Missing Separated Children in Ireland

Between 2000 and 2010, 513 separated children went missing from State care and 440 of them are still unaccounted for (Irish Times, 10th January 2011). Previously, hostels for separated children did not have round the clock trained childcare workers on site and were instead run by managers and security personnel. The HSE social work team provided social work services to separated children in these hostels on a Monday to Friday office hour basis, meaning that during the evenings and weekends, the young people had no access to care supports. The lack of adequate round the clock care staff in the hostels and the absence of a proper inspection regime meant that, amongst other shortcomings, significant numbers of separated children went missing from care over the last few years and some still remain unaccounted for.

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