PM’s office investigates St Michael’s Boys’ Home allegations

The allegations were contained in an article in the Daily Express newspaper which suggested an alleged conflict of interest involving the official and a 15-year-old inmate who has been living at her residence.

A statement issued yesterday said the minister and other officials at the Office of the Prime Minister are deeply concerned about the issues raised in the article and, pending receipt of the report from the chairman of the Authority, the Office of the Prime Minister will investigate the matter itself. It adds that Government remains committed to ensuring the delivery of the necessary care and protection of all children in the country.

However, in a release yesterday, the Authority said the article contained “misinformed and incorrect statements” and that at the time of the placement, the child was not living at the St. Michael’s School for Boys. It said that the Authority conducted individual assessments of the children at the St. Michael’s Home in 2015 to identify ideal placement and the rehabilitative interventions which would best meet the needs of each child including psychological, medical, social and educational needs.

The Authority said that in this case, the assessment of the child recommended foster care as the best placement since the child had no relatives who could take care of him and continued placement at the St. Michael’s Home was considered inappropriate. The Authority said that based on this assessment, the court granted a change in its initial order which committed the child to the St. Michael’s Home and ordered that he be placed in foster care instead. The release said that after being placed in two successive foster care homes, the arrangements broke down and the Authority sought other arrangements which also broke down.

According to the Authority’s statement, it was after the breakdown of these arrangements and after various placements had broken down, that the child asked to see the director of the Authority, who had mentored him before assuming the position of Director. It said, “Placement with the Director was then considered. It must be noted that there is no restriction in the legislation as to who may apply to become a ‘fit person’ for any child who has no parent, guardian or other person fit or willing to care for the child. An independent investigator was engaged and the recommendation was that the child would be well placed in the care of the Director. The child’s mother was also contacted and agreed to the proposed arrangement, while working toward reunification.” The Authority says that it was unfortunate that the newspaper article gave the impression of wrongdoing by the Director as the best interest of the child and the views which he expressed were taken into account and the process was followed.” The Authority advises the public that from the beginning of this process, the intention was, and continues to be, that the child’s placement would be approved by the Court, and monitored independently and not by the Authority, in order to eliminate any conflict of interest, perceived or real.”