An adult psychiatric hospital has warned the continuing placement of a troubled 16-year-old boy with it is detrimental to the boy's welfare, the High Court heard yesterday.
Mr Justice Kearns was told efforts were continuing to secure an alternative place for the boy, who is regarded as a serious risk to himself and others.
In the absence of any secure psychiatric facility for adolescents in the State, the boy was placed in the adult psychiatric hospital earlier this month. Prior to that, although not facing any criminal charges, he had been detained in a remand centre.
A clinical psychologist told the judge he had approached 19 psychiatrists and several psychiatric facilities before securing a place for the boy, who was described by the psychologist as a serious suicide risk.
The boy, who comes from a dysfunctional family background and has a conduct disorder, has made a series of suicide attempts.
A report in early March, compiled by his clinical psychologist, warned he was at serious risk of self-harm, required urgent intervention and must be removed from the remand centre. Earlier this month he attempted suicide and had to be resuscitated. That incident led to the court proceedings.
The case is one of a number underlining the absence of any secure psychiatric facility here for disturbed children aged between 16 and 18 years. In the other cases, the children involved have been detained in the Central Mental Hospital and a range of adult psychiatric hospitals.
Yesterday, Mr Justice Kearns was told the South Eastern Health Board was investigating the possibility of placing the boy in a centre run by a private company. However, the centre was run by a commercial entity and the board had no control over whether it chose to take the boy.
Mr Mark de Blacam SC, for the boy, said the hospital where he was placed did not wish him to remain. A report from the hospital described the placement as detrimental to his welfare.
The judge said the adult hospital was only ever a stop-gap and he consented to adjourn the matter to Thursday of next week.
