A High Court judge yesterday welcomed the "extraordinary turnaround" in the position of two extremely disturbed teenage girls.
One was "highly suicidal" just months ago, and her case had placed three Government Ministers at risk of being found in contempt of court.
That girl, who will be 18 in the autumn, remains in a controlled therapeutic unit where she was placed by Mr Justice Kelly last October. Just days earlier the judge had said three Government Ministers with responsibilities in the area of childcare, and the health board responsible for the girl's welfare, would be in contempt of court unless a suitable place was found for her.
On October 13th the girl escaped from the unit, which was constructed on the order of the High Court last summer, and there were serious concerns for her welfare. She is a victim of sexual abuse and has a history of drug and alcohol abuse and of serious attempts at self harm.
She was found on October 22nd, and the political controversy surrounding her case abated when the judge approved her return to the CTU after being told it would be physically modified and more staff provided.
When reviewing the case yesterday, the judge heard the girl had made good progress and had demonstrated no violence towards staff. It was planned she would move next month to stage two of a phased exit plan from the CTU. Stage three of the plan would, if progress continued, lead to her being given independent accommodation before her 18th birthday.
Mr Justice Kelly welcomed the "considerable improvement" in her situation. She deserved credit for the progress made, as did health board staff who were placed under considerable pressure as a result of court orders which, the judge said, had to be made because there was then a risk the girl would take her own life.
The judge also welcomed the progress made by a 15-year-old girl at a residential unit where she was placed several months ago. As there were no other places for her, the girl had been put in an adult psychiatric unit after she almost died following an overdose of alcohol and ecstasy tablets. She suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder resulting from sexual abuse.
The judge heard the girl was attending school and doing well. She was also successfully participating in cultural activities and had access visits home.
She had made considerable progress, and this was a tribute to herself, her mother and the health board staff. There was now a prospect she might achieve some of the goals she had set for herself.
