Abstract:
In 1970, a review of residential care in Ireland highlighted the many deficiencies in the system, and recommended the abandonment of the 19th century institutional model of reformatory and industrial schools. The review specifically noted that aftercare was non-existent in Ireland, and that it should form an integral part of the child welfare system. It took until 1991 before a legislative entitlement to aftercare was provided via the Child Care Act, 1991. However, for many, the provisions of the Act provided an implicit entitlement and there were concerns that the provision of aftercare varied by administrative area, and in September 2017, legislation was enacted to strengthen the entitlement to aftercare in Ireland by explicitly outlining the aftercare entitlements. This brief article will outline the path to the provision of an explicit entitlement to aftercare in Ireland.