Dungannon kids put in care while parents on holiday

Social services in Dungannon have intervened to protect four children who were left at home when their parents went on holiday.

The eldest child is 14 and the youngest five.

The head of the NSPCC in Northern Ireland, Neil Anderson, said such incidents were not common.

“We don’t hear about this every day at all. It is very very rare to hear about a story like this in Northern Ireland, in particular,” he said.

“The point is that even if those children were in relatively safe physical surroundings, like in a family home, the length of time that they’re left alone creates a great risk over time that something just can go wrong, and that is an offence to place children in that position.”

Police in Dungannon visited the home after receiving a report about the situation and contacted social services.