The Child Law Project, (known as the Child Care Law Reporting Project (CCLRP) until 2022)[1] is an Irish statutory body established to produce research and journalism to examine the "operation of the child care system in the courts with the aim of promoting transparency and accountability".[2] The body sent court reporters to relevant proceedings, including prosecutions of minors,[3] in Irish courts from 2012 to 2024, compiling regular reports.[4][5] The body failed to secure a tender in 2024.[6][7][3]
The project was established in 2012, under the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2007,[8] with seed provided by the One Foundation, Atlantic Philanthropies and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.[9]
Family law proceedings in the Republic of Ireland take place in camera,[10] the project follows such cases in the Family Courts.[1][11]
People
editBoard members include Dublin Rape Crisis Centre's Noeline Blackwell (chair), and former Chief Justice Frank Clarke,[12]
Carol Coulter, an Irish Times journalist and adjunct professor of law at University of Galway,[13] founded the project and is its executive director.[14]
Academic value
editReports from the project have been cited in academic journals such as the Journal of Social Work Education (Taylor & Francis),[15] Social Work & Social Sciences Review (Whiting & Birch),[16] Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies (TU Dublin),[17] Child Abuse Review (Wiley),[18] Journal of Social Welfare & Family Law (Taylor & Francis),[19] Child & Family Social Work (Wiley)[20] and Family Court Review (Wiley).[21]
In November 2024, Special Rapporteur-for Children, Caoilfhionn Gallagher, said that a report from the project "shines a light" on the care system in need of reform.[22]
Closure
editIn October 2024, District Court President Paul Kellyexpressed concern at the closure of the project, which had not sent reporters to proceedings since the middle of the year. [3] Opposition politicians, Paul Murphy,[23] Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik,[24] and Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín called for funding to be reinstated from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.[25]
References
edit- ^ a b "Child care law experts call for dedicated family court following overcrowding evidence". Irish Legal News. 11 March 2019.
- ^ MacNamee, Garreth (14 February 2022). "Child Law Project has serious concern about lack of residential places for children with complex needs". TheJournal.ie.
- ^ a b c Power, Jack (12 October 2024). "Judge expresses 'grave disappointment' after care watchdog shelved". The Irish Times.
- ^ Murphy, Ann (8 July 2024). "Judge warns of 'tsunami' of cases due to shortage of care placements for vulnerable children". Irish Examiner.
- ^ "Clare Children Reportedly Being "Warehoused" By The State Due To Unsuitable Child Protection Strategy". Clare FM. 5 November 2024.
- ^ Murphy, Ann (9 July 2024). "Government commits to fund reporting on court cases involving children in State care". Irish Examiner.
- ^ @MCompassMedia (12 October 2024). "O'Gorman stops funding for 10 year old Project ..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "About the Project". Child Law Project. 9 January 2013.
- ^ "Child Law Project celebrates 10th anniversary". Irish Legal News. 20 June 2023.
- ^ English, Eoin (8 July 2024). "Operation of in-camera rule in family law system to be examined". Irish Examiner.
- ^ "Application renewed and further adjourned to lift in camera rule to refer CFA Signs of Safety policy to Ombudsman for Children - 2024vol1#62". ChildLawProject.ie. 2024.
- ^ "Child Law Project celebrates 10th anniversary". IrishLegal.com. 20 June 2023.
- ^ "Dr Carol Coulter Appointed as Adjunct Professor in University of Galway's School of Law" (Press release). University of Galway. February 2016 – via UniversityOfGalway.ie.
- ^ "Child Law Project report examines three years of child protection cases". Irish Legal News. 4 November 2024.
- ^ Mooney, Joseph; McGregor, Caroline (Fall 2022). "The Importance of Teaching Social Work as a Sociolegal Practice: An Irish Perspective". Journal of Social Work Education. 58 (4): 747–758. doi:10.1080/10437797.2021.1963893. ISSN 1043-7797.
- ^ Foreman, Maeve; Ní Raghallaigh, Muireann (2019). "Transitioning out of the asylum system in Ireland: Challenges and opportunities". Social Work & Social Sciences Review. 21 (1): 34–51. doi:10.1921/swssr.v21i1.1365. ISSN 0953-5225. EBSCOhost 143298229.
- ^ O'Connor Funcheon, Susan; Brady, Eavan (2022). "An exploration of professional and practice-based perspectives on supporting birth parents towards reunifification with their children". Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies. 22 (1): 1–30. ISSN 1393-7022. EBSCOhost 162250942.
- ^ Mooney, Joseph (2021). "How Adults Tell: A Study of Adults' Experiences of Disclosure to Child Protection Social Work Services". Child Abuse Review. 30 (3 (May/June 2021)): 193–209. doi:10.1002/car.2677. ISSN 0952-9136. EBSCOhost 150870157.
- ^ O'Sullivan, Ella (June 2023). "The marginalisation of victims of domestic abuse under the Irish Domestic Violence Act 2018". Journal of Social Welfare & Family Law. 45 (2): 119–142. doi:10.1080/09649069.2023.2206221. ISSN 0964-9069.
- ^ McGregor, Caroline; Devaney, Carmel (May 2020). "Protective support and supportive protection for families "in the middle": Learning from the Irish context". Child & Family Social Work. 25 (2): 277–285. doi:10.1111/cfs.12683. hdl:10379/15542. ISSN 1356-7500 – via UniversityOfGalway.ie.
- ^ Healy, Connie (July 2021). "Reform within the Family Courts: Lessons from Baltimore". Family Court Review. 59 (3): 457. doi:10.1111/fcre.12539. ISSN 1531-2445. EBSCOhost 151471095.
- ^ Conneely, Ailbhe (4 November 2024). "Vulnerable children 'falling through the cracks' - report". RTÉ News.
- ^ Murphy, Paul (15 October 2024). Child Protection: Statements – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil) – Tuesday, 15 Oct 2024 (Speech). Oireachtas.ie.
- ^ Bacik, Ivana (10 July 2024). Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil) – Wednesday, 10 Jul 2024 (Speech). Oireachtas.ie.
- ^ ""Damning Report from Child Law Project Should Prompt Political Action" - Tóibín". Aontú. 5 November 2024.
