Supervision Sanctions
Community Sanctions
The Childrens Act provides for a range of community sanctions. The court must be satisfied, having regard to the probation or other report and having heard evidence, including the parent, guardian or other adult present with the child, that the community sanction is the most appropriate way to deal with the matter.
The court must explain to the child why the order is being made and what it involves. If the child refuses to comply or if it is revoked, the child may be sentenced, provided this is the only suitable way of dealing with the child.
Detention may be imposed after a breach of a community order, where the court is satisfied that this is the only suitable way of dealing with the particular child.
General conditions may be imposed in the community sanction including those relating to employment, school attendance, place of residence, limiting attendance to particular places, limiting or prohibiting association with specified persons, prohibiting consumption of alcohol.
Day Centre Order
A day centre order orders the child to attend a day centre for up to 90 days. This need not be consecutive. The overall period must not exceed six months.
Probation Orders
There are a number of types of probation order. A Probation (training or activities) order requires the child to undertake and complete a programme recommended by the probation and welfare service. A probation (intensive supervision) order requires a child to be under the supervision of the probation and welfare officer and undertake a programme of training and treatment recommended.
The child must reside at a specified places for the duration of the order. It must not exceed 180 days. Where it exceeds 90 days, it is to be reviewed after 60 days. The court must be satisfied that the requisite resources are available to the probation service.
A probation (residential supervision) order requires the child to reside at the hostel provided by the probation and welfare service. It must not last more than a year. A child is to be subject to the control, direction and supervision of the person in charge. The hostel must be reasonably close to the child’s residence, school, training or employment, where possible.
The person in charge of the hostel shall in conjunction with the probation and welfare office and specify the times at which the child is required to be present. Noncompliance is a breach. The order may be varied by the Children’s Court.
Care and Supervision Orders
Care and supervision orders puts child under the control of a suitable person for up to two years. The child’s parent or guardian must consent to the making of the order. There must be a suitable person available.
The child must ordinarily reside with a suitable person who is to have control over the child as if he or she was the child’s guardian. He or she must do everything reasonable in the circumstances to promote and safeguard the child’s health, welfare and development.
The child is under the supervision of the probation and welfare officer while the order is in force. The order may be revoked if the parents or guardians withdraw their consent, the suitable person applies for revocation and the court on application of the probation and welfare officer is satisfied that it is not in the interest of the child or the suitable person or that it is no longer necessary.
Mentor (Family Support)
The mentor (family support) order involves an assignment to the child of a person who may be a relative to help and assist the child from committing further offences and to monitor behaviour. The order may be for up to two years, during which the child is to reside with his family or a guardian.
The child is under the supervision of the probation and welfare office to help and assist the child. A mentor must be available, and children’s parents or guardians must consent.
Restriction of Movement
A restriction on movement order may require the child to remain at a specified place or remain away from a specified place. The order may be for up to six months. It may require the child to be at a residence during certain hours, such as nighttime hours.
The court must ensure that the order does not conflict with the child’s religious practice. It must have regard to the age and maturity of the child, the nature of the offence, the place where it is committed and the likelihood of the child committing another offence. There should be some connection between the offence and the area from which the child is barred.
The order may be substituted by another order. Where orders are made in respect of more than two offences, they may run consecutively or concurrently.
A member of An Garda SÃochána may apply to court on the basis that the child has failed without reasonable cause to comply with the order. The court may direct the child to comply with the order, revoke the order, make another restriction or impose another community sanction.
A dual order is a combination of supervision order, a day centre attendance order or restriction of movement order. A dual order may be made where the court is of the opinion that neither supervision by a probation or welfare officer nor attendance at a day centre including any conditions to which the orders are subject would by themselves adequately reduce the likelihood of the child committing further offences.
Supervision by Probation Officer
Where a person remains under the supervision of a probate and welfare officer under the Act, whether under a Court order or otherwise, the officer shall, subject to the directions of the Court, where appropriate, and in addition to the terms attached to a particular placement:
- visit, assist, advise and befriend the child where feasible, the child’s parents or guardian or other adult in whose residence the child may be residing,
- see that the child observes the terms and conditions attaching to the supervision,
- when necessary and appropriate, endeavour to find the child suitable employment and accommodation.
Where a child is under the supervision of a probation officer or juvenile liaison officer, it shall not be lawful for the child’s parents or guardian to exercise, their rights or powers as parents in such a manner as to interfere with such supervision.
Where a person remains under the supervision of a probation and welfare officer under the Act, whether under a Court order or otherwise, the officer shall, subject to the directions of the Court, where appropriate, and in addition to the terms attached to a particular placement:
- visit, assist, advise and befriend the child where feasible, the child’s parents or guardian or other adult in whose residence the child may be residing,
- see that the child observes the terms and conditions attaching to the supervision,
- when necessary and appropriate, endeavour to find the child suitable employment and accommodation.
Where a child is under the supervision of a probation officer or juvenile liaison officer, it shall not be lawful for the child’s parents or guardian to exercise, their rights or powers as parents in such a manner as to interfere with such supervision.
Specified Residence
Where, under the Children’s Act, a child is required to remain in a specified residence for specified periods, any member of An Garda SÃochána may call to the residence, for any reasonable time within a period during which the child is required to remain there, for the purpose of establishing the child’s presence at the residence. The member may request any adult at the residence to produce the child to the member, and failure to do so, gives rise to an inference that he is not so present.
In proceedings against the child for failure to comply with the term or condition of a Court order that requires the child to remain at a specified residence,  failure to produce the child is evidence of non-compliance. Such a failure to produce a child may render the child, if detained in a children’s detention school, ineligible for temporary leave from the school in accordance with the rules of that school.
Detention
A child may be detained temporarily, but in no case for more than 24 hours,
- in a Garda SÃochána station or any other place, designated by the Minister, with the agreement of its owners:
- while in transit to a Court from a remand centre, or children’s detention centre,
- while a case in which the child is involved is at hearing,
- while awaiting removal to a remand centre, or detention school.
An appeal lies to the Circuit Court from an order of the Children’s Court or District Court committing a child to a children detention school.