Respite care centres not being inspected

24 April 2010

Irish Examiner

Respite care centres not being inspected

By Jennifer Hough - Saturday, April 24, 2010

ABOUT 150 centres offering residential care or respite care to children with disabilities are still not being inspected, as according to the Government "they are not in the care of the state".

Inclusion Ireland, the National Association for People with an Intellectual Disability, said although statutory inspection has been promised there is no money available to carry it out.

Latest figures show more than 200 disabled children are living full time in residential facilities because of safety or welfare concerns or because their family cannot cope.

Latest figures from the HSE show that there are:

* 89 children in resident community groups;

* 50 living in residential setting;

* 59 availing of other full-time residential services such as intensive placements because of challenging behaviour, or full-time support places because of a profound or multiple handicap.

A further 17 with a physical and sensory disability avail of residential places, including seven in a dedicated high-support unit, two in a welfare home, one living in community with support, two in specialist units and five in "other accommodation".

Hundreds more children avail of residential places on a part-time basis,

Deirdre Carroll, head of Inclusion Ireland, which is holding its AGM this weekend, said it was imperative all services for children and adults were inspected independently.

"How we ensure appropriate care is being given if there are no inspections carried out?"

Meanwhile, important legislation to allow for people with disabilities to be assessed to determine what their needs are, has been put on hold because of the country’s financial difficulties.

The Disability Act 2005 gives people with disabilities the statutory right to assessment.

While it has been rolled out for under fives, the legislation has been put on hold regarding children aged 5-18 and adults.

The decision to postpone its implementation dates of 2010 was taken as far back as October 2008, making it one of the first casualties of the downturn.

Another major piece of legislation, the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act (EPSEN), passed in 2004 and which was to give educational rights to people with special needs, has also been put on hold.

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