Care-experienced youth face “double transition” leaving care and school  23 May 2025 New Jointly published research finds care-experienced young people face “double transition” leaving care and school New research by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and Empowering People in Care (EPIC) highlights the importance of the combined effects of school experiences and care

Media Statement: EPIC Welcomes Special Care Review and Urges Government Action  20 May 2025 EPIC, Empowering People in Care, welcomes the publication of the Report of the External Review Group on Special Care. It represents an important step towards improving the care and support available to some of the most vulnerable children and young people. 

Press Release: New ‘Take Care’ Toolkit Launched to Support Care-Experienced Students in Schools 3rd April 2025 EPIC, Empowering People in Care, has launched Take Care, a new toolkit designed with and for care-experienced young people to help schools create more inclusive, supportive environments. This resource, which was funded by Tusla Education Support Service (TESS), provides

Media Statement: Care-Experienced Youth Call for Political Action on Care Day 2025  Care Day, 21 February 2025 Calls for new government, policymakers, and legislators to address critical issues in care system “We are artists, advocates, leaders. We are shaping our own futures—and we need support, not stigma.”  Today, with the launch of a special edition Care

EPIC call for establishment of emergency, inter-departmental committee to address crisis in care system 28 February 2024 Speaking in response to news that broke today in the Irish Times, Care home used by Tusla ‘fabricated’ pre-employment checks of staff, posing major risk to young people in its care, EPIC, Empowering People in Care, CEO, Marissa Ryan

Media Statement: Budget 2024 10 Oct 2023 Today, EPIC, Empowering People in Care, welcomed the news that Budget 2024 will include measures to increase the overall capacity in children’s residential care, increase the fostering allowance, and improve the recruitment and retention of staff working with children in care. However, the children’s rights advocacy organisation warned

Publication of CSO Data on Educational Attendance and Attainment of Children in Care 2 August 2023 EPIC, Empowering People in Care, welcome the publication of the data from the Central Statistics Office outlining the School Attendance and Attainment of Children in Care and the outcomes of those who have left care in recent years. Responding to the

Publication of Heads of Bill for the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2023 20 April 2023 EPIC, Empowering People in Care, welcome the publication of the Heads of Bill for the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2023 by Minister Roderic O’Gorman. This long-awaited review and update to the Child Care Act 1991 provides an opportunity to ensure that policy

EPIC publish new study on the lives of children in care and care-leavers with disabilities and call for improved inter-agency action    21 March 2023 Key Findings   Today, EPIC, Empowering People in Care, launched a first of its kind study on the lives of children in care and young care leavers with a disability. The report,

EPIC Cork celebrates 10 years of operations 29 September 2022 This week, EPIC, Empowering People in Care, is celebrating its ten-year anniversary in Cork. Speaking at an event held in their Cork office this week, EPIC CEO Marissa Ryan said: “EPIC was established in 1999, and 10 years ago we opened our office in Cork.