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Barnardos works to ensure that the issues affecting the children and families we work with are heard and that through effective advocacy and increased public awareness positive changes are made to national policies and legislation in the interests of all children.

Our policy priorities explained

We prioritise four main areas that affect a child’s life - child poverty, educational disadvantage, alcohol harm and child protection. We also respond, react and lobby on a number of different themes as they impact on children and families.

Child poverty

Currently there are over 65,270 living in consistent poverty in Ireland. This can mean going 24 hours without a substantial meal or being cold because parents are unable to afford to heat the home. Living in poverty affects every aspect of a child’s life and its impact can last a lifetime. More...

Educational disadvantage

Education is one of the most powerful influences on a child’s current and future well-being. If a child’s experience of education is negative then this can have an adverse affect on them personally, socially and economically. More...

Alcohol and its impact on children

Children are affected by alcohol in two ways – by becoming drinkers themselves at a young age, but also by growing up in a household where alcohol is misused by parents. The impact of alcohol misuse can impact on all aspects of a child's development. More... 

Child protection

We believe that childhood is a time to be treasured and that all children have a right to be brought up in an environment which is supportive of their development and free from harm or neglect. More...

Other policy areas

In addition to our policy priorities, we also undertake ongoing work in a range of policy areas. Please click on the following links to find out more:

• Back to school costs 2009
• Separated & Trafficked Children
• Children Experiencing Neglect
• Children and Homelessness
• Early Childhood Education and Care
• Children's rights in the Constitution
• Children and mental health
• Play and recreation
• Child abuse through the Internet

Policy submissions made by Barnardos in 2009:

• Joint Submission to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children
• Barnardos Presents to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children
• Barnardos Responce to the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes
• Joint Submission to the Office of the Minister for Children on the Implementation of the Ryan Report Recommendations
• Expert Group on Resource Allocation and Financing in the Health Sector
• National Paediatric Hospital Development Board
• Criminal Justice (Public Order) (Amendment) Bill 2008
• Management of Sex Offenders

Archive of Barnardos submissions

2008:

• Barnardos' Childrens' Budget 2009
• Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children
• Immigration, Residency and Protection Bill
• National Drugs Strategy
• National Child Welfare Strategy
• COSC National Strategy on Domestic Sexual Gender Based Violence
• The Alcohol Advisory Group
• NESF Child Literacy and Social Inclusion 

2007:

• Children's Budget - Barnardos Pre-Budget Submission 2008
• National Action Plan to prevent and combat human trafficking
• National Educational Welfare Board guidelines for the development of school codes of behaviour
• Department of Education and Science - submission to the Education (Miscellaneous) Act

2006:

• Children's Budget - Barnardos Pre-Budget Submission 2007
• NESF - Mental Health and Social Inclusion
• Joint Oireachtas Committee on Child Protection
• Government proposals to support lone parents
• Review of Children First guidelines

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