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NINETEEN CHILDREN KNOWN to child and family agency Tusla died during 2024, including four by suicide.
The figures are contained in the 2024 annual report of the National Review Panel (NRP), an independent body commissioned by Tusla but independent of the agency.
Since 2010, Tusla has been required to notify the panel of serious incidents, including the deaths of children and young people in care or known to child and family services.
The deaths decreased by ten in comparison to 2023 when the NRP was notified of 29 deaths.
None of the 19 deaths related to children in care, two related to young people receiving aftercare services and the remaining 17 related to children or young people who were living with their families in the community and who had had some involvement with Tusla during their lives.
Eight children died as a result of natural causes, including Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Four died by suicide, two were accidental tragedies and there is no conclusion as to cause of death for the remaining five.
The majority of deaths occurred in two age groups, including 13 infants under 12 months and four children aged between 11-16 years.
Six serious incidents were also notified to the NRP relating to children in care or known to social work services.
Examples of serious incidents notified included children who were neglected or abused, sexually exploited, exposed to potentially harmful situations or involved in non-fatal accidents.
Three serious incidents were reported in relation to children in care, one in aftercare and two who were known to social services.
‘In care’ means living in foster or residential care. ‘Known to services’ refers to children that lived in their community with their family and were in receipt of services from Tusla.
The annual report also highlighted four reports published by Tusla in 2024 relating to children who died in 2022 and 2023, including one who was under the care of Tusla at the time of death.
The review found that one suicide case was impacted by a shortage of social workers and unavailability of suitable placements, while another was impacted by a lack of collaboration between Tusla and the HSE.
The reports concerned an infant who died as a result of a tragic accident, a teenage boy with special needs who died accidentally, a 14-year-old girl who died from suicide and a 17-year-old girl who died from suicide.
In the two cases of accidental death, the reviews found that the circumstances of their deaths could not have been predicted or prevented by services.
The 14-year-old girl who died from suicide had been in care for a number of years and had several placement breakdowns due to her challenging behaviour.
“She had settled after a period in special care but sadly took her own life following an incident where she had seriously assaulted a staff member when she was in a step-down placement,” the report said.
“The review found that she had disjointed mental health care, which prevented her from making a trusting relationship with a clinician.
“It also noted that social work shortages as well as lack of suitable placements had a negative impact on the way the case was managed.”
The case of the 17-year-old who took her own life had been allocated to a Tusla social worker and had been the subject of many discussions between the HSE and Tusla regarding who was responsible for keeping the young person safe.
The young girl had been known to mental health services for some time prior to her death and had several admissions to psychiatric hospitals before she was referred to Tusla. The review found that the case lacked an integrated approach between the HSE and Tusla.
Commenting on the annual report, Dr Helen Buckley, Chairperson of the National Review Panel said:
“On behalf of the NRP I wish to extend my sincere sympathies to families, friends, guardians and all those affected by the deaths of the children and young people reviewed by the National Review Panel in 2024.
“The death of a child is an unthinkable tragedy and one which has a profound effect on many.
“The NRP have made a number of recommendations in the annual report this year, relating to frontline services, availability of suitable placements and interagency working between Tusla and the HSE particularly in relation to mental health services.
“As with previous years, suicide is one of the biggest factors in the death of young people and a stronger inter-agency approach is needed to fully support our young people experiencing mental health difficulties.”
She thanked the family members and professionals who spoke to the NRP about the deaths.
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