Teenage girl self-harms before Kildare court date
Photo for illustrative purposes only
A judge has repeated his criticism of Tusla in the case of a teenage girl in care on charges of criminal damage and assault, saying: “This is damning on Tusla … there is an onus on you to help this girl … it’s so serious it’s laughable".
Judge Desmond Zaidan was speaking behind closed doors in Athy District Court this week (10 June) in the case of the teen from south Kildare.
She is charged with the assault of her care worker – she allegedly struck her on the face with a phone – and criminal damage to the home in which she resides as the sole occupant elsewhere in the county.
“The Section 2 assault was in state care,” confirmed Sergeant Dave Harahan, who also revealed she would turn 18 later this year.
“Four social workers for one teenage girl?” queried the judge when he saw all the care home and officials from the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) accompanying the teen.
“It was a very, very minor assault,” solicitor Jackie McManus assured the court.
“She doesn’t go to school, she didn’t do the junior cert and I worry about her as she seems to be self-harming,” she said of the very noticeable lines on her forearm.
“Her mother is just out of jail and her father is somewhere."
One of the defendant's social workers added: “She’s been in care since 2021, there has been a number of school placements but she didn’t take them up.
“We’ve had no diagnosis yet, but we could have one with the (probation report)."
The social worker continued: “Tusla has done everything, but [named girl] doesn’t engage."
“All Tusla does is talk, talk, talk, and then she’s over 18 and no longer their concern. Can she do any other education?” asked the judge.
“Yes, but she has a history of self-harming and these (wounds) are fresh this morning … but she has been to the hospital for that bit,” revealed her social worker.
“What are your plans when you turn 18?” asked the judge.
“Don't know,” shrugged the girl.
“It’s just about getting (named girl) to say no to people,” said the social worker.
“She’s not a bad person?” asked the judge. “No,” agreed the social worker.
“There’s been negative experiences in her short life so far,” conceded the judge.
“In her community, mental health is a taboo topic,” said the social worker.
The judge said: "Build a trust with her and get her back into training … all teenagers have tempers, it’s how you control them.
"I want to get you in some sort of training, don’t walk away and show some effort. You might like to be a hairdresser, or a make-up artist, some apprenticeship. I don’t want you to spend the rest of your life in jail."
The judge remanded the girl on continuing bail until 8 July for a probation report.
