Health Minister Robin Swan described the observer’s report as “extremely disturbing” that children with mental health problems in the nursing home were “at grave risk”.
The Minister was responding to an urgent General Assembly question that was placed in the Praxis Care facility amid the RQIA report.
RQIA inspectors identified “significant deficiencies” in staff training and record-keeping that “put both children and staff at risk.”
In a statement, the inspection organization said: “In February 2022, during an inspection of the childcare service operated by Brax Barley, IWQA found that there were not sufficiently qualified and qualified personnel to meet the complex. The needs of the children charged with their care, promotion of their rights and a safe response to their needs ” .
Speaking at the association on Tuesday, Swan said the South East Trust had issued an “immediate and decisive response” to Trust employees who had been transferred to the facility to “address the vacant positions”. He added that RQIA inspectors “engaged” with parents and children themselves throughout the process.
SDLP health spokesman Colin McGrath, who questioned the meeting, said staffing problems could not happen overnight, but emphasized that the fund had received a “proactive response” when informed of the inspection results in February.
The minister added that in addition to issues related to staff vacancies, the inspectors also faced “efficiency” problems, as well as governance and management structures.
In a statement, Praxis Care said it had “unfortunately realized that after extensive engagement with both the South Eastern Trust and RQIA, with the difficulty of recruiting and retaining staff in one of our childcare services, we are very pleased to conclude that we can.” The trust has been notified.”
The name or location of the facility was not disclosed to protect the youth residing in it.
The charity added: “The next day, the Education and Training Quality Authority announced that it would officially cancel its registration. We are now working in partnership with the South Eastern Trust to ensure a smooth and well-managed transition for the children and our staff who have worked tirelessly under extremely difficult conditions.
“Recruitment in the welfare field has been very challenging, despite the exemplary Praxis Care employee benefits package, which was recently welcomed by the GMB. Unfortunately, it has been very difficult to request the closure of this institution after so many years of life support for children and their families.”
It is understood that this is the first children’s service whose registration has been de-registered under an enforceable procedure.
Praxis Care is one of Northern Ireland’s leading mental health charities and provides a wide range of services, including several homes for children under 16 with mental health issues.
The agency said in a statement that its inspectors “believe that inadequate record-keeping and a significant shortage of service personnel put children and staff at risk.”
They added: “Due to the grave risks identified by the Inspectorate to the health and well-being of the many children in this service, the Inspectorate issued a successful petition on March 3, 2022 to revoke the Magistrates Court’s order.
“After working with RQIA, South East Health and Social Trust took over responsibility for the staffing and management of this house, and children and young people still live in this house.”
Source: Belfastlive
Tim-32Brown is a distinguished writer for TodayTimesLive, known for his exceptional talent in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Tim crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for insightful journalism and a commitment to delivering high-quality articles.
