The CASE of a 13-year-old boy, who recently appeared to try and take his own life at a State remand centre, is one of the most complicated of the many children's cases before the courts, a High Court judge said yesterday.
Mr Justice Kelly said a nine-month delay in devising a care plan for the child had been criticised by his lawyers, but there was some justification for the delay because of the case's complexity.
The boy was from a very poor family, the judge said. His mother had left home many years ago, some of his siblings were imprisoned or had drug problems and he himself had a chronic medical condition, poor literacy and numeracy skills and exhibited violent behaviour. He had been in care for more than two years and had a history of absconding.
The boy has been in a State secure remand centre since January, although a head social worker with the Eastern Health Board agreed this was not the most appropriate place for him.
Despite there being some justification for the delay in implementing a care plan, no more time must be wasted in dealing with the boy's case, Mr Justice Kelly said.
He had heard evidence that one cause of the boy's deteriorating condition and mounting frustration, which had led last month to a serious assault on staff and the apparent attempt to take his own life, was that he was unable to visit his home and had no indication when his remand period would end.
Mr Cormac Corrigan SC, with Ms Mary Ellen Ring, for the boy, had earlier told the court that, while he was not seeking to diminish the efforts made on the boy's behalf, he was concerned that, if a care plan was not formulated quickly, there was an increasing likelihood the boy would try to harm himself again.
Mr Justice Kelly said he would direct that within three weeks a case conference of all relevant professionals dealing with the boy be called and a detailed care plan be presented to the court. He also directed that the boy could have three home visits, under particular conditions, within the same period and returned the matter for hearing on November 1st.