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Reporting on child care proceedings in the District Court in May 2025.

Falling Through the Cracks: An Analysis of Child Care Proceedings from 2021 to 2024
Latest volume of court reports from 2024
A summary of findings from 10 years of reporting
  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    70

    Categories:

    Exploitation, Lack Of Placement, Missing In Care / Absconding / Running Away, Sexual Abuse, Special Care

    No bed for very vulnerable girl under special care order; allegation she had been raped while in care, fear of sexual exploitation; Judge: “This is the worst case I have ever come across.”

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    69

    Categories:

    Lack Of Placement, Missing In Care / Absconding / Running Away, Special Care, Special Emergency Arrangement

    Court hears of lack of special care bed for boy missing in care; judge outlines questions for SEAs

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    68

    Categories:

    Behavioural Problems, Criminality, Special Care

    Special care application to be forwarded to the committee ahead of release of a troubled teenage boy from remand

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    67

    Categories:

    Autism, Criminality, Disability, Lack Of Placement, Lack Of Service, Mental Health, Missing In Care / Absconding / Running Away, Special Care

    Special care system “in crisis”, lack of special care beds “a tsunami about to reach shore and nothing is being done” – High Court judge

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    66

    Categories:

    Aftercare, Disability

    Judge directs CFA to pay full aftercare allowance to young person thought by CFA to be vulnerable

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    65

    Categories:

    Aftercare, Mental Health

    Aftercare plan to include arrangements for art classes and updated medical report for talented teenage girl

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    64

    Categories:

    No Allocated Social Worker

    Two cases re-entered by court because no social worker allocated, in one mother had turned her life around

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    63

    Categories:

    No Allocated Social Worker

    Large number of cases re-entered in Dublin District Court because no allocated social worker

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    62

    Categories:

    In Camera Rule, Neglect, UK / United Kingdom

    Application renewed and further adjourned to lift in camera rule to refer CFA Signs of Safety policy to Ombudsman for Children

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    61

    Categories:

    Change Of Placement

    Review of care orders for two young children where placement moved

This follows the discontinuation of its reporting in July 2024, as the contract with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) was coming to an end. We are very pleased that we signed a new two-year Agreement with the DCEDY in March and the members of our reporting panel have agreed to resume their work.

Over a twelve-year period, the Project provided information to the public on the operation of the child care system in the courts with the aim of promoting transparency and accountability. It published 1,050 individual court reports and a number of analytical research reports, all of which are available on this website.