Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

28. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs regarding the Child Care Law Reporting Project, which has released its third report; his views on whether the project is producing invaluable information and data on child care cases in the courts; and the way he is utilising these data. [35516/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Child Care Law Reporting Project (CCLRP) is an independent project authorised under Section 29 of the Child Care Act 1991 (as amended by the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2007), and in accordance with Regulations made under that Section to report on child care proceedings. The project is supported in this work by my Department, the One Foundation and Atlantic Philanthropies.

The aims and objectives of the project are to:

- Provide information to the public on child care proceedings in the courts;

- Conduct research on these proceedings in order to promote debate and inform policy-makers;

- Make recommendations to address any short-comings in the child care system identified by the research;

- Assist in the implementation of these recommendations;

- Promote confidence in the child care system.

The project pursues its aims and objectives by attending the courts where child care cases are heard in order to report on those proceedings while protecting the anonymity of the children and their families. The CCLRP publishes reports of child care cases for the public and all relevant stake-holders, collects and analyses data from the proceedings, publishes reports on the nature and outcomes of the child care proceedings and seeks to promote a public debate on the issues raised through seminars and conferences. One such conference took place in April of this year in the form of an International Conference on Child Protection and the Law, which considered some of the findings so far and heard from international contributors in relation to alternative models of care and child protection.

Child care cases, heard mainly in the District Courts, involve applications by the Child and Family Agency for orders to protect children, including supervision orders, emergency and interim care orders and full care orders. Under supervision orders, families receive help and supervision from the Agency; under care orders, the child is placed on either an interim or more permanent basis in care. The cases are heard in camera in order to protect the privacy of the children and their families. There are rarely written judgments in the District Court.

To date, the project has published 11 volumes of case reports – four volumes each year in 2013 and 2014 and three so far in 2015, the most recent of which was published on the 1st of October, 2015 and which contained 37 case histories. It has also published two interim reports, in November, 2013 and October, 2014. Both interim reports contain a number of (interim) observations and suggestions, but no recommendations. A final report is expected to be published shortly.

Thus far, the project has highlighted variations in child care applications and outcomes, including by region, ethnicity and by family status. These require further research to determine the reasons for the variations and to see how more targeted interventions can, where possible, ensure that the level of intervention is the most appropriate.

Overall, the project will provide a measure of the effectiveness of current systems and policies in the area of child protection and that of court administration, and assist in identifying areas where corrective action may be required. Ultimately, it will assist my Department in gaining a greater depth of knowledge and understanding of child care cases and will increase the evidence base on which future policy formulation is based.