A sisters of Mercy home went "too far" in banning all touching between staff and the boys and among the boys themselves because of fears of abuse allegations, a report has said.
The report, Lives in Care, was published yesterday by the Mercy Congregation and the children's research centre, TCD.
It is based on an evaluation of the 16 residential centres run by the order in the Republic. The order also has a centre in Northern Ireland.
The report highlights the dilemma faced by residential care staff fearful that they could face allegations of abuse.
Cases of abuse which have come to light in recent years "have made staff wary of physical contact and fearful of false or mistaken allegations of abuse being made against them."
One centre which has banned touching between staff and boys and among the boys themselves "has erred too far on the side of prohibition," it says. "The measure has proved successful in eliminating horseplay which had led to the need for restraints."
But while such a ban might be appropriate as a temporary measure, it "is not appropriate as a permanent rule which deprives staff of an essential aspect of care and which may store up other problems in the longer term."
"A code for appropriate physical contact between staff and children is therefore required which allows both parties to feel comfortable."
The report finds that the children's physical needs are well looked after and that the children seem to find the staff warm and friendly. Many of the centres, however, do not perform adequately in meeting the emotional and psychological therapeutic needs of the children, it says. It calls for training for the staff in this area.
It says there are differences between Sisters of Mercy centres and health boards.
Brian McLaughlin in Limerick adds: Child-care services had been a neglected area of public policy and are still relatively under-developed in Ireland by international standards, the chief executive of Barnardo's, Mr Owen Keenan, said at the publication of the report in Limerick.
But he was confident that the harsh regimes of the past were gone.
Mr Robbie Gilligan, of the TCD children's research centre, said there had been no attempt to airbrush out awkward findings. "What is presented is an honest appraisal of the service provided by the Religious Sisters of Mercy, warts and all."
Sister Mary Jo Sheehy, who has overall responsibility for childcare services for the Mercy Sisters, admitted they were disturbed by some issues raised in the Dear Daughter programme on RTE about the old orphanage in Goldenbridge. "Serious concerns were raised regarding the past, so we commissioned this independent review to critically examine the present and so enable us to ensure good practice for the future within the framework of the 1991 Children's Act," she said.
The order has now 100 children in its care.