Inspectors' report: An inspection of a health board- run children's residential centre has found staff preoccupied with internal team disputes "to the detriment" of the care of the children in the centre.
The centre in Dublin, run by the South Western Area Health Board, had to close for two weeks last year as a result of almost all the staff being on work-related sick leave.
The findings are revealed in the inspectors' report published by the Irish Social Services Inspectorate.
It said inspectors found serious problems in the internal and external management of the centre, which is not named to protect the identity of the children in care.
"There had been difficulties internally on reaching an agreement about the roles and duties of the management team. There had been little attempt to focus on agreed objectives, and there were significant difficulties in communication between individuals," it said.
Inspectors were also concerned at the emotional impact on the children of the temporary closure of the centre in November 2003 due to so many staff taking sick leave.
One child placed with foster carers he had never met before told how he was upset when he returned and tried to get back into his home (the centre) only to find no one there.
Another child in the centre, a girl, missed two weeks' schooling as a result of the closure as she was placed in foster care too far away from her school. She was not offered any extra tuition during this period.
Furthermore, the inspectors found the health board had been told in February 2003 that the centre had no fire certificate and that the building was in urgent need of maintenance and redecoration but the concerns had not been addressed several months later when the unannounced inspection was carried out.
The inspectors were also concerned at the length of time children were spending in residential care.
One child was in the centre for over eight years, another for over three years.
One of them had expressed a wish to be placed with a foster family but was told none was available. Yet when the centre had to close unexpectedly in November 2003, foster homes were found for three of the four children.
The health board, in a statement, said it was actively engaged "in progressing a residential change project" and it was anticipated this would fully address the concerns outlined in the report.