Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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56. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to introduce a legal framework governing the use of single separation at Oberstown children detention campus. [50169/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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In light of the developments and improvements detailed below regarding the use and monitoring of single separation, I have no plans to introduce a legal framework governing its use.

In January 2017 my Department published A National Policy on Single Separation Use in Secure Accommodation for Children: Special Care and Oberstown. It is my Department's policy that the use of Single Separation shall be a measure of last resort. Following my Department's publication Oberstown carried out a review of its Single Separation Policy. The revised Single Separation Policy for Oberstown, was approved by the Oberstown Board of Management in April 2017.

Arising from this review, the separation procedures are being reviewed and revised in line with the new policy. All staff are receiving refresher training on the policy and will receive training on the procedures once completed.

The number of separations that take place and the recording of what is deemed to be separation in line with the stated policy is a matter of concern which has emerged in the most recent HIQA inspection report. Under the current HIQA Action Plan for Oberstown, a process to ensure that unit managers monitor single separation records was established by the Deputy Director for Care Services and implementation of this process is the responsibility of the Deputy Director for Residential Services. Record keeping on the use of single separation and other restrictive practices have been further informed by an audit review undertaken by the Deputy Director for Care Services. Direction has been provided to all unit managers on the requirements to ensure that all staff comply with campus procedures and policies. Further monitoring of the records will be undertaken by Oberstown management and specific audits have been scheduled to be carried out by the end of 2017.

There is now a process in place to ensure that any extensions to the use of separation comply with these policies and procedures. This process includes the availability of senior management on a 24/7 basis to approve the use of separation, following a risk assessment, in specific instances.