HIQA praises care at Louth respite centre but raised privacy concern

A HIQA inspection of Maria Goretti Respite in north Louth has found that children were receiving a “good standard of person-centred care” in a “warm and positive atmosphere”, but identified a privacy issue that led to a finding of non-compliance.
The unannounced inspection of the children’s disability respite service, operated by The Rehab Group, took place on 11th November, 2025. Four children were staying at the centre at the time.

In its report, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) said that on the day of inspection it “found a warm and positive atmosphere where children were receiving a good standard of person-centred care on their respite breaks.”

Inspectors observed that children “appeared relaxed and comfortable in the company of a staff team who were patient, gentle, and understood their individual needs”.

Children were seen taking part in activities based on their preferences. One child used a communication device to say they would like to go for a drive, which staff facilitated, and they also went out for dinner. Other children chose to relax indoors or listen to music.

Family feedback was strongly positive. One family representative told inspectors that “staff are family to us” and described them as “fantastic”. Another said they felt their family member was “safe particularly because of the staffing ratios”. As part of the provider’s annual review, one family member said their child “loves when going”, while another commented that “communication is great” and “staff are so helpful and welcoming”.

Staffing and training arrangements were found to be compliant. HIQA reported that “staffing levels were consistently maintained to meet the assessed needs of the children” and that there were “appropriate arrangements in place to support training and staff development”.

Training completed by staff included safeguarding, medication management, autism awareness, fire safety, positive behaviour support and infection prevention and control. Inspectors noted that human rights training had influenced practice, with one staff member explaining that they had learned to promote independence more, particularly for teenagers.

Governance structures were also found to be strong. HIQA stated that “there were appropriate governance and management systems in place at the time of this inspection”, with regular audits and six-monthly unannounced provider visits completed.
However, the inspection identified several areas requiring improvement.

The most serious finding related to children’s privacy. Under Regulation 9 (Residents’ Rights), HIQA found that an en-suite bathroom door “could not be fully closed, which created a direct line of sight from the communal sensory room”.
The report stated: “This meant that anyone in the sensory room could see into the en-suite bathroom, therefore impacting on the child’s privacy and dignity when using the bathroom.”

The issue was risk-rated orange (moderate risk) and the regulation was found to be not compliant. Management confirmed that the bedroom and en-suite would not be used until the matter was rectified. In its compliance plan, the provider said: “Gap in door identified on the day of inspection has been repaired and the door can be fully close. This was completed on 02/12/2025.”

Fire safety arrangements were found to be “robust” overall, but one fire containment door was not fully self-closing. HIQA said this meant that “in the event of a fire, that fire and smoke could spread more easily between areas putting the children and staff more at risk.” This regulation was deemed substantially compliant, and the provider said the door would be permanently repaired by December 12, 2025.

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Inspectors also found that improvements were required in documentation relating to assessments and care plans. While children were receiving appropriate care, HIQA said the written assessments required “some minor improvement to ensure they were a reliable guide for everyone. This would help provide safe and consistent care.”

In addition, contracts of care did not fully detail all services provided. HIQA noted that if not addressed, the missing information “could lead to confusion as to what services and facilities were provided for as part of the terms and conditions of the children's respite breaks.” Updated contracts were completed on November 15, 2025.

Overall, HIQA concluded that the centre demonstrated “good capacity and capability in its governance and staffing structures” and that children were supported in line with their assessed needs during their respite stays.