Another vulnerable adult stayed in foster home despite concerns

At least one vulnerable adult remained in a foster home in the southeast until 2013, four years after the last HSE-funded resident had been removed.

This is despite it being at the centre of serious sexual abuse concerns, The Irish Times understands.

Although the HSE had stopped all new placements to the home in 1996, and had finally removed “Grace”, a woman with profound intellectual disabilities in 2009, one placement continued privately between a family and the foster home.

A young woman from the southeast, also with serious intellectual disabilities and also non-verbal, continued to be placed there until October 2013.

The woman was removed by her family following an intervention by the HSE, who contacted the family to advise them of the possible dangers to their daughter.

Revelation

The latest revelation raises further questions about the HSE’s handling of the case.

It remains unclear why Grace was left at the home for 13 years after all other placements ceased.

It is also unclear why steps were not taken to inform the family of this latest woman of the possible dangers to their daughter until four years after Grace was removed.

A spokeswoman for Waterford Intellectual Disability Association says it wrote to the HSE in 2009, following Grace's removal, asking what safeguards it was putting in place to protect the wider community, particularly families who may have had private arrangements for respite placements.

It is also understood the HSE, in the area from which this latest young woman comes, was contacted in 2010, 2011 and 2012 by an individual with knowledge of the foster home telling officials of concerns.

It had been reported that Grace, who is now in her 40s, was the last person placed in the home.

However Tony O'Brien, director general of the HSE , told RTÉ radio yesterday there had been further placements, including some outside the remit of the HSE. This included people who remained after Grace was removed.