Even if you’ve been in care for a while, new situations might mean that you are introduced to different types of care settings and services.  Below is an A-Z guide to the different words, services and organisations you might come across whilst living in care.  

A | B | C | D |E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |

(Click on the first letter of the topic you want more info on to jump to that section, or choose your topic from the menu on the left)

A

Accommodation

This is important for young people to know about who are nearing the age of 18 and are getting ready to leave care.

We talk about 3 different types of accommodation that may be suitable for these young people to think about.

These are: Private Rented Accommodation, Semi-Independent  Accommodation and Supported Lodgings.

Adoption

Adoption is more than just living with another family. It means that legally you become a member of that family and that you no longer belong to your birth family. It usually means that you get a new last name, new brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, cousins and even grandparents.

Being adopted can be a big change and should be an exciting time.

If you have any questions, fears or worries make sure you talk about them to your social worker and carers who will have lots of information and advice to give you and will help you to understand everything that is happening. Your opinion about being adopted is very important and they should always listen to what you have to say.

Barnardos offers an Adoption Advice Service
E-mail: adoption@barnardos.ie     
Web: www.barnardos.ie

Advocate

This is someone who helps you to speak up for yourself at meetings or when decisions are being made about you. If you don’t want to speak, you can talk to your advocate and they will speak for you. An advocate is a good person to have when you are living in care because there are lots of meetings where decisions are made about your future.

Staff here at IAYPIC can act as your advocate. They can go to meetings for you and tell everyone what you want to happen and be there for you in lots of other ways.

See Advocacy and Policy Programme to learn more, or watch the video below

 

Aftercare

Aftercare is the name of the support the Health Service Executive (HSE) gives young people when they are getting ready to leave care and after they leave care and are moving towards living on their own.

If you are nearly 18 yrs old and are getting ready to leave care it’s important to check out with your Social Worker what the Aftercare Policy in your HSE area is.

Want to learn more about IAYPIC’s Aftercare programmes? Are you getting ready to Leave Care?

See our Aftercare Advocacy & Support Programme Section for more info.

Aftercare Worker

An Aftercare Worker is chosen by the HSE to work closely with you before you leave care.

The Aftercare Worker is there to help and support you, to help you find a suitable place to live, to advise you on your rights and entitlements and to give you information on courses or jobs you could get.

The Aftercare Worker will keep in contact with you for an agreed period of time once you have left care.

Assessment

An assessment happens after a referral about you is made. There’s a meeting to look at what’s going on in your life and to decide how to change things for the better. 

During the assessment the social worker will talk to you and your family about what has been going on and why the referral was made.

You have a right to say how you feel. 

The social worker should listen to what you have to say and take this into account when decisions are being made about what happens next.  A plan for your care will then be made.

 

B

Bereavement

Barnardos Bereavement Counselling for Children

Is a service for children and young people who have lost someone close to them – like a parent, brother or sister - through death. The Barnardos service helps young people to understand, to grieve and to cope a little better.

Losing someone you love is hard at any age and it may take some time to want to talk about death, but getting support and being listened to helps.  They work with families to help them support their child through the grieving process.

Barnardos Bereavement Counselling for Children 

Big Brother Big Sister 

BBBS is a mentoring programme that matches an adult volunteer to a young person (aged 10-18).

Having a caring adult friend can help young people to:

• Have fun
• Have a positive feeling about themselves and their future
• To develop good values of caring, social justice, honesty and responsibility
• Develop the skills to make friends, plan, make decisions and to avoid negative behaviour
• To have new learning experiences

The programme in Ireland is part of the Big Brother Big Sister International Organisation which is going strong in 13 countries throughout the world.

Check out the Irish Branch’s website for more info: http://bbbsireland.ie/ 

C

Care Order/ sometimes called a Full Care Order

A Care Order is made by a judge in a court who decides that the Health Service Executive (HSE) should be responsible for your care. A care order may be judged as necessary because you are not being cared for properly or because you need some extra help that your parents are unable to provide.

There are 3 other different types of Care Order.

An Emergency Care Order, an Interim Care Order, and a Special Care Order. 

A Supervision Order is where you stay at home and are visited by a social worker, click on the word for more info.

There is called Voluntary Care

Some Care Orders are made for a short amount of time. Other Care Orders can last until you are 18.  

In some cases if things have improved care orders can be taken off. 

Care Plan

Every young person in care should have a Care Plan.  A Care Plan is a document that says what arrangements will be made for you as a young person in care. It includes information like what support your HSE social worker will provide for you, the contact arrangements between you and your parents and details about your school and health needs.

Care Plan Meeting

A Care Plan should be ready for you when you first come into care.

A meeting will then take place after two months to see how you are getting on and if any changes need to be made.

Here are the people who will be invited:

• You  
• Your Social Worker   
• Team Leader
• Your Parent/s  
• Your Foster Parent/s    
• Your Keyworker
• Your Centre Manager
• Your Teacher
• Your Doctor

A meeting to review your Care Plan should take place every six months for the first two years of your placement in care and at least once every year after that.

Your social worker should make sure that you are involved in any plans that are made about your care, and should encourage you to attend your meetings and have your say.

Case Conference

This is a meeting called to look at how things are going for you. There are several reasons why a case conference is called.

Such As...

There are worries or concerns about your care or welfare

You’ve been placing yourself at risk

Your placement is breaking down

You are the most important person at the case conference.

All of the people involved in your care will attend. Here are the people who you’ll see there:

• A Chairperson
• Your Social Worker
• Team Leader
• Child Care Manager
• Your Parent/s
• Your Foster Parent/s
• Your Keyworker
• Centre Manager
• Your Teacher
• Your Doctor
• A Guardian ad Litem might also go.

A Secretary will take the minutes (the notes of what’s been said) at the meeting and all the people who go to the case conference will get a copy.

At this meeting you and they will talk about what’s been going on in your life and decide what’s the best next step for your care and how best to help your family.

This may mean for example you entering foster or residential care for a period of time.

If for any reason you feel you don’t want to go to your case conference or cannot attend its important you have someone there that you trust to speak on your behalf, who will voice your opinions and questions about your care, an Advocate.

Children Detention Centre/School

A place of detention for children aged under 16 who commit a crime.

Community Welfare Officer

Community Welfare Officers (CWO’s) are usually based in health centres and are responsible for the day to day running of community welfare services. Most of their work involves giving out the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) Scheme.

Want to learn more about the SWA scheme? Check out Know your Rights for lots more info.

www.citizeninformation.ie has great info about CWO’s and the Supplementary Allowance Scheme and lots more.

Complaints

You have the right to complain if you are unhappy about the standard of care that you receive.

Learn all about Making Complaints

Learn how to make complaints to the Ombudsman for Children.

Consultation. . .with young people

This means speaking to young people like you about how they feel about their care, asking their opinions and listening to their suggestions.

This also means taking young people’s views into account when decisions are being made about their care.

IAYPIC regularly holds consultations with young people. Find out how to Get Involved! with IAYPIC.

Custody

Custody is the physical day-to-day care of a child.

A married couple living together have automatic custody of their child. When a married couple separate or divorce, a decision must be made about who gets custody of their child.

A mother, who is not married to the father of her child, automatically has sole custody.

A father, who is not married to the mother of his child, may apply to court to be appointed guardian of the child. If he is granted this, he can then apply for custody.

>More information on the rights of fathers. 

D

Designated Centre

This is the term used in law to describe a place where children and young people in care live.

Children’s residential centres and residential centres for children with disabilities are described as “designated centres”.

E

Emergency Care Order

An Emergency Care Order can be made if there is immediate and serious risk to a child or young person and urgent action must be taken to protect the child or young person who may be in danger.  An Emergency Care Order normally lasts for no more than 8 days. 

F

Family Welfare Conference

A Family Welfare Conference is a meeting to make decisions about a young person and how they are cared for.

It brings together you, your family, other relatives, friends and all the important people on your life.

Other people who work with you and your family and have information that is helpful are also invited.

A family welfare conference co-ordinator works with you and your family to get you ready for the meeting and to organise the meeting at a time and day that suits you and your family.

Foroige

Foroige provides lots youth clubs, local youth services, youth development projects and information for young people all over Ireland.

Foroige works mostly with young teenagers but check out the clubs in your area as they may offer some activities to a younger age group.  

 What is Foroige all about?

• Meeting the developing needs of young people
• Supporting young people to develop their character and talents
• Providing services to vulnerable young people
• Providing extra support to young people who may find themselves in difficult situations
• Helping young people to build positive and helpful relationships and learn new things and skills for life
• Encouraging young people to take an active part in their community
• Helping young people have fun and make new friends

Find out more at their website www.foroige.ie

Foster care

If you can’t be at home with your own family, then it is the HSE’s job to make sure you are properly looked after and have all the things you need while you are growing up.

The HSE thinks that a very good way for children to grow up is in a family.

Children and young people in Foster Care live with a family other than the family you were born into. The family is called a foster family. Children who are fostered have a foster mother and father, and foster brothers and sisters.  

Visit the Irish Foster Care Association (IFCA) website.

See also: Report of the Forum for Young People in Care (Foster care in North Dublin)

Friendship Family

Some services that work with young people in care, have families that work with them called ‘friendship families’. A friendship family acts like a special aunt/ uncle to a particular child. For example: You might go to their home for a day or an overnight or on a regular basis while still living in a residential centre.

The young person does not go to live with the friendship family but visits with them on a regular basis.

G

Guardian Ad Litem (Guardian At Law)

A Guardian ad Litem is an experienced and qualified person with who is an expert in working with children and young people.

They act as an independent voice (advocate) in court for children and young people involved in family law.

A Guardian ad Litem is appointed by the court and advises on what is in the best interest of the child.

The Guardian ad Litem speaks with you, your family and other organisations who know you and your family.

The Guardian ad Litem also tells the judge what you want.

Barnardos provides a Guardian ad Litem Service. 

Guardianship

The Guardian of a child has a duty to maintain and properly care for the child and has the right to make decisions on all major matters that affect how a child is raised.

In Ireland, if a child is born to parents that aren’t married, only the mother has automatic rights to guardianship. Even though a father’s name may be registered on the child’s birth certificate, this does not give him guardianship rights in respect of the child.

If the mother of the child agrees, the father can become a joint-guardian if both parents sign a document called a Statutory Declaration. They need to sign it in front of a Peace Commissioner, Commissioner for Oaths or Notary Public.

If the mother of the child does not agree to the father becoming a guardian, then he must apply to the court to be appointed as a joint-guardian.

Guardianship rights can be removed from fathers if the court decides it is in the child’s best interest. These rights cannot be removed from the mother unless the child is placed for adoption.

For more info on Fatherhood Rights go to Know your Rights

H

Health Service Executive (HSE)

The Health Service Executive is responsible for improving, promoting and protecting the health and welfare of children and adults in Ireland. It is in charge of the care of children in care. The HSE make the rules about where children in care should live and how long they should live there for.

It employs lots of people whose job is to do what is best for children and young people.

Check out their website for more info: www.hse.ie

High Support Care

Sometimes young people need extra help managing their behaviour or have needs which cannot be met in either foster or residential care. These young people are given extra support for a certain amount of time. How long this will be is decided by the court.

High Support Units

Are places where young people who need High Support Care stay for a set amount of time. Sometimes young people who have spent time in Special Care units, move to high support units because they are getting ready to move into general residential care.

HIQA

The Health Information and Quality Authority is the independent organisation set up by law in charge of improving health services and social care services in Ireland. The Social Services Inspectorate operates within HIQA and carries out inspections. They publish inspection reports on residential and foster care services. They also set standards for how you should be cared for by the HSE and make sure they are followed.

Hostels

Hostels for homeless children and young people provide short-term accommodation for children and young people who find themselves without a place to stay.

I

Information

View a list of Useful Links to sites with information for young people

Interim Care Order

This is a temporary court order to take young people into care. Sometimes the HSE will apply for an Interim Care Order when it it’s planning to apply for a full care order. 

Interim means in the mean time and is usually made when a social worker thinks they need more time to talk to young people and their family before a final decision is made.  

Inspections

This is a visit by Independent Monitors or Inspectors who will talk to you about what it is like to live in a residential centre or foster home.

They are not there to inspect you but need to hear what you have to say because no one knows better than you what living in your centre or foster family is like for you!

They will talk to staff/foster parents so see how well you are cared for and what changes need to be made.

Afterwards Inspectors write a report saying what they found and what changes, if any, need to be made.  Nothing written in the report will identify any young person living in the centre.  A copy of the report is sent to your foster carer(s), the manager of the children’s centre and the HSE. A short report is also sent to you. 

Check out out Care Questions for more info about inspections.

To get more information go to http://www.hiqa.ie/functionsssi.asp 

Independent Monitor

All Children’s Residential Centres need to be checked out (inspected) every so often by a person who works for the HSE.  This person is called a monitor.  Their job is to make sure that the centre is up to standard and that the children are being properly looked after.  The monitor is also told if a young person makes a complaint or if they are involved in a significant event. 

There is also an independent monitor for foster care. Their job is to visit foster families to make sure that the foster children are being looked after properly.

Inspectors

Inspectors are also people whose job is to visit all Children’s Residential Centres to make sure that young people are being cared for safely and well. Unlike the monitor, they do not work for the HSE, but are an independent service set up by the government.  Inspectors visit the centres and talk to young people and staff about what it is like to live in a residential centre.  They also talk to the parents of the young people.  

J

Juvenile Diversion Programme

The Children Act 2001established Ireland’s Juvenile Diversion Programme. The programme aims to prevent young people in Ireland from entering into the full time criminal justice system by offering them a second chance. To stop young people from committing any more offences.

When a young person comes to the notice of the Gardai because of their criminal activity they may be dealt with through the Diversion Programme.

The idea is to allow for young people who commit criminal offences to be dealt with by means of a caution instead of the formal process of prosecution. 

A caution is a warning by the Gardai against certain types of behaviour.

Juvenile Liaison officer (JLO)

Before entering the Juvenile Diversion Programme, a Juvenile Liaison Officer (JLO) is assigned to the young person.

A JLO is a member of the Gardai with special responsibilities in juvenile justice. The JLO will decide if the young person is suitable to be included in the programme.

 
• Is the young person accepting responsibility for his or her criminal behaviour?
• Does the young person consent to be cautioned and to be supervised by a JLO?
• Is the young person over the age of criminal responsibility and under 18 years of age?

Young people aged 10 or 11 are eligible for the programme. A decision will be made about whether or not to give a caution. Every young person who gets a formal caution through the Garda Diversion Programme is placed under the supervision of a JLO for 12 months.

Have more questions about this? Go to www.iyjs.ie. It’s the website of the Irish Youth Justice Service.

K

Keyworker

A keyworker is a social care worker in a Children's Residential Centre who has special responsibility to look out for your interests. They will support you, answer your questions and be around to help if you are having any problems.

L

Léargas

Léargas manages a lot of programmes for young people and adults all over the country.

• Education and Lifelong learning
• Vocational Educational and Training
• Youth and Community
• Guidance in Education

They have also managed international exchange programmes for over 20 years. The National Centre for Guidance in Education is also based in Léargas.

Learn more about Léargas programmes and how you can get involved at their website on www.léargas.ie

Legal Aid

Legal aid means getting represented by a solicitor or barrister in civil proceedings in the District, Circuit, High and Supreme Courts.

Legal aid is not granted automatically. If you need representation for a court case, the Legal Aid Board will decide if it is reasonable to grant legal aid.

A person applying for legal advice and / or legal aid must take a ‘means test’. They look at how much money you have coming in, how much your rent and bills are and see if you can afford your own legal costs.

If the Board decides that you can’t, they will grant you legal aid. You’ll get a legal certificate and you will have legal representation for your case.

FLAC offers basic free legal services. For more information go to www.flac.ie

Links

Go to Useful Links to other sites with helpful information. Also info about services that could help, teen sites, rights and lots more!

M

Maintenance

Maintenance is money paid by a person for the benefit of a dependent husband or wife and / or dependent children.

‘Dependent’ here means that the husband, wife or children rely on that money to pay bills, do the shopping and pay for things they need.

N

NYP

Neighbourhood Youth Projects (NYP’s) are community based projects for teenagers who may be having trouble in their daily lives.

Check out the ‘Youth Development Projects’ at www.foroige.ie 

O

Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA) 

The Current Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is Barry Andrews TD.

The Minister works to improve the lives of children under the National Children’s Strategy and carry out work in the area of policy-making for children.

The OMCYA helps the minister to develop policy and new laws on child welfare and child protection.

For more information see the website www.omc.gov.ie  

Ombudsman for Children

Emily Logan is the first Ombudsman especially for Children in Ireland.
Emily worked as a children's nurse for 22 years before she became Ombudsman for Children so she has loads of experience working with children and young people. Emily started her job as Ombudsman in March 2004. .

The Ombudsman promotes the rights of Children and Young People. She looks into complaints about services for children and young people under 18. Complaints can be made by children and adults. She can give advice to ministers and organisations about children's rights and will checks out laws relating to children to make sure they’re fair.

For more information on the Ombudsman see the website www.oco.ie or contact oco@oco.ie 

P

Private Rented Accommodation

This is where a Young Person who is moving out of care may be supported by the HSE in renting their own flat.

R

Referral

A referral is when someone contacts the social work department to say they are concerned about something that’s happening within a family. This could be because they feel the children or young people within that family are not safe or being looked after properly. 

A referral might be made by a doctor, family friend, school teacher or family relative.  You or your parent could also make a referral by contacting the social work department because they are finding it difficult to cope or would like help. 

Relative Foster Care

Relative foster care describes when another family member becomes foster parent of the child.

For example a young person might go to live with their grandparents, an aunt, uncle or adult sister/brother.

The other type of care is called Residential Care. 

Residential care

Instead of living at home, you live in a children's home with other young people and are looked after by Care Staff. Most children and young people just call them staff.

We have lots more information about residential care in our Publications Your Guide to Living in Residential Care.

Respite Care

This is when you get a chance of a short break away from home, your foster care placement or the residential centre where you’re living. It usually happens because things have not been going so well or in an emergency when you need a safe place to go for a short time. Your social worker or keyworker will talk to you about going on respite – where you are going and why, also what you’ll need to pack and the things you’re allowed to bring.

It’s very important you talk to your social worker if you have any worries about going on respite or questions you’d like answered. 

Residential Respite

The residential centre you go to will provide you with accommodation and a place to eat or prepare your own food. Different centres offer different programmes that tend to be a mix of educational, recreational and outdoor pursuits while you’re there. The centre is there to support you, to give you time and space to look at any issues you are having in a safe place.

Respite Foster Care

This is when you go to stay with a foster family to have a short break away from home, your foster family or the residential centre where you are living.

Most importantly these are both types of safe places where you can go and clear your head.

Review

Reviews are meetings to look at how you are getting on in care. The meetings are held for young people in both residential and foster care.

Are you happy in your placement?
Is your care plan being followed correctly?
Are you safe and are your needs being met?
What things you would like to change and how could they be made better?
How your parents are doing and can you go home or maybe visit them?

They will also look at how you’re doing in school and if you’re involved in sports teams or have hobbies outside of school.

You are invited to go, as you are the most important person. (it’s your choice).

You will be given a review form to fill in beforehand by your social worker. It is very important that you fill out this form. It’s your way of making sure that what you have to say gets heard at your review.

If you don't want to go you should still be able to have your say. You can write down what you want to say and give it to someone you trust to read out for you. Maybe you could make a tape or a video? It could then be played at your review.

Here are the people you’ll see there:

Your Social Worker, arranges these meetings and will be there

• Team Leader
• Your Parent/s
• Your Foster Parent/s
• Your Keyworker
• Your Centre Manager&
• Your Teacher
• Your Doctor

A Guardian ad Litem might also go if needed.

A Secretary will take the minutes (the notes of what’s been said) at the meeting and all the people who go to the case conference will get a copy.

A Care Plan Meeting should take place after two months in care to see how you are getting on and if any changes need to be made. A review should then take place every six months for the first two years of your placement in care and at least once every year after that. Most of the time your social worker will decide on the date for your next review but you or your family or any person important in your life can call a Special Review Meeting if there is something important that you or they want to talk about.

Rights 

>go to our section about your Rights.

S

Semi – independent accommodation

Is where a Young Person lives in a flat belonging to a service (voluntary/ statutory) that is responsible for providing aftercare accommodation. A staff member is usually available for the young person if they need it. 

Separated Children

Separated children are defined as “children under 18 years of age who are outside their country of origin and separated from both parents, or previous/legal primary care giver”.  

For more information go to www.irishrefugeecouncil.ie

Social Worker

Your social worker is a very important person while you are in care.

Your social worker will let your foster family or the staff at the residential centre have some details about you before they meet you, and they will keep the people looking after you family up-to-date with any changes.

He/she will visit you regularly to see how you are getting on in your foster or residential home and to answer any of your questions. 

He/she will give you support and help if you have any problems or need advice or information. While you are in care your social worker can help you to make a complaint if you feel you need to.

Your social worker will also contact your foster family or the care staff to see how they feel things are going.

Your social worker will be able to talk to you about having contact with your parents and brothers and sisters, and may take you to contact sessions with your birth family.

If you have any problems at school or with your health, he/she can act on your behalf to sort these out.

He/she can also help you to apply for passports or bank accounts and to fill in forms.

When you are getting ready to leave care your social worker will be able to introduce you to your Aftercare Worker. At this point, your social worker and your foster family will be working with you on becoming more independent and how to manage daily living skills.  

Special Care

This is for children who need extra care and attention or protection for their own safety. They may need extra special support managing their behaviour that residential or foster care cannot provide. Special Care placements are managed by the HSE.

Young people get intense short term care in a secure place that will help the young person to become more stable and happy and able to return to less secure care as soon as possible.

Special Care Units

Special care units are the places where young people who need Special Care stay for a short amount of time - this can be extended.  

Special Care Order

This is when the court decides that a young person needs some special care. This usually happens when a young person needs extra help managing their behaviour and their parents, the place they were living can no longer look after them. Special Care Orders usually last up to 6 months but may be extended if needed.

Supervision Order

A supervision order is a court order that is made if there is a concern about the safety of a young person.

You are not in care when a supervision order is made, and usually you live at home.  A social worker will see you often at home to check how you are getting on and to make sure you are safe. 

Standards

Standards are sets of rules about how residential and foster care services should be run. Services must follow these standards to make sure you are well cared for.

An organisation called HIQA publishes new standards in Ireland when they are needed.

Supported Lodgings

A young person who feels they are not quite ready to live on their own can chose to live in a family setting. Supported lodgings are best suited to young people aged 15 –18yrs that need some support and advice along the way.

V

Voluntary Care

Parents or guardians of a young person can decide that they want or need to place their child in the care of the HSE.

In this case when a parent or guardian decides that their child needs more help than they can provide right now, a Care Order is not needed.

When the parent or guardian is ready for their child to come back and live with them, meaning when they are ready and able to meet the needs of the young person, the young person can return home.

Voluntary Services International (VSI)

VSI organise local and international  volunteer programmes for young people in Europe, North America, Australia, Africa, Asia & Latin America and right here at home.

VSI programmes have also helped young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to take part in:

• 7- 10 days international youth exchange with people from other European countries (16 – 19 years)
• 3- 12 weeks volunteering projects in different parts of Europe (18 25 years)

Check out their website www.vsi.ie to see what opportunities they’ve got coming up and how you can make a difference

Y

YAP

The Youth Advocate Programme (YAP) provides at-home and neighbourhood based programmes for young people at risk of being taken into care.

YAP also supports young people to return to their community after spending time away from their home and families.  

YAP has a special approach to working with young people:

Each young person and their family will work with YAP to come up with a plan. The young person and their family will be allocated a YAP worker who will be in contact with the family every week and help them to put their plan into action.

Phone 01 8689180 or 087 7805905 or email Yvonne Coyne at ycoyne@yapireland.ie