Care order for boy allegedly scalded when mother threw kettle of boiling water at him

An interim care order was made yesterday for a boy who had second-degree burns after his mother allegedly threw a kettle of boiling water at him.

Judge Marie Quirke made the order at the Dublin District Family Court though the mother had not been notified after hearing evidence she had left the jurisdiction.

The social worker said the young teenager had been in the voluntary care of the Child and Family Agency since last month. The agency was contacted by a hospital after he presented with burns on his chest.

The mother was also admitted to hospital on the same evening in an intoxicated condition, the social worker said.

She had serious health issues requiring medical attention. There was concern about her alcohol use.

The boy has since been released from hospital and is in foster care. He continues to be treated for the burns, which are healing very well, the social worker said, and he has not yet been enrolled in school here.

Guardian appointed

The mother and child had returned to Ireland recently. The father was deceased. The mother initially agreed to voluntary care for the boy because she had no suitable accommodation in Ireland. She then left the jurisdiction and the voluntary agreement expired yesterday.

The social worker outlined efforts made to contact the mother, including through a support centre in another jurisdiction.

Judge Quirke said she believed the welfare of the child necessitated her proceeding with an order in the absence of the mother. She made the interim order for 28 days and appointed a guardian for the boy. She also directed the agency to address the boy’s educational needs as soon as possible.

In a separate case, Judge Quirke made an interim care order for three children after a four-day case which included evidence their mother lacked capacity to care for them.

The mother had five children, the court heard. The oldest child was in the care of his father, while a toddler with special needs was in voluntary foster care. One child and two infants were living with the mother until yesterday.

Giving evidence, the mother said it was very difficult to look after five children alone and she struggled with the child who had special needs.

Her ex-partner, the father of four of her children, had abused her and the child who was not his, “smashing phones off his head” and jumping on him. She had taken the man back on many occasions before she stood up to him, she said.

Biggest wish

The mother said she had taken part in parenting courses and learned a lot but it took time.“It doesn’t happen overnight like on Super Nanny on the telly,” she said.

She believed she was capable of looking after the three children who were with her. “My biggest wish is my children not to be separated from me,” she said.

The court heard the children were not meeting their developmental milestones and had been brought to creche with injuries, though these were not caused by the mother.

There had been ongoing attempts to support the mother with her parenting but the agency believed the children’s health, development and wellbeing were at risk if they remained with her.

The agency wanted an interim care order so that the mother could receive counselling for past trauma and one-to-one specialist help with parenting. The aim would be to reunify the family, the agency said.