Invisible from View: Leaving and Aftercare Provision in the Republic Of Ireland

Abstract

The adequacy of provisions for young people leaving care and in aftercare in the Republic of Ireland has been the subject of recent policy attention. A landmark report, the Ryan Report (2009), into historic abuse in state institutions recommended strengthening provisions in this area. However, the legislative basis for aftercare remains relatively weak and services for young people leaving care remain ad hoc and regionally variable. This article outlines the current context of leaving and aftercare provision in the Republic of Ireland and traces some of the recent policy debates and recommendations in this area. A genealogical analysis of leaving care and aftercare provision highlights that this issue has historically only emerged as a concern in the context in which young people leaving the care system are perceived as a “threat” to social order. It is argued that the failure to adequately reform leaving and aftercare provision is reflective of wider social inequality and of a context in which young people in care are largely invisible from view.

在爱尔兰共和国，结束抚养后的青少年是否获得了足够的服务，最近成为公共政策关注的话题。一项对国家机构历史上虐待被抚养者的重要调查报告，建议加强这个领域的服务。不过，有关后抚养期的立法基础还相对薄弱，为结束抚养的青少年提供的服务还只停留在临时个别的层面，而且因地区而异。本文简要讲述了爱尔兰共和国结束抚养及后抚养服务设施的情形，并对近年的政策辩论及建议做了追踪。根据作者对结束抚养及后抚养服务设施的谱系分析，这个问题之所以成为大家关注的问题，是因为结束抚养的青少年被视为对社会秩序的威胁。作者指出，未能向那些青少年提供足够的服务，反映了更广大的社会不平等，以及社会对被抚养青少年的忽视。

Keywords:

• Out-of-home
• Care
• Social Policy
• Child and Family Welfare