Summary of the Madonna House report:
FIFTEEN children have made specific assault allegations against maintenance man Frank Griffin (referred to in the report as Staff Member A), to the gardai and the Eastern Health Board.
Five others have described behaviour by Griffin "which constituted alleged abuse". The children abused by Griffin ranged from seven to 15 years old and included boys and girls.
The material on allegations against another man has been deleted from the report. This man has been dismissed.
Of the nine former long stay residents of Madonna House interviewed by some members of the inquiry team, all except one had allegedly experienced incidents of either physical or sexual abuse while in care in Madonna House.
Relationships with staff in Madonna House were experienced by many former residents as warm and affectionate but felt to be inconsistent and limited.
The almost complete absence of an aftercare service for former residents who had spent most of their lives in Madonna House resulted in feelings of loneliness, hurt and rejection. No arrangements were in place to facilitate maintenance of links with those who had been key figures in the children's lives.
Children as young as two spent from 9.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Madonna House pre school playgroup, with a break for lunch. Playgroup staff believed the day was too long, especially for the smallest children, but their view was ignored.
When children fell asleep in the afternoon tensions arose between playgroup staff and care workers in the residential units because the latter wanted them kept awake so they would sleep at night.
Children in the playgroup did not get holidays, except for one week at Christmas.
When the playgroup leader sought guidelines on dealing with children who had been abused, her request was ignored.
The school attached to Madonna House was staffed by a teacher whose qualification was in Speech and Drama and an assistant teacher who had no qualification. Virtually no in service training was provided.
A teacher who wanted to introduce the Stay Safe programme into the school could not get a day off to be trained.
The Department of Education disagreed with the children being educated in an institution and would not pay the teachers.
While still carrying out its review, the inquiry team "came to the conclusion that Madonna House was unsuitable for the continued provision of residential care for children it had previously cared for". It told the Sisters of Charity that it should be closed.
The agencies which interacted with Madonna House showed no awareness of the vulnerability of children in residential care. There is little evidence to suggest that in this respect they were substantially different from similar agencies throughout the country.
No agency or person had responsibility or authority to take an "overall perspective. Madonna House was often the only available placement option for health board staff attempting to provide care for children.
Social workers from the area in which Madonna House was located sent relatively few children to Madonna House and this, the report says, is "noteworthy".
Madonna House was almost totally dependent on capitation payments from the Eastern Health Board.
The inquiry team encountered a reluctance among care staff to raise serious concerns with professionals and outside agencies. "Childcare workers and others must accept that employment in a professional capacity brings certain responsibilities. It is worth noting that the discovery of the abusive practices in Madonna House was the direct result of the action of one foster parent in the community following, disclosure by a girl in foster care.
Many staff were dedicated individuals committed to the care of children. They made a positive contribution to the children's lives despite working in what was, in the view of the inquiry team, a dysfunctional organisation.
A statement of children's rights in care should be developed and a national child care policy statement should be drawn up by the Department of Health.
Comprehensive family support services should be developed to promote good parenting and to reduce the need for reception of children into care.
Each health board should develop a policy statement in relation to services for children in care.
Each residential children's centre should have a time limited service contract with the health board.
Securing Garda reports on potential staff should be compulsory prior to appointment of all grades of staff in children's residential centres.
When placed in care, children and their parents should receive a written statement on their rights, on complaints procedures and containing detailed information on the operation of the centre.
A specific statute should be enacted which would designate certain professionals as being legally obliged to report allegations of child abuse. Complaints made directly by children in care should be notified to their parents immediately, and parents should be formally informed of the outcome of any investigation.