At least 188 young people who were in care or known to social services have died over the past decade, according to new figures released by the Health Service Executive.
The HSE this evening announced that a further 151 vulnerable young people have died. This is in addition to 37 children who died while in formal State care disclosed last week.
Of the additional deaths announced today, the majority (84) died of unnatural causes such as suicide, unlawful killings, drugs overdoses and road traffic accidents. The remainder (67) died of natural causes.
The figures are the latest estimate from the HSE and are based on a wider definition of deaths in care. It says last week’s figure of 37 deaths in care represented children who were in care at the time of their death.
Today’s estimate is based on young people who were over the age of 18 and still in aftercare, or children who were known to social services but not in formal care.
This definition is based on guidance issued by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa), published in March of this year.
The HSE says that prior to the publication of this guidance there was no one national standard in place for the notification of deaths of children In care or known to child protection services.
In a statement, the HSE said it extended its “sympathy and deepest regret” to the family and friends of the children and young people who have died over the past decade.
“The care and well being of all children in care are and who have contact with our services is of paramount importance to the HSE,” it said.
“The HSE takes its responsibilities in relation to child protection very seriously and is committed to continuing to develop the services we provide to children and families as part of our ongoing reform programme. We are also committed to learning from shortcomings that are identified through reviews and reports into our services to improve services for children and families into the future.”
Minister for Children Barry Andrews said that information regarding the number of young people who have died while receiving State care has been passed to a review group investigating child deaths.
"There will be shock at the scale of the numbers and behind each case is a child and family and we must bear their sense of loss in mind today," he said.
Fine Gael said the figures published this evening were "shocking" and showed the extent to which child care and protection services have failed children.
