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| 'Failings' in Omagh fire deaths | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| There were "failings on the part of the health and social services" in the case of a family who died in a house fire in Omagh, the health minister has said. | |
| Michael McGimpsey was speaking after an independent report said the authorities involved with the family could not have known what was about to happen. | |
| Arthur McElhill, Lorraine McGovern and their five children died in the blaze. | |
| Mr McElhill, a registered sex offender, was suspected of starting the fire in November 2007. | |
| The report did cite deficiencies in how agencies communicated his record. | The report did cite deficiencies in how agencies communicated his record. |
| The review, by Henry Toner QC, also considered the child protection case of a teenage girl who was not a relation of the family, but who lived periodically with the McElhill family for a time before the fire tragedy. | The review, by Henry Toner QC, also considered the child protection case of a teenage girl who was not a relation of the family, but who lived periodically with the McElhill family for a time before the fire tragedy. |
| The report criticised how information was communicated within disciplines of the Western Health and Social Care Trust and other agencies and the assessment of potential risks posed by Arthur McElhill to teenage girls by reason of his sex offences. | The report criticised how information was communicated within disciplines of the Western Health and Social Care Trust and other agencies and the assessment of potential risks posed by Arthur McElhill to teenage girls by reason of his sex offences. |
| The family all died in the fireEnlarge Image | The family all died in the fireEnlarge Image |
| Police told social workers Mr McElhill had convictions for sexually assaulting teenage girls, even though the information was in their own files - had anyone looked it up. | |
| Social services then removed a teenage child from the house - she was a friend of the eldest daughter Caroline - and had been staying there. | |
| Subsequent meetings of social workers to discuss this teenage child were not told of Arthur McElhill's offences, and no-one assessed the risk to the other children still living in the house. | |
| In a statement Ms McGovern's family welcomed the report and said they hoped the recommendations are "fully implemented". | In a statement Ms McGovern's family welcomed the report and said they hoped the recommendations are "fully implemented". |
| "We hope that no family ever has to endure what we have endured since November 2007," they said. | "We hope that no family ever has to endure what we have endured since November 2007," they said. |
| Mr McGimpsey said the events of last November were "terrible". | Mr McGimpsey said the events of last November were "terrible". |
| "This report has some 63 recommendations aimed at all agencies involved in supporting and protecting children and families," he said | "This report has some 63 recommendations aimed at all agencies involved in supporting and protecting children and families," he said |
| "While the report concludes there is no evidence that anyone working with the family could have known the fire would happen, there is absolutely no doubt that there were failings on the part of health and social services. | "While the report concludes there is no evidence that anyone working with the family could have known the fire would happen, there is absolutely no doubt that there were failings on the part of health and social services. |
| "I want to see immediate action taken to address the deficits which have come to light." | "I want to see immediate action taken to address the deficits which have come to light." |
| The minister said all the recommendations would be implemented and that child protections services across Northern Ireland would also be inspected. | The minister said all the recommendations would be implemented and that child protections services across Northern Ireland would also be inspected. |
| READ THE REPORT | READ THE REPORT |
| Independent Review Report on Omagh fire [349k] Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Download the reader here | Independent Review Report on Omagh fire [349k] Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Download the reader here |
| He said "common standards" for the supervision of social work and the recording of information can ensure better communication and action when there is poor practice. | He said "common standards" for the supervision of social work and the recording of information can ensure better communication and action when there is poor practice. |
| "I intend to introduce a caseload management system over the next few months. This is to ensure that social workers are not having to cope with large workloads which put them under undue pressure and unable to meet the needs of children and families," he added. | "I intend to introduce a caseload management system over the next few months. This is to ensure that social workers are not having to cope with large workloads which put them under undue pressure and unable to meet the needs of children and families," he added. |
| "Protecting children and ensuring families in distress have every help and support is a key priority for me and I will ensure that the recommendations in this review are implemented without delay." | "Protecting children and ensuring families in distress have every help and support is a key priority for me and I will ensure that the recommendations in this review are implemented without delay." |