A SURPRISE inspection by health watchdog HIQA at the special children’s unit in Limerick prompted inspectors to report a child protection concern to Tusla and An Garda Síochána that may constitute physical abuse.
The report following the inspection at Coovagh House – which happened in March of this year – found the centre non-compliant with regulations in five areas, including the use of physical intervention and the employment of outside security staff, some of whom did not have certification of the required training under the ‘Children First’ policy.
Inspectors went into the unit on foot of “receipt of information in relation to three concerning incidents of physical restraint in January 2024 that were not in line with Tusla’s approved behaviour management methods and changes to staffing personnel resulting in the use of close protection personnel within the designated unit”.
Coovagh House, which is located at Mulgrave Street in Limerick City, provides care to young people who are detained under the terms of a High Court Special Care Order.
The centre has a capacity of four young people, but had just three in residence at the time of the inspection.
The use of external security personnel is not usually part of the centre’s management practices, but the report outline how permission was granted for security after a 2023 incident in which a staff member was seriously inured.
According to the report, “an internal review of a serious incident that took place in December 2023 found that a child protection notification was required, but was not reported to Tusla until five days after the incident”.
“There were significant practice concerns in relation to the use of non-routine physical interventions that required engagement and training interventions with staff.”
The report said that “notwithstanding the safeguarding measures put in place following the internal review, this inspection identified further concerns in relation to serious incidents that prompted inspectors to report a child protection concern to Tusla and An Garda Síochána that may constitute physical abuse”.
The report added however that “on a walk around of the designated unit, observations of the children with staff were warm and affectionate and the children seemed to be comfortable in the staff’s presence who were working on the day of the inspection”.
A key finding of the report was that there were significant practice concerns in relation to the use of non-routine physical interventions that required engagement and training interventions with staff.
“Despite managers identifying unsafe practice, and a plan being put in place with one staff member, it was ineffective as it took four weeks to put a safety plan in place,” the report said.
Inspectors also found that “the notification of three concerning incidents of physical restraint in the designated unit in January 2024 were submitted at the request of HIQA as a retrospective notification which was received on 4 March 2024, 42 days after the initial incident”.
A Need to Know (NTK) report had been completed by the director of Coovagh House in relation to the capacity of the provider to continue to provide special care unit placements.
The report noted that the unit was unable to provide assurances to meet its obligations under the Safety, Health, and Welfare at Work Act, 2005.
The NTK further outlined that in the previous 12 months there had been 204 incidents reported on the National Incident Management system (NIMS), including 138 direct physical assaults on staff.
The report stated that the centre “submitted a satisfactory compliance plan to address the deficits and risks identified as part of this inspection”.
