We provide independent advocacy and information for people with care experience. This includes those living in care, in residential care, foster care, hostel, high support & special care. EPIC also works with young people preparing to leave care and in aftercare.
For media queries phone 087 216 2496 If you need an advocate call your nearest EPIC office Dublin 01-8727661, Galway 091 395 605, Cork 021 242 8434 or Limerick 061 514518 .
If you are a young person in care at the moment, are leaving care or have experience of living in care in Ireland, or work with young people in care, we really hope you’ll find something on this site that will be of help and of interest. Please feel free to contact us or phone any of our offices with a queries
EPIC has been set up to…
- Give people with care experience a voice
- Highlight the rights of young people in care
- Provide information and support to young people with care experience
- Help people who work with young people in care to involve them more when decisions are being made about them.
We do this through…
We do this by…
- Working directly with people either in care or with care experience through our advocacy service
- Listening to your care experiences. Have your say by getting involved on our Youth Boards
- Working with other organisations that work with people with care experience
You can read more about our work in About Us
Life in Care
What is State Care?
If you are taken into care you could live in:
- Foster Care- This is living with Foster Parents that care for children and look after you in their home
- Relative Care- This is living with a family member such as a Grandparent, Aunt, Uncle or another member of your family where they will care and look after you in their home.
- Residential Care– This is living in a house with other young people in care and residential care staff.
How can I be taken into care
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.
Who will look after me while I am in care?
Can I choose where I live when I go into care?
What are my rights if I am taken into care?
See also: Your Rights
Should I be allocated a social worker when I go into care?
What happens if I don't get a social worker?
What is a Care Plan?
Need Help Now?
Talk to someone
Want to Help?
Donate or Fund-raise to help young people in care
I really enjoy the work with EPIC, because the young people that we meet are inspirational often despite their difficult situations. It’s fantastic to see how with encouragement and someone listening and believing in them how much young people have to say about their lives, and what they are capable of achieving…
JohnChildren & Young People in Care in Ireland*
* Source - TUSLA Child & Family Agency Statistics at March 2015
Total in Care
in Secure Care
Residential Care
Other Care
Foster Care
without an allocated social worker
Relative Foster Care
without a written care plan
In Care
Check out this section to have your Care questions answered, find out about your rights in care, about leaving care and aftercare and much more!
Aftercare
There is life after care, and we can help with your questions about leaving care and getting support to get on with your life when you turn 18.
What we do
Find out about what we do, and can do for you, in the areas of Advocacy, Policy, Engagement with Young People in Care.
We’re here for YOU - get in touch
EPIC Dublin
EPIC Dublin
7 Red Cow Lane Smithfield Dublin 7
Ph: 01 872 7661
EPIC Cork
EPIC Cork
Millerd Hall, Millerd Street, Cork
Ph: 021 242 8434
EPIC Galway
EPIC Galway
Westside Resource Centre Seamus Quirke Road Galway.
Ph: 091 395 605
EPIC Limerick
EPIC Limerick
Limerick Social Services Centre, Upper Henry St., Limerick
Ph: 061 514518