Ombudsman for Children Reports 1,778 Complaints in 2025; Education, Tusla, Health Top Issues

The Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) received 1,778 complaints in 2025, with 81 per cent from parents and a rise in complaints from children themselves to 4 per cent. Education was the most frequent complaint at 31 per cent, primarily concerning special educational support, bullying, and complaints management.

A fifth of complaints related to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, involving special emergency arrangements, special care, and education support. Health complaints constituted 14 per cent, including issues with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, prolonged hospital stays, and lack of access to assessment-of-need reports.

One case involved Zach, a 10-year-old with quadriplegia, whose school reassigned his trained Special Needs Assistant (SNA), crucial for his assistive technology. Zach wrote a compelling letter, leading the OCO to intervene, resulting in his original SNA’s return and training for the new SNA. Another education complaint detailed a primary school’s failure to report inappropriate touching of an 11-year-old boy by a teacher to his mother or Tusla, despite staff witnessing it. Subsequent concerns led to Gardaí and Tusla investigations and a new board chair.

Housing complaints included Rebecca (6) and Paul (5) living in a mouldy home with no hot water, causing respiratory issues. The OCO found conditions “deplorable.” The approved housing body (AHB) has since installed a new water pump and scheduled repairs.