Community law centre launches legal resource on voluntary care

A Limerick community law centre has launched an information leaflet for parents who are considering placing their children in voluntary case.

The publication is the outcome of a collaboration between Community Law & Mediation Limerick and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Ireland Ltd. The initiative was facilitated by the Public Interest Law Alliance, part of FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres).

At present there are over 6,450 children in care in the State, of whom 40 per cent were in voluntary care as of December 2014. The remaining 60 per cent were in care on foot of a court order.

The leaflet seeks to address a marked absence of accessible information and legal advice available to parents by providing information in simple language, answering common questions, and providing a list of support services and groups for parents.

Rose Wall, CEO of Community Law and Mediation, said: “CLM’s vision is to empower the communities it serves by providing greater access to legal and mediation services.

“The publication of this information leaflet, and on-line guide, is a means of addressing unmet legal need in critical areas such as voluntary care where there is a marked absence of information and access to legal advice.”

Speaking at the launch, Caroline Keane, solicitor with CLM Limerick, added: “Voluntary care is based upon the premise of consent, and central to this premise is that the consent must be informed and free. We identified a need for greater access to information and advice on this issue, and in collaboration with the in-house legal department of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, we have produced this leaflet which we hope will prove useful to parents facing this decision as well as services and organisations supporting them.”

The Public Interest Law Alliance brought together Hewlett Packard Enterprise with CLM Limerick to prepare the leaflet.

FLAC chief executive Eilis Barry said: “It is very heartening to see yet another great example of pro bono partnership resulting in a practical information resource for the community.”