Education
University of Limerick awarded funding to evaluate Children’s Court Advocate pilot scheme
UL Research Hub awarded funding to evaluate Children’s Court Advocate pilot scheme. Pictured: Dr Laura Keyes and Andy Bray
UL research hub awarded funding to lead on the evaluation of Children’s Court Advocate (CCA) Pilot Service through the Centre for Implementation Research at School of Law at UL
University of Limerick research hub has been chosen to lead on the evaluation of a new service designed to improve how the voice of the child is heard and considered in private family-law proceedings.
The Centre for Implementation Research (CIRcUL) – hosted within the School of Law at UL – has been awarded funding to conduct the independent evaluation of the Children’s Court Advocate (CCA) Pilot Service, due to be launched in the coming weeks in Clonmel and Waterford.
Delivered by Childhood Matters, a non-profit child and family support service, the Children’s Court Advocate Pilot is an innovative initiative designed to strengthen the voices of children and young people in private family law proceedings. The service specifically aims to ensure that children and young people are better informed about family court processes and are also supported to express their views in ways that are appropriate to their age, development and individual circumstances.
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The evaluation has been commissioned by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and will examine how the pilot is being implemented; the experiences of children, families and professionals; and the factors that support successful implementation within the family justice system.
Dr Laura Keyes, Director of the Centre for Implementation Research (CIRcUL), will lead on the evaluation, supported by a multidisciplinary team of researchers and implementation scientists from UL, including Andy Bray (CIRcUL) and Professor Susan Leahy (School of Law).
Dr Keyes commented: “Children and young people have a right to be heard in decisions that affect their lives. This evaluation provides an important opportunity to understand how the Children’s Court Advocate model can support children’s meaningful participation within family law proceedings and to generate evidence that can inform future policy and practice… The findings will help identify what works, for whom, in what circumstances and why, providing valuable learning for the future development of child-centred approaches within the family justice system.”
Professor Lucy-Ann Buckley, Head of the School of Law at UL, said, “I am delighted that the School of Law is able to contribute its huge expertise in family law to this important project. Family law proceedings can be challenging for all concerned, and it is essential to ensure that children receive the right supports to participate effectively and have their voices heard.”
The evaluation will be undertaken in collaboration with key stakeholders involved in the pilot, including the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration; Childhood Matters; the Courts Service; members of the judiciary; legal professionals, and participating children and families. The pilot work will be undertaken in Co. Tipperary and Co. Waterford.
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