Dublin District Court granted an initial interim care order for a baby with complex medical needs, on the consent of both parents. The court commended the parents for making what it described as a brave and responsible decision in the child’s best interests.
The Child and Family Agency (CFA) solicitor handed in a report and sought an initial interim care order. The child had been cared for under a private family arrangement. The CFA said an interim order was needed to provide stability and clarity for a very young child with complex medical needs, including developmental delay and physical issues.
The child attended hospital every week for appointments. An emergency fostering assessment had been completed and approved, and a full assessment would now take place.
The mother was present and had the support of an advocate from Barnardos. Her lawyer said the mother was consenting and engaging well with the CFA and the guardian ad litem (GAL). She asked that the mother be kept updated about medical appointments and that access arrangements be fully set out.
The father was also present with an advocate. His lawyer said the parents had made a responsible decision that they were not in a position to care for the child at that time. The parents were not together. He sought an access review meeting and a clear roadmap, including a parenting capacity assessment. He also asked to be kept updated about the child’s medical needs.
The GAL supported the application. His representative said everyone was there “in the best interests of a very small child, who is entirely reliant on care givers to meet her needs”. The GAL acknowledged the difficult decision the parents had made and considered it the right decision. The court heard that the parents currently had access twice a week.
The CFA said the priorities were to progress the parenting capacity assessment and then consider the future trajectory for the case. The judge noted that both parents were present and consenting. She thanked them for their engagement with their daughter’s care and described their decision as “really brave and courageous”. She was satisfied, on affidavit and by consent, that the basis for an interim care order had been made out and that the order was necessary and proportionate. With the parents’ consent, she made the order for a longer period than the usual twenty-eight days.