A volume of court reports published by the Child Law Project has revealed that securing a suitable care placement was the central issue in one in six cases concerning vulnerable young people in Ireland's social care system during the first half of 2026. The 106 reports cover District Court child protection proceedings involving the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, examining applications for care orders, extensions, and case reviews.

According to the findings, finding an appropriate placement dominated 17 of the documented cases. Children with complex behavioural needs who could not live at home or in standard foster care were frequently placed in unregulated Special Emergency Arrangements, such as temporary bespoke placements or hotel rooms. The report noted that children in these settings often absconded, increasing their exposure to potential criminality and exploitation.

The findings detailed extreme measures resulting from capacity deficits, including the case of a pre-teen boy admitted to a children's hospital as a "social admission". After sustaining a cut while attempting to leave a residential unit, the facility refused to readmit him. The child remained in hospital under the supervision of private agency staff and a security guard, with court testimony noting that necessary therapeutic services could not begin while he remained in an unstable care environment.

Dr Carol Coulter, executive director of the Child Law Project, noted that the project has continually highlighted the lack of appropriate placements for vulnerable young people. Court evidence recorded in the reports showed that Tusla's national placement team had 241 children on its waiting list for care placements, with District Court judges repeatedly expressing concern over the ongoing shortage.