Children are at risk of being placed with “unsafe carers”, according to a damning new internal Health Service  Executive (HSE) audit.

The unpublished report comes after a summer of devastating revelations about the care of vulnerable children.

Reports highlighting HSE lapses in looking after children in its care led to a number of experts in the field labelling the system as “not fit for purpose” or dysfunctional.

This latest audit, reported in Saturday’s Irish Times completed in December of last year, found:

No evidence of formal assessments of foster families or Garda clearance in up to a quarter of cases examined, increasing the risk of unsuitable people working as foster carers.

Inadequate state of foster care files and records, which may have legal implications if information is required by the courts.

Failure to comply with national minimum standards over reviews for children in care, increasing the risk that foster carers are being paid for sub-standard care.

At least 20 per cent of children in foster care without an allocated social worker.

Transactions over some payments to foster carers not being conducted in an accurate or transparent manner.

An issue which emerged during their discussions was how a lack of resources was impacting on the ability of social workers’ to meet minimum standards and comply with their legal requirements, the auditors remarked.

Foster carers themselves also expressed frustrat at the lack of support available to them.

“It was evident from our examination of the case files that foster carers continually voice their concerns over such gaps, with a common theme being children in care who have not been allocated a social worker,” the internal audit states.

It also noted a number of control and procedural weaknesses over payments to foster carers. In total, almost €12 million was paid to foster carers in the southeast during 2008. The basic weekly allowance for a foster carer is €325 per child under 12 and €352 for a teenager.

In response to the findings, HSE management told auditors that a fundamental review of all its files was under way to address any shortcomings.

It said a special group had been established to improve the management of childcare files. In addition, management pledged to ensure all policies and procedures would be brought into line with national foster care standards.

A HSE spokeswoman said yesterday that since the audit report was completed, the executive now requires that foster carers undergo preliminary assessments and Garda checks in all cases, including emergency placements.