A 12-year-old child who went missing from State care in 2023 is thought to be “safe” in the United Kingdom, according to Tusla.
In a statement to The Irish Times, the agency said the child, whose whereabouts were unclear on Thursday night, had “absconded” from Tusla’s care soon after arriving into Ireland in March 2023, having indicated a plan to join family in the United Kingdom.
Tusla, the Child and Family, later contacted a relative of the child in the UK who “indicated” the child was “safe” though no social worker spoke to the child directly.
Since January 2023, up to 11th June, 30 children who have gone missing from Tusla’s care remain unaccounted for.
A Gaeltacht tragedy: ‘I never would have sent her if I thought anything was wrong’
Trump’s vanity takes a hit as modest crowd for military parade overshadowed by ‘No Kings’ protests across country
The Hollywood billionaire who smuggled a stray dog from Ireland and cloned her five times
Fontaines DC’s Grian Chatten: ‘Romance took a lot out of us. It was like a bomb went off, and then that silence’
In that time 123 children have gone missing from Tusla’s care. Of these 65 have been found or accounted for, 28 have since turned 18 and their files closed, with 30 children still missing.
The 12-year-old child is one of among 50 unaccompanied minors – children who arrive into the State alone and seeking international protection – found reported as missing during an inspection of Tusla’s Separated Children Seeking International Protection (SCSIP) service.
The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa), which inspected the service over four days in January and February, published its report on Thursday morning.
When asked whether this child had been recovered safely, by Thursday evening Tusla was still unable to say.
In a statement just issued it said: “The child arrived in Rosslare in March 2023 with three others, including one adult. The child provided contact details for a relative in the UK and indicated they planned to travel there, though the child gave no clear intention to do so immediately.
“The child absconded from SCSIP offices while staff were arranging a placement and interpreters.
“The child was reported missing immediately to An Garda Síochána and contact was maintained with gardaí. The strategy was not convened within the recommended timelines.
“However, this was rectified once Hiqa brought the matter to our attention. This delay has been acknowledged, and systems have been strengthened to ensure more timely responses.
“Tusla acknowledges that the convening of the formal strategy meeting in this case was unacceptably delayed,” the statement said.
In general, the agency said, if a child or young person reported missing is intercepted in Northern Ireland, Tusla is informed through An Garda Síochána’s co-ordination with the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
In its report, Hiqa said data at the time of the inspection indicated “approximately 30 children [were] missing and remained unaccounted for ... and 27 children had been reported missing at various stages and returned to their placements”.
In one case, a 12-year-old child had gone missing more than 18 months before the inspection. “There was no records (sic) of strategy meetings held with An Garda Siochana, or of contact with UK or Northern Ireland counterparts in order to share information in an effort to locate this child since that time”.
In another case, where a 14-year-old had been reported missing from care more than six months previously, a strategy meeting was requested by the principal social worker, but this occurred “five months after the child was reported missing ... and there was no evidence of liaison with counterparts in neighbouring jurisdictions”.
Tusla said that while the report identified “serious risks and challenges”, it also recognised “meaningful progress made since the previous inspection in November 2023.
“Tusla remains concerned for the welfare of any child missing from its care. The Agency maintains active engagement with An Garda Síochána and continues all possible efforts to contact and trace missing young people,” it said.
The agency said children who went missing from the SCSIP service were predominantly 16 and 17-year-old males, from countries such as Afghanistan, Somalia, and Ukraine.
“Some communicate their intention to travel to the UK or other EU countries to join family members or relatives and indicate it was never their intention to stay in Ireland.
“In a small number of cases, they contact the service after absconding to confirm their wellbeing but do not disclose their location. Where a young person’s location cannot be formally verified, they remain listed as missing with An Garda Síochána. Once they turn 18 years old, Tusla formally closes their case, but they remain under Garda missing person protocols.”
