𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥.𝐢𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐓𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐚 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬:

• 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭
• 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐲, 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬
• 𝐔𝐧𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐪𝐚 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭
• 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝, 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐢𝐝
• 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬

An investigation by http://TheJournal.ie has found that vulnerable children in Tusla care are spending years in unregulated Special Emergency Arrangements, despite these placements being designed as short term crisis measures. The reports reveal that some children have lived in these emergency settings for years, often moving from one SEA to another. One teenager was approaching their eighteenth birthday having spent three and a half years in SEAs. Another child under twelve had already experienced three separate SEAs and was moved again shortly after inspectors visited. SEAs are typically used when a previous placement has broken down and a child requires immediate accommodation. However, the investigation found that what is meant to be temporary has in some cases become long term. The accommodation itself was frequently described as unsuitable. In one case, a young child was housed in what inspectors described as a holiday or activity centre. A fire exit had been blocked to prevent the child from leaving. There was no visible child protection or safeguarding information. Two first aid boxes were present but staff did not have a key. Inspectors recorded that the child repeatedly pointed towards a nearby beach and made swimming gestures but was not brought outside due to the absence of a clear risk assessment and plan. Other SEAs were located in private rented properties, hotels and BnBs. In one property, a bedroom window lacked a secure child lock and the landlord refused to install one requiring staff to conduct repeated checks. In another case, a landlord would not allow posters or information to be displayed on the walls, including Tusla materials advising children how to make a complaint. One child had to travel approximately fifty kilometres to attend school. The investigation also found instances where children in SEAs had not been allocated a social worker because of staffing pressures. The Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon, described this as very concerning and stressed that every child in care should have a dedicated social worker to safeguard their interests. Wayne Stanley of EPIC said the findings were wholly unacceptable and warned that multiple moves disrupt education, relationships and stability. Hiqa confirmed that it has no legal regulatory remit to inspect SEAs, meaning these placements sit outside the normal regulatory framework for children’s residential care. Both Tusla and the Department of Children acknowledged the increase in demand for residential services and said efforts are underway to reduce reliance on SEAs and transition them into regulated environments where possible. However, the inspection reports show that some children have remained in these unregulated settings since 2023. The Ombudsman warned that the continued use of SEAs risks creating a cycle where emergency measures become embedded in the system, diverting resources away from building the regulated capacity children need. The investigation concludes that children who have already experienced trauma before entering care are being placed in settings that fall short of minimum standards, raising serious questions about oversight, governance and the State’s ability to provide safe placements for young people.