Health authority to review care given to troubled girl

The Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) is to carry out a review of the care provided to Ms Kim O'Donovan, it was announced…

The Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) is to carry out a review of the care provided to Ms Kim O'Donovan, it was announced last night.

Ms O'Donovan (15) died from a drugs overdose in a Dublin city-centre B&B in August after escaping from the care of the ERHA.

The Minister of State for Children, Ms Mary Hanafin, said she asked the ERHA to carry out the review "so that lessons could be learned from the handling of this case which would lead to improved services for other troubled children in the future".

She said the review should examine whether services provided to Ms O'Donovan were adequate and appropriate. Recommendations should be made on the basis of its findings. The review will be carried out by an independent person who is to report by the end of the year.

READ MORE

The ERHA did not have any further details regarding the review, as the chief executive of the authority only met the Minister yesterday evening and agreed to set up the review then.

An investigation into the running of Newtown House in Co Wicklow is already being carried out by the Social Services Inspectorate. The high-support unit cared for Ms O'Donovan before she absconded in late July.

Mr Victor McElfatrick, acting director of the Social Services Inspectorate, has said that while most residential centres were doing a good job, the inspectorate was concerned at the lack of qualifications and training received by some care workers.

He has also expressed concern at the lack of adequate care plans for children in some circumstances. In some cases, care plans were not drawn up when the child arrived. In other cases, the plans were inadequate.