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Suicide, overdose, sudden infant death: Children who died while in contact with social services

The National Review Panel released five case studies of vulnerable children who died.

THE NATIONAL REVIEW Panel has released a number of case reviews of children who died while in state care.

The panel is commissioned by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, but is functionally independent. Its purpose is to conduct reviews of child deaths and serious incidents and to make recommendations.

Names have been changed to protect the children and their families’ identities.

Harry (7 months)

Harry was seven months old when he died from Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI).

His mother was considered to be a capable parent but had allegedly been a victim of domestic violence from Harry’s father including an assault on the day prior to his birth.

Harry and his half-siblings were referred to the social work department when he was two months old  following an alleged assault on Harry’s mother by his father.

The family were later referred to a community agency for assessment, but it could not be carried out without the consent of Harry’s father. Harry’s mother was unwilling to share his father’s contact details for fear of reprisals.

His mother lost contact with the community agency and the social work department. She was tracked down as living with relatives at the time of Harry’s death.

The social worker had only managed to make brief contact with the family before Harry died.

The review found that the response to concerns about Harry and his family was slow with none of the services communicating interactively. It found no connection between his death and any action or inaction on the part of The Child & Family Agency.

But it did find that designating the case as ‘welfare’ (not considered to be a high risk) when allegations of significant domestic violence had occurred had implications for the way the case was managed.

Tim (15)

Tim died by suicide at the age of 15.

His parents separated when he was a toddler and he spent most of his time in his father’s care. His mother had a drug problem.

Tim was described as an easygoing, upbeat young man. He had been a placid child but when he was a teenager his behaviour became challenging and he asked to be allowed to live with his mother.

Despite his father’s uneasiness about the plan, Tim moved in with his mother Rita and younger half-sibling. Soon, it was reported to the social worker department in the area that Tim and his half sibling were being neglected and drawn into their mother’s addictive behaviour.

Tim was diagnosed with ADHD at this time. Eventually, he and his younger half-sibling were sent to live with his half sister Tara. Tara was in her early-20s and working.

The arrangement was intended to be short term, but no later plans were made. Tara received no financial assistance from the HSE during this time, and had to rely on her mother to help mind the children.

Eventually, the mother appeared to be managing her addiction and Tim’s younger half sibling moved back in with her. Tim preferred to stay with Tara. His death by suicide when he was 15 came as a huge shock to the family, but Tara later said she had heard he was being bullied at school.

The review found no link between the SWD and Tim’s death, but found a number of weaknesses in the service including a lack of support for his sister and a lack of proper assessment of the children’s needs.

Avril (16)

Avril died when she was nearly 17.

Her family background when she was younger was characterised by domestic violence, criminality and changes of accommodation.

Her mother was a victim of domestic violence and found it difficult to manage her children. Avril attended a youth project when she was 11, an assessment found her to be unhappy, out of touch with her emotions and lacking confidence.

Despite the social work department said that “increased statutory involvement” was needed, Avril’s case was closed when she was 12 and she stopped attending the youth service at this time.

Avril and her mother displayed resistance to social work interventions and could be aggressive with staff.

Her case was opened again on more than one occasion, but closed with social workers concluding that no child protection concerns existed.

She had been out of touch with the SWD for two years when she died.

The review did not find evidence that action or in action of the social work services was linked in any way to Avril’s death. But it did find that opportunities to intervene when Avril was younger were missed.

The rationale for closing her case because no child protection concerns existed failed to take into account her significant vulnerabilities, the review found.

Dylan (16)

Died died of an overdose while in care shortly before he turned 17. The coroner found high levels of toxicity in his system.

He had lived mainly with his mother and sometimes with his stepfather before this.

Dylan’s early life at home was characterised by his mother’s drug problem. He was in touch with the social work department from a young age and was placed in emergency care for a period in first year in secondary school.

He later moved in with his stepfather a received support from his stepfather’s extended family. The social worker was concerned about the impact on him of exposure to his mother’s drug use.

He eventually moved back in with his mother, before returning to State care. He was placed in a residential unit and plans were put in place to get him back into education .

Dylan was found dead in the care unit a short time later.

The review did not find any evidence that action or inaction on the part of the Child and Family Agency contributed to Dylan’s death. It did find a number of practice weaknesses, however.

Joe (15)

Joe died by suicide when he was 15.

Joe lived with his father mostly. There was a history of domestic violence and alleged alcohol abuse in the family home.

The case was opened and closed by social work department on a number of occasions throughout Joe’s life. The main focus at these times was on Joe’s younger siblings.

Joe’s behaviour became increasingly problematic as he grew older and in the months prior to his death he attended CAMHS for mental health and behavioural issues.

His father struggled to manage the children’s behaviour and sough support from services. The case was listed on high priority for over a year before Joe’s death.

According to the evidence, support could not be given due to staff shortages.

The review found  no evidence that action or inaction by the HSE services involved with Joe directly contributed to his death. However, it found that staffing in the area had added considerably to defects in the care of Joe and his family.

If you need to talk, contact:

  • Pieta House 1800 247 247 or email mary@pieta.ie (suicide, self-harm)
  • Samaritans 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
  • Aware 1800 80 48 48 (depression, anxiety)
  • Teen-Line Ireland 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 19)
  • Childline 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s)

Read: A non-EU parent has a right to residency if their child is an EU citizen

Read: TD warns mobile phones give children access to ‘unlimited pornography of every type’

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9 Comments
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    Mute Moses
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    Jul 30th 2023, 7:06 PM

    Greed.

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    Mute Corporate Interests
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    Jul 30th 2023, 7:27 PM

    @Moses: You just call out my name
    And you know, wherever I am
    I’ll come runnin’
    To see you again…

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    Mute I'm Far Right
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    Jul 30th 2023, 10:45 PM

    @Moses: It’s perfectly reasonable. You can’t be going around looking at stuff for free. I live in quite a scenic area and the other day I saw some fella looking at some lovely things, bold as brass. I was having none of it. Stood in front of him until he left, so I did. Cheeky git.

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    Mute Fiona Liston
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    Jul 30th 2023, 7:30 PM

    We have done this lovely walk many times.(And contributed to the local economy by staying in a bnb and purchasing locally). I would not pay to walk again.

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    Mute Luma plex
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    Jul 30th 2023, 7:32 PM

    @Fiona Liston: Plenty that will. We don’t need ya

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    Mute Sean Walsh
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    Jul 31st 2023, 11:02 AM

    @Luma plex: I’m assuming you’re joking. If not, you think it’s ok to charge people to walk in the fresh air ? And people give out about expensive Dublin ? Clare will become the new rip off place to visit.

    85
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    Mute Jb Walshe
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    Jul 30th 2023, 7:09 PM

    Very surprised the comments are open on this article…..the articles for commenting on are getting fewer by the day for some reason !

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    Mute Roy Dowling
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    Jul 30th 2023, 7:14 PM

    @Jb Walshe: After seeing some of the comments that were deleted before closing the comments on the article about the memorial to national soldiers I can understand why comments are not being open on all articles.

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    Mute I'm Far Right
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    Jul 30th 2023, 7:49 PM

    @Roy Dowling: Example?

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    Mute Roy Dowling
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    Jul 30th 2023, 8:54 PM

    @I’m Far Right: the most notable one was using Veradkers sexuality to attack him instead of just saying he shouldn’t have been there. No need for it and probably the reason comments were closed

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    Mute I'm Far Right
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    Jul 30th 2023, 9:18 PM

    @Roy Dowling: That sounds awful. Hopefully Leo didn’t see it. Poor wee lad.

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    Mute Fintan Stack
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    Jul 30th 2023, 9:20 PM

    @Jb Walshe: those debunked articles are hilarious, usually overlook plenty of facts to suit the explanation and comments are closed in case they’re rumbled.

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    Mute Roy Dowling
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    Jul 30th 2023, 9:26 PM

    @I’m Far Right: Ah so you are one of those. Don’t know who I’m surprised

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    Mute Ross O'
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    Jul 31st 2023, 4:54 AM

    @Fintan Stack: this is the real reason. Talk about how much you like Coldplay all you like, but don’t come here to discuss serious topics and expect not get censored at some stage by the blatantly biased Journal.

    They must be in trouble if they’re asking for handouts in the middle of an article.

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    Mute Mies Valkenburg
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    Jul 31st 2023, 6:07 AM

    @Journal Snowflake: …and without so much as a reach-around.

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    Mute David Lynch
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    Jul 31st 2023, 7:51 AM

    @Fintan Stack: Well don’t read it if you don’t like it! There are plenty of other Irish news sources if you don’t like The Journal’s values. It’s free. What’s the problem? You pay for what you get.

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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Jul 31st 2023, 6:51 PM

    @Journal Snowflake: yes, we’re the fourth richest country in the world, our worst off are 60% better off than the worst off in the UK, and somebody with four dependent kids who chooses never to work can get state supports including housing that equate to a salary of more than 50k before tax. Our medical care and education are free, older people get a pension even if they never contributed to one, along with free travel.
    So yes, we’re being screwed, we should kick out our centrist governments and replace them with the IRA.
    (Or the weird lad with all the gold bars).

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    Mute Charles Mc Carthy
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    Jul 30th 2023, 7:19 PM

    Greed, greed and more ******k8n greed. What a sham of a country we have become.

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    Mute Seán Ó Maoildeirg
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    Jul 31st 2023, 10:01 PM

    @Charles Mc Carthy: It is not the ordinary people who are greedy but it is those few fat Greedy Councilors who firmly believe that it is their job to relieve people of their hard earned money. I haven’t visited the Cliffs since the council began charging for parking. None of my children have never visited the Cliffs. How many people who live within ten miles of the Cliffs will never visit the them?

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    Mute Mister Bandango
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    Aug 1st 2023, 10:17 AM

    @Seán Ó Maoildeirg: your kids are missing out. Park in Doolin old village for free, it’s 5 mins walk from walk to Cliffs of Moher, spectacular views along the way – although probably takes 90 mins at least to get to O’Brien’s Tower

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    Mute Johannes Baader
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    Jul 31st 2023, 12:21 AM

    I remember when there was just a car park at the Cliffs of Moher. No charge……. no bother at all. Then the greed started to kick in. I haven’t been back since

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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Jul 31st 2023, 6:53 PM

    @Johannes Baader: you had a car back then? And you’re still driving? Respect!

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    Mute Alex Kane
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    Jul 30th 2023, 7:06 PM

    Yeay capitalism !

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    Mute I'm Far Right
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    Jul 30th 2023, 7:50 PM

    @Alex Kane: You don’t understand what capitalism is.

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    Mute I'm Far Right
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    Jul 30th 2023, 10:55 PM

    @Alex Kane: Capitalism was the farmers who decided to use their own property as carparks and undercut the council one in price by a huge percentage. That was kind of cool huh? That’s the free market approach but the government doesn’t like the free market competing like that, so they shut down the competition. In short, capitalism was providing a good solution here and the quasi socialist government stopped it.

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    Mute Albert John
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    Jul 30th 2023, 10:33 PM

    Boycott these activities and let’s see what happens when no money is getting in.

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    Mute Zyx
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    Jul 31st 2023, 5:55 AM

    Comments closed for the protest at Cork City Library. What are you afraid of, Journal? Free speech?

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    Mute Tom Newell
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    Jul 30th 2023, 9:20 PM

    The boom is back baby……greed is good

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    Mute Suzanne Mooney
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    Jul 30th 2023, 7:46 PM

    And what about Lahinch and Lehinch

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    Mute Larry Betts
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    Jul 31st 2023, 12:14 AM

    All these objections are falling on deaf ears. It’s a long long way from Clare to hear

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    Mute Tom Murphy
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    Jul 31st 2023, 6:57 AM

    Well done to the protesters in cork

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    Mute F2yxfluD
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    Jul 30th 2023, 10:25 PM

    They’ll be charging to get in to O’Connors or McGanns next.

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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    Jul 30th 2023, 10:51 PM

    Nothing wild about the wild Atlantic way

    30
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    Mute I'm Far Right
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    Jul 30th 2023, 10:56 PM

    @eoin fitzpatrick: It’s wilder than your one bed flat in dcc

    16
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    Mute brian o'leary
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    Jul 30th 2023, 8:12 PM

    Maybe they could raise the local property tax instead?

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    Mute Luma plex
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    Jul 30th 2023, 7:08 PM

    Clare locals should stick to farming and stop moaning. They’re our cliffs now.

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    Mute Corporate Interests
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    Jul 30th 2023, 7:25 PM

    @Luma plex: Your cheque is in the post.

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    Mute Stephen Walshe
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    Jul 31st 2023, 8:00 AM

    Thieving c$$ts

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    Mute Aidan C
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    Jul 31st 2023, 10:36 PM

    Questions….
    Surely stopping to drop someone off is not a parking violation…?
    Can the double yellow lines be appealled ..positive action is needed.

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    Mute Lisa naughton
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    Jul 31st 2023, 10:46 PM

    I was one of the fools that had to pay e12 a person as there was 4 of us in car . To walk along in the rain with the THOUSANDS of others . 1% of them IRISH . 99% TOURISTS. They won’t let u stop the car anywhere near to let people out . As marshalls out moving traffic and ticketing ppl. They even charge u to go into the tower now . So basically rip off ireland at its best . 2 hrs at the cliffs . E48 entrance . 4 Coffees e16 . The rain free , definitely a Mastercard movement.

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    Mute Alpain Snow
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    Aug 1st 2023, 1:37 PM

    No one should be charged to walk on a cliff.
    No one should be charged to drop someone off.
    And there should be a legal maximum to charge people to park their cars.
    How absolutely ridiculous.

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