Inclusion Ireland Calls for Task Force to Establish Advocacy Service for Children with Intellectual Disabilities

26th February 2025 

Inclusion Ireland will launch a new research report today (Wednesday 26th of February), “Exploring the Need for a Representative Advocacy Service for Children with Intellectual Disabilities in Ireland.”  

The report Commissioned by Inclusion Ireland and compiled by the Centre for Disability Law and Policy at the University of Galway, examines the current landscape of services and supports available to children with intellectual disabilities in Ireland, and calls for the establishment of a children’s advocacy service.  Whilst the state provides representative advocacy for disabled adults and for some children in the care system, there is no national advocacy service for children.   

 The research will be launched by Dr Niall Muldoon, the Ombudsman for Children. 

 “I am delighted to launch this report into the importance of having an Advocacy Service for Children with Disabilities, because through the complaints we take in the office of the Ombudsman for Children for those children we can see the massive struggle many are going through, every day, just to have their rights upheld. 

 The State should be set up in such a way that parents can be sure their children will have access to whatever services they need. Without that guarantee then an Advocacy Service becomes a necessary part of the infrastructure for those parents and their children.” Dr Niall Muldoon, Ombudsman for Children 

 It has become increasingly clear in the last number of years the enormous pressure that children and families are under in accessing what should be some fundamental and basic rights; the right to a high‐quality education in your local school, the right to access health and social care supports in a timely manner.  It is a daily occurrence that we hear of one parent giving up work just so they can be the primary advocate in navigating this world.  This further compounds the economic disadvantages that many children with intellectual disabilities also face. 

 

Derval McDonagh, CEO of Inclusion Ireland states: “ We have seen the effect that the National Advocacy Service has had on the lives of disabled adults who access it. We want the same for children. A state funded, independent advocacy service could at least begin to shine a light where it needs to be shone and may even prevent crisis situations in families occurring. To show children and their families they are not alone, to walk the path alongside them as they navigate complexity and to have hope of some justice in accessing what should be the right of every child in this state; to live an ordinary decent life as part of a loving, supported family.  As the new National Disability Strategy is being finalised, there is an opportunity now to make this a key action in the coming years” 

 Speaking about education, Lucinda Murrihy, Head of Strategy & Innovation at Inclusion Ireland, and parent to two disabled children said: “Too many disabled children are voiceless and silenced by a system designed to protect the adults. In some schools when it goes really wrong for children there is currently no support for them or their families. They are pushed into a biased schools complaints process in which the school investigates itself. I consider myself a very strong advocate for my daughter but I have learned through her horrific experience that the stronger we are as parents, the harder the resistance we face.” 

  She added: “There is a disability language barrier which exists in some schools. When a child tries to advocate for themselves, or with their parent, they spend all their energy trying to tackle this illiteracy in understanding difference instead of addressing the barriers they are facing. It’s so important that children have a strong advocacy support to bridge that gap. Someone to say to adults that there’s a chance you don’t understand this, that you’re not speaking the same language as this child. A strong children’s advocacy service would help schools and other pockets of society to learn to value and listen and believe children.” 

 In light of the government’s commitment to ensuring the voices of children and young people are heard in this year’s Programme for Government, Inclusion Ireland is calling on the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) to establish a task force in 2025. This task force would bring together key stakeholders to make recommendations on the development of an independent advocacy service for children.  This service would provide representation and support to children and their families, working alongside them to ensure the child’s voice is heard, and shining a light where systems are not working for children. 

 You can read the report on our website here

and an Easy to Read version of the report on our website here 

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ENDS 

 

 

Notes 

 

For the purpose of this research, representative advocacy for children and young people is understood as the appointment of a professional advocate that works to empower children to speak up for themselves, ensures they have their views heard in the decisions affecting their lives, and supports them to have their rights respected and to bring about positive change in their lives.  

 

It involves professional, trained experts in advocacy dealing with specific issues and working with an individual until that issue reaches conclusion. Representative advocacy should be independent and based on a human rights-based framework to ensure that the child’s voice is heard and their rights respected. Independent representative advocacy services should be provided by non‐governmental advocates who operate outside disability services, although providers may include children’s charities or disability advocacy organisations. 

 

Contact: 

 

For more information please contact: 

 

Caoimhe Suipéil, Head of Communications, Inclusion Ireland 

Email: Caoimhe@inclusionireland.ie 

Phone: 086-2265813 

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