There has been widespread shock today at the revelation that children locked into a ‘safe room’ in Ireland’s largest special care unit resorted to urinating on the floor, as they weren’t allowed access to the toilet.
The concerning discovery was made public today, after details of health watchdog Hiqa’s investigation into the Ballydowd Special Care Unit were published in a report.
Hiqa representatives made the revelation in July of this year, when 10 children between the ages of 11 and 17 were being cared for i the centre.
The report read: “Children told inspectors that being placed in single separation was often very difficult for them. Some children described feelings of being ‘lonely’ and ‘sad’.”
Elsewhere, the report revealed that children had urinated on the floor of the ‘safe room’ “as they were not permitted access to a toilet on the basis of risk.”
“In interviews with inspectors, one child described not being allowed access to a toilet as ‘disgusting’. Another young person did not have access to a shower until day 4 of a 5 day period of continuous single separation,” the report read.
The children were reportedly placed in ‘single separation’, or isolation, for seriously disruptive behaviour.
The revelations have been widely condemned today, with suggestions that the actions of staff could be deemed in contradiction with the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child.
