First major research study to seek the views of care experienced young adults

A milestone new study will explore experiences of young adults who have left the Irish care system as part of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth’s Project: “Care Experiences, Journeys through the Irish Care System”.

The department has commissioned Trinity College Dublin, in collaboration with the University of Sussex, to carry out a research study to explore the experiences and outcomes of young adults who left the Irish care system approximately ten years ago in the aftermath of the Ryan Report. This study will gather the views and experiences of adults who have lived in the Irish care system, to shed light on how the care leaving process unfolds over time and the factors, events and experiences that influence pathways and outcomes.

This represents the first major research study delivered under the auspices of the Care Experiences Project, which was launched by Minster Roderic O’Gorman in 2022. The Care Experiences project, which will take place over the next 10 to 15 years, is a landmark research and data project to examine the lives of children in care and adults who were in care as children.

The Care Experiences Project includes four inter-related elements. The ongoing development of existing and future Tusla data infrastructure (TCM-CPAC) to broaden and deepen its capacity to track the individual pathways of children and young people in the care system over time. This research study of a representative cohort of young people who left care 10 to 12 years ago, which will begin in the coming weeks. A longitudinal study over a 10 to 15-year period of a representative cohort of young people leaving care. And finally, further bespoke research studies about children and young people in care, young people in aftercare and care experienced adults.

Minister O’Gorman with two members of the Care Experiences Expert Panel - Shaunagh Cunningham (left) and Róisín Farragher (right).

The Care Experiences Project, is being led by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, with Tusla as a collaborative partner. The Project is overseen by an inter-departmental and public agency Steering Committee. It benefits from advisory input from a multi-agency Stakeholder Advisory Group and, a Care Experienced Expert Panel comprised of 12 young care experienced adults.

Further information on the project.

The Implementation Plan, which followed the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Children Abuse (The Ryan Report) (2009) states that ‘the HSE will, with their consent, conduct a longitudinal study to follow young people who leave care for 10 years, to map their transition to adulthood’ (Action 65).