lucan accounted for more than 60 per cent of the total number of incidents across the three facilities in the past two years, and it was also the subject of the highest number of complaints (123).
There was a 69 per cent increase in the number of incidents at Ballydowd last year, and an 84 per cent increase in the number of incidents involving violence, harassment and aggression.
Coovagh House in Limerick and Crannóg Nua in Portrane both reported a decrease in the number of incidents at the facilities last year, although the number of injuries to children doubled to 20 at Coovagh House.
Ballydowd is the largest of the three facilities with 10 beds, while Crannóg Nua has seven, and Coovagh House has four. However, staffing constraints typically mean that the operational capacity of each facility is significantly lower.
“Violence, harassment and aggression is an ongoing challenge for the agency, and is generally directed at staff or other residents,” said a spokesperson for Tusla.
“However, it is important to point out that these incidents arise in the context of children and young people who have experienced significant trauma in their lives.
“Special care is a profound intervention that involves the deprivation of a young person’s liberty as a measure of last resort. It is designed as a short-term therapeutic intervention for young people who meet certain eligibility criteria and are the subject of a High Court order.”
