A High Court judge yesterday expressed concern about a proposal to move a troubled 15year-old girl, who is almost four months pregnant, to an open centre rather than a secure unit.
A social worker with the Southern Health Board agreed there was a risk the girl would abscond. She had previously done so and become pregnant by a 23-year-old man, who is now serving a prison sentence unrelated to the pregnancy.
Mr Justice Kelly heard that the girl remained in a State remand centre where she was at risk from other disturbed children. He was not satisfied either option, or other possibilities, had been fully explored and was very conscious that his obligation now was towards two minors, the girl and her unborn child.
He said the remand centre should be asked if it could keep the girl in a section away from other children, or if security could be increased at the open unit. He wanted to hear a detailed proposal on December 12th.
The girl was placed in the care of the Southern Health Board last July, but the board was unable to put the care order into effect because she absconded from her family home days earlier.
A warrant was issued by the High Court last month directing gardai to search for and place her in a secure centre. She was located about 10 days later and placed in the remand centre.
The girl was one of 12 cases of troubled children dealt with yesterday by the judge.
In the case of an extremely disturbed 16-year-old girl who had been sexually abused by her father, the judge heard she had made considerable progress, with some lapses, in recent months at a high-support facility, had participated successfully in cultural events and was looking forward to returning to school to do her Leaving Certificate.
He was told she was very talented musically. A letter from the girl was handed to the judge but not read in court.
He paid tribute to the girl herself, her mother and the unit staff involved with her care for the progress to date and wished her well. He made an order continuing her detention at the unit with provision for visits to her mother's home.
Such progress was rare enough in these cases, he added.
Another 15-year-old girl, described by a psychiatrist as "the saddest child I have ever met", was also reported yesterday to have made progress at the residential unit in which she was placed earlier this year.
When the case first came before the judge last December, the girl's background was described as "absymal", with an alcoholic mother and a father who allegedly sexually abused her.
The judge said she was a child who never had a chance. She had no convictions but had engaged in drug and alcohol abuse and unprotected sex.
The girl was initially placed in a remand centre because there was no suitable place for her. She was later moved to a high-support unit and from there to another such unit. She was said yesterday to be doing particularly well, and it was planned that she would remain at the centre and sit her Junior Certificate next year.
