Ms Koulla Yiasouma:

Yes, it was. There is a HIQA report from 2022 as well, which also mentions the deputy designated liaison person. That person has now been identified and he is about to have training. I do not know where he is in the organisation, but I know the director is responsible for that action. The role is critical, because it is the liaison where there are safeguarding and child-protection systems. The child protection statement is currently at draft stage and is being reviewed by senior management. I remember the organisational question; the final organisational structure has been agreed. Two senior posts are about to be recruited for, or have been identified and are to be recruited for. I cannot remember which, but we can certainly get the information to the Senator.

Some of the other issues the Senator identified I have spoken on. HIQA says when it talks to people, it knows they feel safe and nurtured. We do not see that reflected in the record keeping. As the chair going in, if there was going to be one or the other, that is the right way round, but it needs to be fixed. The next phase of development is to make sure the records are kept and reflect the quality of the care going on.

That is work in progress.

I cannot answer the question on whether the multidisciplinary team, MDT, is able to meet the psychological and mental health needs of the young people. I hope so, but I would need to verify it first, as that is an important question and I do not want to mislead the committee. We will get that answer for the committee.

Similarly, I cannot answer the Senator's question on family and friends. I asked a question when I was at the centre a couple of weeks ago, so I know that a flexible approach is taken to visits by family and friends. It is not that there is one visiting day each week. Rather, people can come on down when it suits them. It is family friendly. I am unclear on how far the centre supports young people when relationships are fractured and there needs to be some healing or mediation. That was an important question and I am happy to revert to the committee on it.

When the HIQA spoke to the young people, they said that they were involved in their care planning. Families said the same. The record does not always reflect that, though. The element to do with the voice of the young people is strong. There is a campus council. There is also a designated advocacy officer, whose job it is to ensure that the young people's voices are heard and their views are incorporated at every level of Oberstown. There is a young people's committee that the chairperson chairs. When I say "young people's committee", I mean a committee with young people who are having their say and feeding back views. However, that is not always reflected in the system.

Oberstown is very much involved in developing the youth justice strategy for the wider youth justice system. Bearing in mind that we are discussing a children's social care system and we sit in the Department with responsibility for children, I would like to think that the information and insight that the team at Oberstown has influence the wider children's system.

I do not have information on the individual recovery programme procedure.