Join the EPIC Care Community!

We are really excited about growing and diversifying our youth participation work and are inviting care-experienced children and young people to join the EPIC Care Community. This is a great space for making new friends, learning new things, and helping to build a strong Care Community in Ireland.  

We would love to hear from children and young people across Ireland that have experience of any type of care placement (relative, foster, or residential care – including high support and special care, and those accommodated by the State in homeless services or in Oberstown Children’s Detention Campus).

What does being a member of the Care Community mean? 

• If you are aged between 1-12, we will invite you to our EPIC-fun, family friendly social events and activities throughout the year.
• If you are aged between 13-18, you will have a choice of participation activities to get involved with throughout the year, including an opportunity to join our Under 18s Youth Advisory Group.
• If you are aged between 19-26, you will have a choice of participation activities to get involved with throughout the year, including an opportunity to join our over 18s Youth Advisory Group.
• If you are aged 27+, we will add you to a special mailing list for care-experienced young adults and keep you up to date on the work of EPIC and our events and campaigns.

Participation activities can include (you decide which ones you want to get involved in!):

• Social events and gatherings
• Working on projects and campaigns about care issues and experiences
• Upskilling and learning new things 
• Public and political engagement – talking to politicians and journalists
• Helping with content for social media
• Contributing to research

As experts in their own experience, EPIC is committed to empowering children and young people with care experience by ensuring their voices are heard where it matters and by promoting positive care identities. 

EPIC’s promise to the children and young people who join the Care Community:  

• EPIC will provide safe, inclusive, and respectful spaces for you to come together to explore your experiences of the positives and challenges of being in care.  
• Your voices will advise EPIC and other services about how the lives of children and young people in care can be improved, as your voices CAN influence real change.  
• EPIC will ensure that you know your rights, have opportunities develop new skills, while having fun and making new friends along the way!  

Have some questions before joining? You can email them to participation@epiconline.ie.