Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 May 2026
843. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration further to Parliamentary Question No. 424 of 7 October 2025, if he will report on the work of the Voice of the Child working group; the timeframe in which he expects Voice of the Child guidelines will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34871/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn October 2024, my Department established a Voice of the Child Working Group with membership comprising both statutory and voluntary stakeholders in the family justice system. The group was set up in line with the commitment in Goal One of the Family Justice Strategy, that of “supporting children”. The group is taking forward some of the recommendations in the Review of Expert Reports, including the development of a Voice of the Child report template and guidelines and the development of the Children’s Court Advocate Pilot Project.
As part of its work, the Voice of the Child Working Group commissioned a consultation with children and young people to inform the development of the pilot and the report template and guidelines. The aim of the Voice of the Child Report Template and Guidelines is to ensure consistency of approach by experts in supporting children to have their voices heard. The Working Group has made significant progress on drafting the template and guidelines, which are now at design stage and expected to be published in the coming months.
The Children’s Court Advocate Pilot Project will be established in two locations, Waterford and Clonmel in the coming months. The pilot will test a new way of hearing the voice of children in private family law cases and will provide regulation of assessors and consistency of practice. It will be a free service for children and their families. Running alongside the Pilot Project will be a comprehensive evaluation to assess its effectiveness in improving how the voice of the child is heard and considered in private family law proceedings.
