A young teenager whose mother lives outside the jurisdiction and cannot be contacted and whose father “wants no role” in proceedings regarding the child’s care, has made multiple suicide attempts, the High Court heard on Monday.
The child, who has been in numerous foster care placements since 2021, all of which have broken down, is one of five highly vulnerable youths whom the High Court has ordered should be in special care – the most secure form of care – but who cannot get beds.
Children between 11 and 17 may be detained in special care where their behaviour poses a risk to them or people around them. However, just 15 of the 26 special care beds are open due to severe challenges recruiting and retaining staff.
Judge John Jordan, who manages the weekly special care list, heard on Monday that plenary proceedings for rulings that Tusla is in contempt for failure to comply with special care orders are under way in multiple cases, with more likely.
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Paul Gunning, barrister for Tusla, applying for a new order for the suicidal adolescent, said the teenager was in a residential placement and experienced sustained emotional dysregulation.
The “main concerning behaviour” was that the child goes to a specific area “wishing to end [their] life” and these incidents are seen as a cry for help, he said.
In the last year, the court heard, the Garda had been called to 38 incidents involving the teenager which included attempted suicide, criminal damage and assault.
The judge said the child had experienced neglect, physical abuse, an unstable family background, adversity and “what appears to be abandonment by [their] parents”.
“There have been almost 200 [serious incidents] including a recurring pattern of attempted suicide which are regarded as cries for help by this young [child], any one of which, even if [they] had not fully intended to complete, could have been fatal,” he said.
“[The child] is abusing alcohol, abusing drugs, ... is difficult to mind or care for, ultimately because of the absence of any proper parenting by [their] parents.”
Gunning said there was no bed for the child in any of the three special care units. The case would be on the “no beds” section of the list next week.
Of the four other children on Monday’s “no beds” section, the court heard the “risk level remains very high” for one boy who requires two staff and two security at all times.
In another case, a girl “remains very vulnerable” and “in extreme danger” due to “active engagement with an adult male”.
In all, the cases of 17 highly-troubled children were heard at Monday’s sitting, including children in special care and a number who have recently left but whose cases remain under the court’s supervision.
There were several cases where children were deemed ready to leave but for whom onward placements could not be sourced by Tusla. There were frequent references to difficulties accessing assessments, including for ADHD in respect of one very young child, and for parenting capacity in the case of another child, who may return to their parents’ care if appropriate.
