The Eastern and Western Health Boards have published guidelines for the inspection of residential centres for children run by voluntary organisations. The standards and criteria were drawn up by the inspection services of the boards and are contained in a jointly published document.
Mr Ivor Callelly TD, chairman of the Eastern Health Board, said the purpose was to ensure young people in voluntary residential care received the best quality care, which was subject to formal and regular review.
The guidelines include mechanisms whereby children can complain about any aspect of their care.
However, centres run by the health boards will be inspected by the Social Services Inspectorate recently set up by the Department of Health and Children.
Yesterday the children's charity Barnardos criticised the "two-tier" system of inspection.
"Because of the patchy development of services, there is little pattern in the provision of services by the two sectors," said Mr Owen Keenan, chief executive of Barnardos.