Children Acts Advisory Board

The Children Acts Advisory Board was established under the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2007 on the 23rd of July 2007 which changed the name and some functions of the former Special Residential Services Board. The Special Residential Services Board was established on a statutory basis in November 2003 pursuant to the Children Act, 2001.

Under this Act the functions of the Board included the provision of policy advice to the Ministers with responsibility for Health and Children and Education and Science on the remand and detention of children in detention schools and special care units. The Board also had a remit to both co-ordinate and advise the courts on the appropriate placement of children in children detention schools.

The Criminal Justice Act 2006 changed the composition of the Board Members and the Minister appointed 12 new members to the Board on the expiry of the term of office of the original Board. This Act transferred responsibility for the children detention schools to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and also made changes to certain functions of the Board with the responsibility for the on-call service passing to the Irish Youth Justice Service (and The Probation Service).

The Child Care (Amendment) Act 2007 made further changes to the remit of the Board including a change of name to the Children Acts Advisory Board with effect from the 23rd of July 2007. These amendments broadened the remit of the Board to become an enhanced advisory and enabling body whose functions included providing advice to the Ministers for Health and Children and Justice, Equality and Law Reform on policy issues relating to the co-ordinated delivery of services to at risk children/young people, specifically under the Child Care Act, 1991 and the Children Act 2001.

The Children Acts Advisory Board had a role:

• conducting or commissioning research, promoting enhanced interagency co-operation;
• promoting, organising or taking part in seminars and conferences;
• publishing guidelines on the qualifications, criteria for appointment, training and role of any guardian ad litem appointed for children in proceedings under the Act of 1991;
• preparing and publishing criteria for admission to and discharge from special care units, in respect of children subject to special care and interim special care orders in consultation with the Health Service Executive;
• giving its views on any proposal of the Health Service Executive to apply for a special care order; and
• preparing reports on certain court proceedings.

The Children Acts Advisory Board was dissolved with effect from the 8th of September 2011 under the Child Care Amendment Act, 2011. The functions vested in the Minister for Health under the Child Care Acts, 1991 to 2011 were transferred to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in accordance with SI 488 of 2011, 3(1), with effect from 1st October 2011.

Children Acts Advisory Board Annual Reports

Children Acts Advisory Board | Guidance and Guidelines

Children Acts Advisory Board | Published Research Reports