Foster Care and Supported Lodgings for Separated Asylum Seeking Young People in Ireland: The views of young people,carers and stakeholders

Services for separated young people in Ireland developed in a reactionary manner in the late 1990s, resulting in inadequate care arrangements that were not on a par with those provided to Irish young people in the care of the state. However, in recent years the system of care for separated young people has changed fundamentally, with most of the young people now being cared for initially in residential settings and then in family placements. This shift in policy and practice represents an opportunity for Ireland to provide separated young people with care that will counteract their vulnerability, compliment their resilience, and ultimately equip them for a successful transition to adulthood.
 
This research funded by Barnardos and the Health Service Executive and written by Muireann Ní Raghallaigh suggests that this change in policy and practice has been a largely positive one and that new arrangements have meant that the needs of separated young people can now be met in a more appropriate and safe way.