<p>
	Case studies in the new report into the removal of children from their families by garda&iacute;</p>
<p>
	More than 90 cases, recorded on the Garda Pulse system, were detailed in the new report of the removal of children from their families by garda&iacute;.</p>
<p>
	Here are the details of four of the case studies:</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Case study one</p>
<p>
	A garda received a call from the HSE [NOW TUSLA]requesting assistance with a child who had been removed from a hospital, Garda Pulse records show.</p>
<p>
	While she was awaiting an x-ray in the emergency department, the girl was removed by her brother. He had previously admitted to social workers that he had assaulted her.</p>
<p>
	Garda&iacute; spotted the brother&rsquo;s car, followed it and saw the man enter an apartment. They called to the apartment and found the child behind a curtain in the living room. The brother was extremely agitated and aggressive towards garda&iacute;, and initially denied that his sister was in the flat.</p>
<p>
	It transpired that the living room was also the girl&rsquo;s bedroom and that she slept on the floor.</p>
<p>
	Garda&iacute; recorded that the girl was in a distressed state and her brother was denying her medical treatment. Using their emergency powers, garda&iacute; removed the child and Tusla took her to safe accommodation. Garda&iacute; reported social workers would be applying for an emergency care order in court.</p>
<p>
	But records showed the child was subsequently returned to her brother and social workers would not confirm whether or not they had ever made a court application to keep the child in care.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Case study two</p>
<p>
	Cr&egrave;che staff had notified social workers of their concerns for a three-year-old child they were looking after who had bruises and hand prints on her body.</p>
<p>
	Social workers called garda&iacute; and medical advice confirmed it was likely the marks were the result of physical violence. Pulse records show garda&iacute; invoked their emergency powers to remove the child to safety on the request of social workers.</p>
<p>
	The garda report also said the incident had occurred on a Friday evening after 6pm and that social workers would attend court on Monday to apply for an emergency care order for the child.</p>
<p>
	However, later entries recorded on the Garda Pulse system appeared to show the child was returned home on that Monday, after a case conference was held by social workers.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Case study three</p>
<p>
	Garda&iacute; took a child into emergency care following a 999 call from an anonymous source. The caller was concerned about a child living in an apartment block.</p>
<p>
	Garda&iacute; went to the apartment and knocked on the door for several minutes before it was answered. A man let them in.</p>
<p>
	The apartment was littered with rubbish, there were soiled nappies all over the floor, as well as excrement. There was broken furniture everywhere and no bedding on the beds.</p>
<p>
	A child, almost four-years-old, was running around in a soiled nappy with dried excrement on her clothes. Despite her age, she was unable to speak.</p>
<p>
	The man appeared agitated and complained of a sore hand, garda&iacute; reported. When they asked how he injured his hand, he admitted punching a wall in his apartment a couple of days earlier.</p>
<p>
	Garda&iacute; had serious concerns about the child&rsquo;s welfare and removed her.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Case study four</p>
<p>
	A garda discovered a child in a house with her aunts and an uncle. There was blood on the floor and signs there had been drinking.</p>
<p>
	The child looked neglected, the garda reported; she was in need of a bath and was wearing a very soggy and soiled nappy. The garda knew there was a care plan in place for the child.</p>
<p>
	The plan was agreed only that morning between the social worker in the case and the child&rsquo;s parents. But the parents had failed to stick to the plan and had evaded social workers.</p>
<p>
	The child&rsquo;s home was described as filthy, in the garda report; there was a lack of food and both parents were intoxicated.</p>
<p>
	Garda&iacute; reported that the family members caring for the child, the aunts and uncles, were aware of the care plan, but had actively participated in an effort to frustrate the social work department and were evasive about the whereabouts of the parents.</p>
<p>
	The report also said the mother had attended a hospital emergency department with injuries she said were inflicted by her husband, but she told garda&iacute; she fell. The child was taken into emergency care.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	(Published by the Irish Times on the 29th May 2017)</p>
<p>
	<a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/young-girl-assaulted-by-older-brother-released-back-into-his-care-1.3100016?mode=amp">https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/young-girl-assaulted-by-older-brother-released-back-into-his-care-1.3100016?mode=amp</a></p>
