Latest News
Children First legislation Marks Turning Point in History of Child Protection
27 April 2012
Press release: Barnardos has welcomed the publication of the Heads of the Children First Bill 2012. The children’s charity commended Minister for Children, Frances Fitzgerald, for her ongoing commitment to strengthening measures to protect children at risk of abuse or neglect and said that the publication of the legislation marks a huge step forward in the advancement of Ireland’s child welfare and protection system.
DJs Dermott and Dave Go the Distance for Barnardos
24 April 2012
98FM DJs Dermot Whelan and Dave Moore were put through their paces today by former Miss Universe Roz Purcell in preparation for the Dublin Docklands Fun Run in aid of Barnardos, Ireland’s leading independent children’s charity. The 98FM duo are calling for people living, working or studying in Dublin to sign up today at www.DocklandsRun.ie and go the distance for Barnardos.
Affordable Childcare for All by 2014: Wishing Won’t Get Us There, Minister
24 April 2012
The three organisations behind the 7 Is Too Young campaign have said that they continue to have grave concerns about changes to the One Parent Family Payment as set out in Section 4 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill. Following a meeting with Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton yesterday, OPEN, Barnardos and the National Women’s Council of Ireland said that they continue to oppose the removal of the lone parent payment once the youngest child reaches 7 years as set out in the Bill. The group welcomed the Minister’s commitment to developing childcare and after school care in Ireland, but said that they were not convinced that quality childcare of the kind needed can be delivered in the very ambitious timeframe being put forward by the Minister.
Utopian Childcare System Unlikely in the Immediate Future
19 April 2012
OPEN, Barnardos and the National Women’s Council of Ireland have welcomed Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton’s, acknowledgment that lone parents should not lose the One Parent Family Payment when their youngest child reaches the age of seven unless a comprehensive system of “Scandinavian” style childcare is in place. However, the three organisations continued to express concern with the progression of Section 4 of the Social Welfare Bill containing the proposed changes to the payment without guarantees in place.
SOS - Save our Seven Year Olds
18 April 2012
Passing the Social Welfare Bill in its current format will push more one-parent families into poverty. OPEN, Barnardos and the National Women’s Council of Ireland have expressed serious concerns that proposed changes to the One Parent Family Payment in the Bill will exacerbate already high levels of poverty among these families and entrench poverty traps that prevent lone parents moving from welfare to work. The Bill is due to be debated in the Dáil later today. The measures proposed means that by 2015 all lone parents in receipt of the One Parent Family Payment will be forced on to Job Seekers Allowance once their youngest child reaches the age of 7.
Ireland’s Toddlers Take to the Streets!
17 April 2012
TV presenter Laura Woods and her toddler Ben Arigho today joined Barnardos to launch the ninth DANONE BIG TODDLE for BARNARDOS and to call on mums, dads, grandparents, parenting groups and crèches to register their toddlers now on www.barnardos.ie. The DANONE BIG TODDLE for BARNARDOS is a fun sponsored walk for toddlers and an enjoyable way to raise funds to support the vital work that Barnardos does with children and families in communities all over Ireland.
“Minister, I’m 7. Who’s going to mind me?”
05 April 2012
OPEN, Barnardos and the National Women’s Council of Ireland have expressed serious concern at proposals to change the One Parent Family Payment (OPFP) outlined in the Social Welfare Bill, published today. The three organisations said that measures in the Bill to cease the payment of the OPFP to lone parents once their child reaches the age of 7 were regressive and counterproductive.
Barnardos Director of Advocacy - Fine Gael Ardfheis
04 April 2012
Barnardos’ Director of Advocacy, Norah Gibbons, took part in a panel discussion on ‘Child Protection in a New Era’ at the Fine Gael Ard Fheis on March 30th, 2012.
Barnardos and One Family launch much needed Service for Children and Separated Parents in Ireland
02 April 2012
A new service for children whose parents are separated and who are unable to agree safe and appropriate arrangements for contact was launched today by Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald, TD. The first-of-its kind in Ireland, the Child Contact Centre service provided by Barnardos, Ireland’s leading independent children’s charity, and One Family, Ireland’s leading organisation for one-parent families, is operating on a two year pilot in three locations in Dublin: Ballymun, Clondalkin and Tallaght.
Barnardos Welcomes Announcement Ending Detention of Under 18s in St. Patrick’s
02 April 2012
Barnardos has welcomed announcements from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs that boys aged 16 and 17 who are newly remanded or sentenced from the 1st May 2012 will only be detained at the Children Detention Schools in Oberstown, ending the practice of sending young people under the age of 18 to St. Patrick’s Institution. The children’s charity also welcomed the approval of €50 million in capital funding to develop the National Children Detention Facility Project at Oberstown. Barnardos’ CEO, Fergus Finlay , commended the Minister for Children, Frances Fitzgerald, for making substantial strides towards the improved treatment of children in the criminal justice system.