Care Experiences: Programme governance and advisory structures

Terms of reference

The purpose of the Programme Team is to facilitate and maintain effective operation of the Programme through interaction with, and between, the Care Experiences Programme governance and advisory structures. The Programme Team will seek advice from the Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG), the Care Experienced Expert Panel (CEEP) and the Expert Advisory Panel (EAP) on specific issues in support of various aspects of the Programme.

The Programme Team interacts daily and has update meetings every month to ensure the Programme stays on target and focused on key deliverables. The Programme Team benefited from a key Tusla member, through a collaborative agreement between the DCEDIY and Tusla, between 2022 and 2023. The DCEDIY hopes to have ongoing representation from Tusla on the Programme Team to effectively represent the collaborative working arrangement between Tusla and the DCEDIY on the Care Experiences Programme now and into the future.

Composition and membership

• the Programme Manager, located in the DCEDIY, manages the Programme Team
• the Programme Administrator, located in DCEDIY, oversees the administration of the Programme
• an independent research and information consultant, located in DCEDIY, provides specialist expertise
• Tusla coordinator located in DECDIY, provides specialist expertise

Steering Committee, left to right: Aideen Sheehan (CSO), Tony McCusker (HSE), Grainne Egan (Dept of Education), Trudy Duffy (DFHERIS), Sadhbh Whelan (Project Lead, DCEDIY), Clare Farrell (DCEDIY), Declan Smyth (CSO), Des Delaney (Substitute Chair, DCEDIY), Dr Angie Palmer (Project Team, DCEDIY), Nick Davin-Power (DCEDIY substitute), Niamh McDermott (Project Team, DCEDIY), Ross Wynne (DoJ substitute)

Members not present in picture: Lara Hynes (Chair, DCEDIY), Philip Dodd (Dept of Health), Deaglán Ó Briain (DoJ), Marie Kennedy (DCEDIY), Dorothy Kellegher (Dept. of Housing), Michael J Byrne (HSE), Anthony O’Leary (Tusla), Cormac Quinlan (Tusla)

Terms of reference

The overall purpose of the Steering Committee is to have strategic oversight of the Programme and key decisions to be made by the Programme Team. It will also facilitate relevant government departments and public bodies to provide focused, high-level advice and guidance to the Programme Team.

Composition

• the chairperson of the Steering Committee is the Assistant Secretary General of the Child Policy and Tusla Governance Division, DCEDIY. In the event the Assistant Secretary General is unable to attend a meeting, a suitable substitute will be provided from within DCEDIY
• the DCEDIY-Tusla Project Lead is an ex officio member of the Steering Committee, with other members of the Programme Team invited to attend to provide input as required
• the operation of the Steering Committee is supported by a Programme Team member who will be assigned as secretariat
• the committee currently meets quarterly, at a minimum

Membership

• Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
• Department of Health
• Department of Education
• Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
• Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
• Department of Justice
• Central Statistics Office
• Tusla – Child and Family Agency
• Health Service Executive

The complete terms of reference document for the Steering Committee is available to download below.

Stakeholder Advisory Group, left to right: Niamh McDermott (Project Team), Monica Hynds-Flanagan (IASW), Dr Sadhbh Whelan (Programme Manager), Jillian van Turnhout (Stakeholder Advisory Committee Chairperson), Nuala Ward (OCO), William McNamara (Tusla); Dr Angie Palmer (Project Team), Dr Kevin Lalor (Irish academic expert), Roisin Clarke (IFCA), Marian Brattman (Tusla), Neil Forsyth (Focus Ireland), Marissa Ryan (EPIC).

Members of Stakeholder Advisory Committee not present in picture: Michele Clarke (external expert), Tanya Ward (CRA), David Durney (Social Care Ireland), Dr Siobhan O’Brien (Jigsaw), Prof Mark Courtney (international academic expert), two representatives for the Care Experienced Expert Panel.

Terms of reference

The overall purpose of the Stakeholder Advisory Group is to provide strategic cross-sectoral expertise to the Programme and provide advice on key decisions to be made by the Programme Team. It will also facilitate relevant academics, organisations and public bodies with the opportunity to provide focused, high-level advice and guidance to the Programme Team.

Composition

• the Stakeholder Advisory Group is currently chaired by independent chairperson, Jillian van Turnhout
• the Care Experiences Programme Manager is a member of the Stakeholder Advisory Group, with other members of the Programme Team invited to attend meetings to provide input as required
• the group will also include two members of the Care Experienced Expert Panel
• the group meets a minimum of four times per year

Membership

• two representatives from the Care Experienced Expert Panel
• Children’s Rights Alliance
• Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
• Empowering People in Care
• Focus Ireland
• an independent expert
• an international academic
• Irish Association of Social Workers
• Irish academic
• Irish Foster Care Association
• Jigsaw
• Office of the Ombudsman for Children
• Social Care Ireland
• Tusla

The complete terms of reference document for the Stakeholder Advisory Group is available to download below:

Care Experienced Expert Panel, left to right: Keren O’Leary, Shaunagh Cunningham. Alan Fay, Dr Róisín Farragher, Jamie Adams, Thomas Monaghan

Terms of reference

The overall purpose of the Care Experienced Expert Panel is to provide expertise to the Programme and provide advice on key decisions to be made by the Programme Team. It will also facilitate care experienced adults to provide focused, high-level advice and guidance to the Programme Team.

The first meeting of the Care Experienced Expert Panel took place in October 2023.

Over the summer of 2023, a sub-group of the Care Experienced Expert Panel worked with the Programme Team, a branding company and website specialists to co-produce a new name, tagline, logo, website and web content for the Programme.

Composition

• the Chair of the Care Experienced Advisory Panel will be elected internally by panel members
• the Care Experienced Expert Panel is composed of adults who have lived experience of the Irish care system, with a member of the Programme Team invited to attend meetings to provide input as required
• the Care Experienced Expert Panel was formed following receipt of expressions of interest from young people with experience of the Irish care system.
• the operation of the Care Experienced Expert Panel is supported by a Programme Team member, who will be assigned as secretariat
• the panel will meet a minimum of four times per year

Membership

• membership capacity is limited to a maximum of 12
• two members of the Care Experienced Expert Panel will also join the Stakeholder Advisory Group

The complete terms of reference document for the Care Experienced Expert Panel is currently under review and will be available here when it is finalised.

Terms of reference

The Expert Advisory Panel will comprise experts from relevant professional or specialist fields who can be called upon by the Programme Team to provide expert advice on specific issues throughout the duration of the Programme.

Composition

• the Expert Advisory Panel meetings will be chaired by the Programme Manager
• the operation of the Expert Advisory Panel is supported by a Programme Team member who will be assigned as secretariat
• the frequency of panel meetings will be based on Programme requirements

Membership

Expert Advisory Panels will be formed based on specific expertise required by the Programme Team at any given time throughout the duration of the Programme.

The complete terms of reference document for the Expert Advisory Panel is currently being drafted and will be available here when it is finalised.