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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:

    26

    Categories:

    Domestic Violence, Drugs, In Camera Rule, Neglect

    Care orders to 18 for five neglected children who had been under supervision order; father sought short orders

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    25

    Categories:

    Abroad, Adoption, Newborn

    Care order for child born as a result of rape, mother favours adoption

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    24

    Categories:

    Parents Dead

    Care order for child whose mother deceased, no father identified

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    23

    Categories:

    Newborn, Parents In Care

    Care order till 18 for infant whose parents had been in care

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    21

    Categories:

    Reunification

    Interim care orders extended for six children, reunification possible

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    20

    Categories:

    Disability, Residential Placement

    Interim care orders extended for four siblings living in residential home

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    19

    Categories:

    Physical Abuse

    Four-month extension of interim care order for a one-year-old baby who had suffered serious injuries

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    18

    Categories:

    Mental Health, Sexual Abuse, Trafficking

    Interim care order extended, trafficked teenager permitted to travel to visit her dying mother, care order later made

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    17

    Categories:

    Cognitive Disability, HSE, Lack Of Service, Physical Disability

    Interim care orders extended for two children with significant needs; judge critical of HSE for projected year-long delay in providing service

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    16

    Categories:

    Newborn

    Interim care order extended for a six-month-old baby with complex medical needs who remained in the children’s hospital

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.