Department of Children doesn't know identity of 37 childcare facilities at 'critical' level of risk

THE DEPARTMENT OF Children has said it does not know the identity of the 37 childcare facilities which Tusla has identified where critical levels of non-compliance are occuring.

The agency’s Director of Quality Assurance Brian Lee told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs yesterday that 37 facilities are on the highest level of risk on Tusla’s risk register.

More >> Department of Children doesn't know identity of 37 childcare facilities at 'critical' level of risk

Baby mix-up scandal women now planning legal action against adoption society

The women at the centre of the St Patrick's Guild baby mix-up scandal are seeking court approval to bring lawsuits against the former adoption society.

A joint application on behalf of Helen Maguire (71) and Christine Skipsey (52) was filed with the High Court by their solicitors last week, the Irish Independent has learned.

More >> Baby mix-up scandal women now planning legal action against adoption society

Adoption system 'out of step with reality' in age of social media, review finds

Social media has changed the landscape in terms of adopted people tracing their birth relatives to such an extent that service providers here "are out of step with the reality".

That was one of the findings highlighted by participants in a Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) review and consultation on the potential introduction of open or semi-open adoption in Ireland.

More >> Adoption system 'out of step with reality' in age of social media, review finds

Parents are being ‘eradicated from the lives of their children for no good reason’

The recent decision by the World Health Organisation to recognise parental alienation puts the spotlight on a contentious concept that is little acknowledged in this country.

The condition, which arises almost exclusively in the context of a highly acrimonious break-up of a relationship between two parents who are in dispute over custody of children, has been included in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases, to come into effect at the beginning of 2022.

More >> Parents are being ‘eradicated from the lives of their children for no good reason’

Reworked Adoption Bill will give children and parents more rights

The new amendment would involve the state giving birth parents six months to come forward and object to a disclosure of information about them to their children

More >> Reworked Adoption Bill will give children and parents more rights

Catholic parents of girl in foster care objected to her attending CofI school

The Catholic parents of a child in foster care would not consent to her attending a Church of Ireland school, the latest issue of the Child Care Law Reporting Project reveals.

The research body reports that an application was made to the District Court by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency (CFA), for the child to attend a primary school in a rural town.

More >> Catholic parents of girl in foster care objected to her attending CofI school

• Court decides child in foster care can go to Church of Ireland school against wishes of Catholic parents

Family cases 'the poor relation' of justice system

Family law cases are the "the poor relation" in the justice system with an urgent need for more district court judges.

The latest batch of reports from the Child Care Law Reporting Project (CCLRP) has also highlighted a lack of joined-up services for vulnerable parents and a shortage of mental health supports for adolescents.

More >> Family cases 'the poor relation' of justice system

Adopted woman finds entire extended family after tracking down mum with DNA test

Adopted Kathleen Fraser-Jackson’s search for her birth mother has proved to be a life transforming experience.

More >> Adopted woman finds entire extended family after tracking down mum with DNA test

Irish widow, 83, reunited with daughter she was forced to give up for adoption over 60 years ago

AN Irish great-great-grandmother has been reunited with her daughter more than six decades after she was forced to give her up for adoption as a baby.

Margaret Sweeney, 83, and Cathy, 62, met in an emotional episode of the ITV series Long Lost Family last week – the first time the widow had seen her daughter since she was a six-week-old infant named Imelda.

More >> Irish widow, 83, reunited with daughter she was forced to give up for adoption over 60 years ago

Tusla acknowledges failings after children raped in Galway foster care

Tusla has acknowledged that child protective services failed to keep safe three children who were raped while in foster care in Galway.

Three girls were repeatedly raped by Keith Burke while in the foster care of his parents in Dunmore between 2003 and 2007.

More >> Tusla acknowledges failings after children raped in Galway foster care

Woman tells court she was coerced into giving up baby in 1979

A woman has claimed before the High Court she was coerced into having her baby daughter adopted nearly 40 years ago when she was 16 years old.

The woman is suing the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) and accredited adoption agency, Cúnamh, alleging personal injuries and breach of constitutional rights by adoption of her baby in 1979.

More >> Woman tells court she was coerced into giving up baby in 1979

40 ‘credible’ concerns raised to Tusla against foster carers

There were 40 substantiated child protection and welfare concerns made against foster carers last year, the Child and Family Agency has revealed.

Tusla said the figure, provided in response to a Freedom of Information request, were based on cases where there was "credible evidence, on the balance of probabilities, to support the allegation".

More >> 40 ‘credible’ concerns raised to Tusla against foster carers

Parents' focus on 'winning' custody battles is harming Irish children

IRELAND’S FAMILY LAW system is creating a situation where parents can be more focused on winning than on what their children want, an Oireachtas committee will hear today.

The Justice Committee will continue this morning to hear submissions on reforms to Ireland’s family law system, including recommendations from Special Rapporteur on Child Protection Dr Geoffrey Shannon.

More >> Parents' focus on 'winning' custody battles is harming Irish children

Why do so many children brought up in care end up in jail?

International research shows that children and young people with care experience are often over-represented within the criminal justice system. The reasons for this over-represenation are complex and include the fact that the care experience itself may be "criminogenic", that is, a factor that contributes to offending.

More >> Why do so many children brought up in care end up in jail?

Children put at risk by 'major failings' at private foster care firm

A private "for profit" company funded by Tusla to provide foster care to 15 children was found to have major failings in meeting proper standards for safeguarding and protection of the youngsters.

The inspection of Oak Lodge Fostering, which had 14 foster care households around Ireland, found the tracking of its Garda vetting system was inadequate.

More >> Children put at risk by 'major failings' at private foster care firm

Judge orders seizure of footage taken by mother of baby girl being taken into emergency care

A judge has directed that footage taken by a mother of the events surrounding her seven-month-old baby girl being brought into care by the authorities be seized by gardaí.

At the Ennis Family Law Court, Judge Patrick Durcan made the order after a solicitor for TUSLA, the Child and Family Agency (CFA), Kevin Sherry expressed concern that the footage taken by the mother may be posted on YouTube.

More >> Judge orders seizure of footage taken by mother of baby girl being taken into emergency care

Abuse allegation had 'catastrophic' impact on life of care worker

A HSE care worker who also fostered children told a court a child sexual abuse allegation, which he denied, had a "catastrophic" impact on his life.

The man, a married father of four, had his access to children, including his own grandchild, restricted following the allegation, which a Tusla appeals committee deemed to be "founded".

However, in a case which highlighted inadequacies in how the child and family agency dealt with the claims, the High Court quashed the appeals committee ruling.

More >> Abuse allegation had 'catastrophic' impact on life of care worker

Fears of sexual abuse led to two young boys being removed from foster care

A pre-school boy and his younger sibling were removed from their foster carer by the child and family agency amid fears he may have been sexually abused in their care.

Details of the matter were outlined in a District Court in a rural town where the judge was informed of an emergency change in the foster placement. Tusla acted to remove the children amid evidence the boy had sustained a non-accidental injury.

More >> Fears of sexual abuse led to two young boys being removed from foster care

Agency in adoption scandal enters voluntary liquidation

St Patrick’s Guild (Incorporated) gave notice of its intention to be wound up via a voluntary liquidation on December 17 last. Anthony Weldon of KR Professional Advisors has been appointed as liquidator. As of October 31, the firm had total assets of €265,847 and total liabilities of €26,876.

News of the liquidation comes just seven months after the Department of Children and Youth Affairs revealed in May that Tusla had discovered 126 cases in which births were illegally registered between 1946 and 1969 in the records of St Patrick’s Guild. The records were transferred to Tusla in 2016 after the agency ceased offering an information and tracing service at the end of 2014.

More >> Agency in adoption scandal enters voluntary liquidation

High Court: Foster mother who was not chosen as adoptive parent has application for judicial review dismissed

A woman who was the foster mother of a baby with serious health issues has had her application for judicial review dismissed in the High Court.

The child, who weighed only 720gms at birth, was in the care of the foster mother for over a year when the decision was made to place the child with the couple preferred by the birth mother.

More >> High Court: Foster mother who was not chosen as adoptive parent has application for judicial review dismissed