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The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald TD, today published the Report of the Independent Child Death Review Group.

The report, authored by Dr. Geoffrey Shannon and Norah Gibbons, gives details of the 196 children who died over the period 2000-10, both of natural and unnatural causes. The children in the report include children who were in the care of the state at the time of their death, young adults who were in aftercare and other children who were not in care but were known to the HSE.

Speaking at the publication of the report, Minister Fitzgerald said;

Before this Government took office; there was conflicting data about the numbers of children who died in state care. The lack of transparency and the lack of accountability, shocked. It was utterly unacceptable that the state could not even tell how many children had died in state care.

The Minister stated that this report now gives clarity on this vital issue. There were 112 children who died of unnatural causes; 17 of whom were in care, 27 of whom were in receipt of aftercare and 68 of whom were not in care, but were in some way known to the HSE child and family services. The children and young adults in this report died from a range of causes. Some died from a range of illnesses, 4 died of accidental drowning; 5 died in house fires; 17 died from road traffic accidents; 16 were unlawfully killed; and at least 28 died by suicide.

Responding to the report the Minister stated:

The findings of this report are deeply disturbing. We read of children and young people and families, often vulnerable, often in crisis, who needed support. We read of services often willing, but fragmented and not comprehensive in their response. The question must arise how, after a period of such unprecedented economic prosperity, we were left with a child protection service in need of such reform.

If ever evidence was required of the scale of the challenge which this Government and I have had to face into, then this report is it. If ever evidence was required of why we need an utterly reformed system of state care and intervention, then this report is it. And if ever evidence was required of the need to take child protection away from the HSE, wherein up until recently, it was lost, and to set up a new agency; the Child and Family Support Agency, then this report is it.

The Minister announced that HIQA will next month publish new National Standards for the Protection and Welfare of Children which will lay-out a new standards-led approach to enforcing a new culture of quality, effectiveness and accountability in Ireland’s child protection services.

The Minister confirmed that along with Gordon Jeyes she is working to extend access to 24 hour social work assistance.

Watch Minister Fitzgerald's speech below: