Non-statutory Children’s Residential Services

The Alternative Care Inspection and Monitoring Service is responsible for the inspection of non-statutory children’s residential services in Ireland.

The National Standards for Children’s Residential Centres, 2018 (HIQA) provide the framework against which inspections are carried out and provide the criteria against which centres’ structures and care practices are examined. The Child Care (Standards in Children’s Residential Centres) Regulations, 1996 provide the regulatory framework against which registration decisions are primarily made

During inspection, inspectors use the standards to inform their judgement on compliance with relevant regulations.  Inspections are carried out against specific themes and may be announced or unannounced.  Three categories are used to describe how standards are complied with.  These are as follows:

• Met: means that no action is required as the service/centre has fully met the standard and is in full compliance with the relevant regulation where applicable.
• Met in some respect only: means that some action is required by the service/centre to fully meet a standard.
• Not met: means that substantial action is required by the service/centre to fully meet a standard or to comply with the relevant regulation where applicable.

Inspectors will also make a determination on whether the centre is in compliance with the Child Care (Standards in Children’s Residential Centres) Regulations, 1996.Determinations are as follows:

• Regulation met: the registered provider or person in charge has complied in full with the requirements of the relevant regulation and standard.
• Regulation not met : the registered provider or person in charge has not complied in full with the requirements of the relevant regulations and standards and substantial action is required in order to come into compliance