A child living at a centre for disabilities in Co Laois had the same timetable for months on end, except for one trip to the zoo last year.

Inspectors from the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) found that staff at Lotus Care Ltd’s Corrig Woods centre near Portarlington set “limited and repetitive activities” in the case of at least two of the four children living at the facility.

One timetable repeated the same four activities for months: social drives, playground visits, walks in the woods, and house play. Staff could not show either of the two inspectors at the facility any evidence that any other activities were undertaken.

Following a short-notice announced inspection in January, the five-bedroom care home was found not to be compliant with standards of care in eight out of 19 categories.

These included residents’ rights, risk management, and general welfare and development of the children.

Some of the non-compliant judgements related to admissions paperwork not being in order and lack of individual assessment and personal plans for the children and were rated as a red risk-warning, meaning the operator had to immediately begin the process to comply with regulations.

Corrig Woods opened as a children’s disabilities care centre over one year ago after the facility was purchased by Lotus Care in 2022. It offers full-time residential care for children aged between six and 18 years old with autism and other intellectual disabilities.

The private company owns and operates four other residential care centres for people with disabilities in Leinster, all of which have been compliant in most standards of care according to recent inspections.

Two inspectors carried out the first review of the facility over two days in January, almost a year after it had registered as a care facility.

A report details that there were a number of areas of non-compliance, some of which had not been identified in the mandatory six-month review undertaken by the provider of the facility in 2024.

Children had ‘no control’ of their lives

The report highlights that there were many examples of good practice at the facility, that staff and management were committed to looking after the children and meeting their needs in full, and that the two children the inspectors observed were in good care and happy.

However, there was insufficient evidence that the residents were able to exercise choice and control in their daily lives.

The inspectors’ report, published last month, said: “In one file, where it was clear that a child had expressed a liking of trains, swimming and nature, these interests were not fully promoted in their daily plan and did not form part of their personal plan.”

A frequently observed issue at the facility was the absence of a completed assessment of needs for each child. Waiting lists for the procedures, which identify a child’s health and educational needs, are at record highs.

Inspectors were unable to confirm the legal status of two children at the facility, as the admissions process was unclear. Contracts signed by the guardians of the children included references to a completely different facility.

Risk assessments were not carried out for the two children, the HIQA report noted, and the residents did not have follow-up plans or development programmes on file – causing concern among the two inspectors.

The report noted: “The very fact that the provider was unable to clearly confirm the legal status of two children residing in the service clearly compromised the foundation of the promotion and respect of their rights.”

Very few risk mitigation and management protocols were present over a two-day inspection of the facility, the report notes. Inspectors grew concerned when staff did not follow the facility’s own or the national safeguarding processes.

Recommendations followed

In the days and weeks following the inspection, Lotus Care Ltd implemented a comprehensive personal plan for each child at the facility so that a person-centred care approach is taken to the children’s development goals.

A full-time staff member was appointed to the centre, with a focus on the general welfare and development of the children.

This staff member will complete “regular audits on weekly planners” to make sure “meaningful activities” take place,” the company told HIQA.

The firm also updated its pre-admission risk assessment programme so that the status of each child and their development can be addressed and planned. Paperwork giving staff access to school records has been completed to further the children’s development.

Additional training, including autism awareness classes, were scheduled for staff at Corrig Woods. A risk management committee was also established and meets monthly.

The Journal contacted Lotus Care Ltd for comment.

Source: The Journal.