Care Experiences: Milestones and events

In January 2022, the Care Experiences Programme was launched by Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The Programme (then with the working title "A research and data project examining the lives of children in care and those who were in care as children") is the most comprehensive examination of Ireland’s alternative care system ever undertaken, and will provide an extensive overview of both the experience of children in care and their long-term outcomes.

Over the course of 2022, the Programme Team was formed, comprising a Programme Manager and two DCEDIY Programme Team members. In addition to these individuals the team benefited from a Tusla representative joining the Programme Team for 10 months over the course of the first two years of the Programme's initiation and implementation phases.

In October 2022, the first meeting of the Care Experiences Steering Committee was held at DCEDIY. The Committee comprises representatives from Tusla, the Health Service Executive, Central Statistics Office, and several government Departments such as: Department of Health; Department of Education; Department of Justice; Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Members meet at least four times per year and provide strategic oversight and governance of the Programme.

Steering Committee meeting in session

In March 2023, the first Stakeholder Advisory Group meeting, chaired by Jillian van Turnhout, was held at DCEDIY. Members include representatives from Tusla, Barnardos, Empowering Young People in Care (EPIC), Focus Ireland, the Children’s Rights Alliance (CRA), the Office of the Ombudsman for Children (OOC), Social Care Ireland, the Irish Foster Care Association (IFCA), Jigsaw, international and Irish academics, among others. Members will meet four times a year and provide strategic advice for the delivery of Programme aims and objectives.

Stakeholder Advisory Group meeting in session

In March 2023, the DCEDIY published a literature review entitled 'Children in care and young adults leaving care, a literature review of Irish research'. The focus of this literature review was on the experiences of children and young people in care and adults who have left care In Ireland, and the research /consultation processes used to capture their views. The review was widely welcomed by multiple stakeholders and experts in the field.

An information event is held at DCEDIY offices for young people to find out more about the Care Experiences Programme and the role of the Care Experienced Expert Panel. The Programme Team provided attendees with an overview of the Programme governance and advisory structures and the four Programme elements. Attendees interested in joining the Care Experienced Expert Panel were asked to fill in an expression of interest form and submit it to the Programme Team.

Care Experienced Expert Panel information event in the DCEDIY offices

A total of 12 young people submitted an expression of interest form to join the Care Experienced Expert Panel which were accepted by the Programme Team. In May 2023, the 12 young people were confirmed as the members of the Care Experienced Expert Panel, with official commencement of Panel beginning later in the year.

Over the summer of 2023, a Care Experienced Panel co-production subgroup of five young people created a new logo, title and tagline for the Programme, which became known thereafter as the Care Experiences Programme – Journeys through the Irish care system. The young people’s creativity and commitment were central to the success of the new Programme brand which was designed in collaboration with a brand design company and the Programme Team.

The official "Care Experiences: Journeys through the Irish Care System" logo

In September 2023, the Programme Team travelled to Edinburgh to attend the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse & Neglect (ISPCAN) 2023 Congress: Advancement in Data and Solutions for Tackling Child Abuse. The Programme Team informed the international audience about the Care Experiences Programme emphasising its importance as a landmark research and data project in Ireland, exploring the lives of children in care and those who were in care as children. The Congress was also a good opportunity to learn about similar projects underway in other countries across the world.

In October 2023, members of the Care Experienced Expert Panel (CEEP), the Programme Team and a commissioned creative production company shot two videos for the Care Experiences Programme website. Filming took place over two days whereby four members of the CEEP were filmed providing an overview of the Programme and their involvement as CEEP members. It was a wonderful experience and the Programme Team are very grateful to the young people for their time and professionalism. Both videos are available to watch on our website homepage. We hope you enjoy them.

Filming with Róisín Farragher (CEEP member) for the Care Experiences website video

Care Experiences Programme Manager, Dr Sadhbh Whelan and two members of the Care Experienced Expert Panel (CEEP), Keren O’Leary and Shaunagh Cunningham, presented at the Irish Aftercare Network Conference on 13 October 2023. Presenters provided the audience with an overview of the Programme and the important role of the CEEP within the Programme's initiation and implementation. Minister Roderic O’Gorman opened the conference which was attended by stakeholders across policy, practice, agency and academia.

Left to right: Shaunagh Cunningham and Keren O’Leary speaking at the Irish Aftercare Network conference in 2023

The first meeting of the CEEP was held at DCEDIY on 25 October 2023. Members discussed the Panel’s draft terms of reference and operating protocols; The CEEP programme of future work and procedures for election of two CEEP representatives to the Care Experiences Stakeholder Advisory Group.

First meeting of CEEP members in DCEDIY offices

On 26 October 2023, the DCEDIY issued a press release on the milestone new study commissioned under the DCEDIY’s Care Experiences Programme which will explore experiences of young adults who have left the Irish care system 10 years ago. Trinity College Dublin, in collaboration with the University of Sussex, was commissioned to carry out the research study which 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.

The Care Experiences Programme website go-live event was held on 9 November 2023. The Programme website will grow as the Programme develops, however, the initial website represents a useful information source which can be accessed by those interested to learn more about the Programme initiation, implementation and future development. Members of the Programme's governance and advisory structures attended a ‘Go Live’ event in DCEDIY.

Left to right: Keren O’Leary, Jamie Adams, Thomas Monaghan, Kai Brosnan, Shaunagh Cunningham and Alan Fay at the go-live event

Care Experiences Programme Manager, Dr Sadhbh Whelan and members of the Care Experienced Expert Panel (CEEP) attended the Child Summit held in Croke Park on 21 November 2023. The Summit was hosted by the DCEDIY in collaboration with the Children’s Rights Alliance, and was the second such symposium, the first of which took place in 2016. The Summit provided an opportunity for attendees to offer observations with regard to Ireland’s commitment to its obligations under the UN Committee of the Rights of the Child.

Left to right: Keren O’Leary, Dr Sadhbh Whelan, Shaunagh Cunningham and Róisín Farragher at the Child Summit

Trinity College Dublin and the University of Sussex website for a milestone new study commissioned under the DCEDIY’s Care Experiences Programme goes live. The study, 'Care Leavers - 10 Years On', will explore experiences of young adults who have left the Irish care system 10 years ago. The website for the research study can be accessed here

Minister Roderic O'Gorman with TCD-Sussex research team (left to right) Prof. Stephanie Holt, Dr Sarah Parker, Prof. Robbie Gilligan, Assistant Prof. Eavan Brady, Assistant Prof. Joe Whelan and and Prof. Janet Boddy (TCD-Sussex Research Team)

On April 10th, 2024, a member of the Programme Team and the Care Experienced Expert Panel held an information booth at the SCI conference for attendees to learn more about the Care Experiences Programme and the Care Experienced Expert Panel.

Left to right: Angie Palmer and Clara O’Shea Collins at the Social Care Ireland (SCI) Conference, Cork

On April 22nd, 2024, members of the Care Experienced Expert Panel, Keren O'Leary and Jamie Adams, and the Programme Manager sat on the National Access Forum panel to be part of the discussion about key issues and developments for care experienced young people in accessing higher education.

Care Experienced Expert Panel members, Keren O’Leary and Jamie Adams with Programme Manager, Dr Sadhbh Whelan, and other speakers at the National Access Forum.

Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and the University of Sussex are commencing a research study, funded by the Care Experiences Programme, on the experiences of young adults who left care ten years ago.

On Friday 26th April 2024, TCD hosted a workshop for care experienced people to seek their input about the proposed research study design and to ask their perspectives on how the study should be carried out.

For more information please see the workshop event information flyer

On May 7th 2024, Shauna Dillon and Alan Fay, members of the Care Experienced Expert Panel (CEEP) presented an overview of the Care Experiences Programme and the role of the CEEP within the Programme to the DCEDIY Research Club. This Club is hosted by the Research and Evaluation Unit in DCEDIY and provides regular updates on current research and other relevant topics.

Left to right: Dr Angie Palmer, Programme Team, Dr Sadhbh Whelan, Programme Manager, Shauna Dillon and Alan Fay, CEEP members who presented on the day.

Left to right: Jillian van Turnhout, Programme Stakeholder Advisory Group Chair, Cormac Quinlan, Programme Steering Committee member, with CEEP and Programme Team members Sadhbh, Shauna, Angie and Alan