Chapter 15 — Foster care

Neglect

In one instance a witness reported that she believed the social worker was a social acquaintance of the foster parents, which made it difficult for the witness to disclose sexual abuse. Another witness recalled that official visitors came to see two other foster children in the home but nobody ever came to see her: ‘Someone ...(inspector)... called to see them 2 girls ...(foster siblings).... Nobody ever called to see me. ... The other 2 girls were paid for, they had to go to school, but I wasn’t.’ Witnesses were of the view that official visits were prearranged, they recalled being dressed in their ‘Sunday clothes’ and that the house was tidied by way of preparation for the inspectors.

Three (3) witnesses reported that their foster parents applied to adopt them; all reported being abused in their foster homes. One of these witnesses reported that the only visit she could recall during her lengthy foster care placement was when a woman came to assess her foster parents’ suitability as adoptive parents. The adoption was not approved but she remained in the foster home, where she reported that she continued to be abused. The other two witnesses reported that each of their foster homes had been visited on a regular basis by women whom they identified as nurses. The witnesses reported being officially adopted by their foster parents when they were approximately 10 years old and recalled no further visits from the nurses. Both witnesses reported that they continued to be abused following their adoption. Their evidence relating to abuse during the post-adoption period is not included in this report, being outside the remit of the Commission.

Socialisation and follow-up care

Eleven (11) witnesses reported being deprived of the opportunity to socialise and play. Five (5) witnesses reported that they were not allowed to play with local children and seven witnesses reported having no toys or playthings. The dominant memory for these 11 witnesses is of working, either on the farms, in the houses, or for relatives and neighbours of the foster parents.

Failure on behalf of the supervising authorities to provide for the practical and psychological needs of young people in foster care was highlighted as an area of neglect by many witnesses. This concern was specifically raised in relation to the absence of any preparation for discharge from foster care or preparation for a more independent adult life. Witnesses reported having to resort to their own courage and ingenuity when they reached the age of 16 years. They then became aware that they could or would have to leave the foster home as the authorities no longer had responsibility for their placement and foster payments had ceased. She took everything I had, clothes, photographs, everything, so I went and got a job and told nobody, I got the job with an agency and I went and I never came back to Ireland until I knew she was dead. I used to ring...local person...and ask if she was still alive. I know it was very callous of me but the hold and damage she did to my life...

In addition to the lack of preparation provided for witnesses’ discharge from foster care, the lack of support of post-discharge follow-up was reported as a further area of neglect.

Seven (7) female witnesses reported that they became pregnant and/or married before they were 20 years old to ‘escape’ foster homes from which there appeared to be no other route to independence. In my opinion I was thrown to the wolves ... the injustice ... because I feel nobody cared. I got married at 17 for security, he was ...several years... older than me. I tried to get out of a bad situation but I got into a worse one.

Five (5) other witnesses reported that they never left their foster homes as they had ‘nowhere else to go’ or felt duty-bound to remain and care for elderly foster parents in what one witness referred to as a ‘prison’. The witnesses reported that they remained in their foster homes until they married or until their foster parents died.

Six (6) witnesses left their foster care placements in varying circumstances. Four (4) witnesses reported that they drew attention to their unhappiness by running away, disclosing abuse or asking to be moved. Two (2) witnesses were then placed in hostels where they reported receiving more support and professional assistance for their particular difficulties. Another witness described being given a home by a kind elderly neighbour who acted as a guardian until his death when the witness was a young adult.

Two (2) witnesses reported being sent to work as live-in domestics in institutional settings where they remained until they were sufficiently confident to move to positions where they had more freedom. Three (3) other witnesses found jobs when they were 16 years old and gradually became more independent and/or got married.

Four (4) witnesses who had minor disabilities gave accounts of being ‘dumped’ one way or another when they became ill, their principal foster carer died or the witness reached the age when foster care payments ceased. In these circumstances witnesses reported that different people, including relatives of the foster parents and welfare professionals, arranged assistance for them, including placement on a training program, transfer to a rehabilitation hospital and support with independent living.

Two (2) witnesses reported that they returned to live with their biological families when the difficulties that led to their out-of-home placement had been resolved.

Emotional abuse

Any other act or omission towards the child which results, or could reasonably be expected to result, in serious impairment of the physical or mental health or development of the child or serious adverse effects on his or her behaviour or welfare.4 The emotional abuse reported to the Committee included verbal abuse, social isolation and lack of affection, denial of contact with other children, denial of identity, personal ridicule, humiliation, and family denigration. Witnesses also reported being subjected to constant threats of abandonment, including being told that they would be ‘sent back’ or ‘sent away’ to an Industrial School if they misbehaved or displeased their foster parents.

The experience of being placed with foster families was marked by loneliness and isolation for many of the 24 witnesses who gave evidence to the Committee, 18 of whom reported being emotionally abused while in foster care. They reported feeling ‘abandoned’ to their fate, ignored by State authorities, and forgotten about by parents and relatives, including biological parents, some of whom subsequently married and reared families.

Four (4) witnesses reported being placed with foster families where they were exposed to trauma and emotional instability in the context of domestic violence, marital conflict or mental illness. There were rows all the time, when something would go wrong we ... (foster children)... were called names. If something was lost ... (foster mother would say)... “that bastard’s lost it”. ... (foster carers were)... always throwing things around.

Four (4) other witnesses reported being removed from placements where they had been settled, and relocated with different foster carers. They reported that the transfers occurred without discussion. The witnesses believed that their placement transfers were facilitated for the specific purpose of providing company and assistance to elderly, childless individuals and couples.