Immediate Release: 21st November 2016
EPIC welcomes the publication of the Ninth Report of the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, Prof. Geoffrey Shannon. The report highlights a wide variety of issues that children in Ireland face, and EPIC particularly supports Prof. Shannon’s recommendations on the necessity of children’s participation in formulating policies that affect them.
Following the publication of the Special Rapporteur report, Director of EPIC Jennifer Gargan made the following comment:
“EPIC’s work with children in care through our advocacy service has highlighted the fact that children with disabilities are a particularly vulnerable group within the care system. EPIC supports Prof. Shannon’s call for the evaluation of Ireland’s child protection programme, to ensure that all stakeholders collaborate to identify risk situations and efficiently protect children with disabilities. We further join him in his call for the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
EPIC agrees with Prof. Shannon that children should be able to have their voice heard in decisions that will affect them, and that children’s participation will ensure the development of effective child protection systems. This is especially crucial to children in care, who often feel that their views make little difference. We commend Prof. Shannon’s suggestion that children in care should be involved in the running of the institutions they live in, and that preference should be given to foster and adoption placements instead of care homes.”
EPIC further joins Prof. Shannon in his recommendation that efforts should be made to refrain from placing children in custody, and instead develop alternatives such as community service.
ENDS
Notes to Editor
- The Special Rapporteur for Child Protection’s Ninth Report is available here: http://www.dcya.gov.ie/documents/publications/201611189thReportoftheSpecialRapporteuronChildProtection.pdf
For all media enquiries or to arrange an interview please contact:
Jennifer Gargan, Director of EPIC
Telephone: 01 8727 661 Mobile: 086 607 3866
Email: jennifergargan@epiconline.ie Website: www.epiconline.ie
EPIC (formerly IAYPIC) is an independent association that works throughout the Republic of Ireland, with and for children and young people who are currently living in care or who have had an experience of living in care.