A decision can be made your parents or by a Judge that it is not safe for you at home and therefore State Care is the best option for you.

Voluntary Care: Voluntary care is when your parents agree with The Child and Family Agency (Tusla) that the best option for you is to be taken into care.  In some cases parents are unable to cope due to illness or other problems, and they may agree to their children being taken into care. In such cases while The Child and Family Agency has care of the children, it must consider your parents’ wishes as to how your care is provided. The CFA must provide you with care as long as it’s required.

Care Orders: There are a number of ways that the CFA (Tusla) work with children.  The CFA may apply to the courts for a child to be placed in care. There are a number of different care orders:

Emergency care order - maximum of 8 days in care

Interim care order - maximum of 29 days in care but may be extended

Full Care order - can continue up to age 18

Interim special care order - maximum of 28 days but may be extended

Special care order - maximum of 6 months but may be extended.

While you are in care you will be looked after by either your foster family or by the staff in a residential home. Your social worker will discuss big decisions about your care with you while you are in care. You should always be entitled to be a part of any decision made about you while you are living in care.

The decision about where you will live will be made by the Child and Family Agency (Tusla). Your social worker will talk to you about this. Your social worker will try and find someone in your family first before they decide to place you anywhere else.

You have a number of rights if taken into care. The Child and Family Agency (Tusla) has a duty to make sure that all decisions about your care are made in your best interests. You have the right to have your views heard when decisions are being made about you being in care.

See also: Your Rights

Yes. All young people in care should have a social worker allocated to them from The Child & Family Agency (Tusla).

If you don’t have an allocated social worker you can contact The Child & Family Agency (Tusla) on 01 6352854 or info@tusla.ie or you can contact us here in EPIC on 01-8727661, www.epiconline.ie

A care plan is a plan is the plan about your care that your social worker prepares. It includes your care placement, your access arrangements made between you and your parents and your educational arrangements. It will also look at your health and emotional needs. You social worker should talk to you about your care plan.