State unable to provide secure facility for troubled teen
The Dublin Children’s Court heard today that a troubled 14-year-old girl needed a two-year placement in a secure therapeutic care facility which the State cannot provide.
The 14-year-old girl had been remanded in custody to Oberstown Girls’ Centre in mid-September after being charged with three assault offences, that are alleged to have taken place in the west Dublin care home in which she had been residing.
Judge Catherine Murphy heard today that psychological and psychiatric reports recommended that the girl needed to be placed in a secure unit with therapeutic intervention for two years.
However, she also heard that there currently no such care placements available in this country.
The judge said that the girl “had huge difficulties in her life and had undergone an enormous and unimaginable amount of stress. She needs something to try and give her a chance in life.”
A proposal had been put to the court that if the girl was granted bail she could reside in a non-secure care home in Wexford.
In response to that proposal, Judge Murphy said: “She would abscond during the first 24 hours. That is the reality.”
She also added that there was no legal impediment to a suitable care placement being sought outside the jurisdiction if it were not available in the State.
If the placement in the care home in Wexford was taken up, funding from the Health Service Executive (HSE) would be needed to provide therapeutic intervention, the court was also informed.
There had also been a differing of opinions within the HSE as to whether the girl should be sent to a centre overseas.
Judge Murphy remanded the girl in custody until later this month to allow detailed proposals to be furnished to the court in light of the psychological and psychiatric recommendations in relation to a two-year placement with therapeutic intervention in a secure care unit.
The girl who was supported in court by her mother spoke up at being held in custody.
“How would you like to be locked up? They were supposed to have sorted this out,” she said.
