The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) has published draft standards aimed at guaranteeing the protection of children and their well-being while in State care.
The standards cover 21 separate issues, ranging from the happiness of children to appropriate record keeping, policies and procedures of the residential centres and foster families that provide care for young people.
The authority has also listed the criteria that it proposes to use to measure whether a particular standard is being met by a carer during an inspection. These include a host of issues such as ensuring a young person feels safe and secure in his or her placement to carers providing a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet.
The draft standards were published as part of a consultation process today. This is aimed at getting the views of stakeholders, the public and the children in care, who use the services.
If implemented, the standards would also introduce a new comprehensive vetting regime for HSE-run residential centres for young people. This would require the vetting of person in charge of a residential service under a new "Fit-person entry programme for registered providers and persons in charge".
"The aim of the programme is to provide information on legislation, regulations, standards and best practice, and to assess the capacity of the providers and managers to understand and apply these to the residential services," says the authority's report- Draft National Quality Standards for Residential and Foster Care Services for Children and Young People
In 2008 there were 5,449 children in State care. The vast majority of children (4,851) were in foster care while there were 161 centres accommodating 429 young people under 18 years of age.
Dr Marion Witton, Chief Inspector of Social Services at the Health Information and Quality Authority, said the draft standards set out what a high quality, safe residential or foster care service should be.
"Recent reports into the care of children have demonstrated the importance of keeping all children safe. These children are some of the most vulnerable in our society and they require special consideration and protection, whether they are living in a residential care home, in a detention school or in foster care," she said.
"The standards will empower children and young people by telling them what to expect from these services, no matter where the service is located or who delivers it," she added.
Minister for Children Barry Andrews said a standardised approach to the delivery of services for children was a critical starting point in the Government's current reform process.
"The Government made a commitment in the Ryan report implementation plan that all State settings in which children are cared for should be inspected. This is something that we are well on the way to achieving," he said.