Boarded Out Practical Support Service for Adults 

Boarded Out is a term used to describe children who were fostered or raised with families other than their own in Ireland. This happened mainly between 1920 and 1970. There was also a practice of being nursed out, where infants were placed with women who could care for them. Some children were boarded out up to the introduction of the 1991 Child Care Act.

While many children were boarded out on farms in rural areas, children were also placed in homes in larger towns and cities.

If you have experience of being boarded out and would like to avail of practical support, you can contact Barnardos Boarded Out Practical Support Service for Adults.

We provide a free and confidential service offering a wide range of practical supports including:

• Support to access to health, community and social services
• Support with isolation and loneliness
• Assistance in filling out forms and grant applications
• Advocacy, information and signposting
• Referral to Barnardos therapeutic supports