Residential care centres for young offenders could collapse if staffing shortages are not addressed urgently, IMPACT warned today.
According to the union, three out of the five State residential centres managed by the Department of Education have been forced to close units. As a result, 24 of over 100 places are unavailable.
Care worker shortages have closed a residential unit at Oberstown Girls’ Centre, north county Dublin and a unit in the Child and Adolescent Centre in Finglas, Dublin. A third unit, at Oberstown Boys’ Centre, is unable to open because of staffing problems, the union claims.
The union said only two centres are currently providing full residential care facilities.
IMPACT blames working conditions for a 30 per cent turnover among the 160 staff. It said low pay, difficult and occasionally dangerous conditions cause problems for attracting staff.
This has been compounded because an interim pay deal for community and residential care workers - funded by the Department of Health - does not apply to care workers in centres funded by the Department of Education. Therefore care staff in the centres can earn up to £5,000-per-annum more by changing jobs.
IMPACT Assistant General Secretary Robbie Ryan said: "There is an overall shortage of care staff and it is always difficult to attract and retain people. Now it has become impossible because staff on relatively low wages can earn over 30 per cent more in Department of Health-funded child care facilities."
He called on the government to enter talks to find solutions to the staffing crisis.