Tusla referred 19 deaths of children to review panel in 2024
The NRP conducts reviews of instances where children in care, in aftercare or known to child protection services, die or experience serious incidents.
None of the deaths referred to the NRP by Tusla last year related to children in care.
Two related to young people receiving aftercare services and the remaining 17 notifications related to children or young people who were living with their families in the community.
Of the 19 deaths notified in 2024; eight died because of natural causes; four died by suicide; two were accidental and five were classified as unknown (where the coroner/post-mortem has not reached a conclusion as to cause of death).
Most deaths occurred in two age cohorts, infants under 12 months (13 in total) and those aged between 11 years and 16-years (four in total).
There are six recommendations included in the report, including a suggestion that Tusla develop a national policy and strategy to address the mental health needs of children in care.
It also recommends that when reviews are conducted on the Child Abuse Substantiation Procedure (CASP) - which is the process to investigate allegations of child abuse - the level of adherence to correct procedure when the alleged victim and perpetrator live in different areas should be examined.
The NRP suggests that Tusla and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth review Children First guidance on the key functions of Tusla to mandate it as the lead agency in managing and coordinating inter-agency care planning.
It has pointed to cases where the assessment of harm to a child or young person arising from their own actions is high (i.e. life threatening), combined with concerns about a parent's ability to cope with and manage this risk.
Other recommendations include that Tusla develop guidance for the management of Child Welfare - High Priority cases with partner agencies and in particular the HSE's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
It also says Tusla should take steps to audit and establish if Medium Priority child welfare cases is an "appropriate classification" where children or young people are at risk and that the Joint Protocol for Interagency Working needs further revision to assist in the management of contested cases.
NRP Chairperson Dr Helen Buckley has expressed her sincere sympathy to those affected by the deaths of the children and young people reviewed by the National Review Panel in 2024.
"As with previous years, suicide is one of the biggest factors in the death of young people and a stronger inter-agency approach is needed to fully support our young people experiencing mental health difficulties," she said.
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