Cathal BarryThe Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice (JCFJ) has warned that a recent investigation report into care at the national children’s detention facility is of “extreme concern”.
Eoin Carroll, Advocacy and Social Policy Research Officer at the JCFJ told The Irish Catholic “the current physical surroundings and internal architecture of Oberstown makes it an extremely challenging environment for the staff and needs to be replaced”.
Mr Carroll’s remarks came after a report into care at the detention facility has found the Co. Dublin centre “was not always safe” for children and that nine out of 10 areas assessed were not up to standard. The announced inspection of the Oberstown centre in Lusk by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) identified “significant risks” in a range of areas.
The report was also critical of the practice of single separation of children, with one child “locked into a room” for more than 83 hours over a four-day period, including sleeping hours.
It added that staff had reported separating children on occasions due to low staffing levels. “This was not acceptable practice and was an infringement of children’s rights,” the report states.
Mr Carroll insisted the “institutional response to troubled young people needs to be contracting not expanding”.
“Future proofing child detention facilities would see small units nationally located rather than one large facility in Co. Dublin, highly trained staff, education focused with the necessary, child-centred, individually tailored therapeutic supports.
“In fact, we would be closing detention facilities, not opening larger ones,” he said.