Dispute over therapy service for teen has wider implications, judge finds

A teenager in detention has not had access to essential therapy because of a dispute between the Child and Family Agency therapist service and the Irish Youth Justice Service, the Dublin District Family Court heard today.

Judge Brendan Toale said the matter had wider implications for other young people who wish to avail of therapy and should have been predicted.

A solicitor for the court-appointed guardian to the teenager said the teen had been left for a “very substantial period of time in very difficult circumstances without intervention” and had a need for therapy.

Since he entered detention he had not had access to his therapist for a month, and there had been a break in the “therapeutic relationship”. There was only a small window of opportunity to help the teenager.

Intervention
The solicitor for the agency said its assessment, consultation and therapy services had been involved with the teenager for a year. He agreed the boy needed regular therapeutic intervention. He said the service had requested accompaniment while in the detention unit because it was felt therapists were not in "a safe environment".

An offer had been made that therapy would take place in a room with CCTV and with a care member outside, but that had not yet been responded to and the matter had not yet been resolved. “I accept something should have been done before now,” he said.

A solicitor for the Irish Youth Justice Service said the therapist had been written to and invited to examine the room for suitability, but had not done it yet. She suggested the guardian should have exhausted all avenues before coming to court.

The judge said it was entirely predictable when the therapy service was set up that staff could expect to be working in such institutions.

He directed the agency to ensure the therapy service responded to what had been proposed by close of business today to facilitate the teenager’s access to therapy, and if it was not acceptable then it should “immediately say what they require”.

He listed the case again for next week.