Welfare Conference

Family Welfare Conference

A Children and Family Welfare conference may be held on the direction of the Children’s Court or at the initiative of the Health Authority (HSE). The Health Authority (HSE) appoints a person as coordinator to convene the family welfare conference and he or she acts as chairman.

The purpose of a family welfare conference is to decide whether a child is in need of special care or protection that he or she is unlikely to receive otherwise. If it so decides, it recommends to the Health Authority (HSE) that it apply for an order under the Child Care Act. If it doesn’t decide to make recommendations to the health authority in relation to the care and protection of the child, it proceeds as the conference considers appropriate.

Recommendations

The recommendations of a family welfare conference are to be made unanimously by the participants. This is not necessary if the coordinator regards the disagreement as unreasonable, in which event the coordinator may dispense with the dissenting person’s agreement.

If the recommendations are not agreed upon unanimously, this is notified to the health authorities.

Proceedings

Parents and guardians are entitled to attend the family welfare conference. The child is entitled to attend. Health service employees and certain other persons such as relatives or others who may make a positive contribution may attend.

The coordinator may exclude a person if they believe it is not in the best interests of the child. The various participants are to be given notice of the meeting. Their non-attendance does not invalidate the meeting.

The welfare conference makes its own procedures. The coordinator ensures that the relevant information is to hand in so far as practicable.

Notice of Recommendations

After the completion of a conference, a notice of the recommendations is given to:

• the child concerned,
• parents or guardians,
• others who attended,
• health authorities,
• such other appropriate parties.

On foot of recommendation, the health authorities may apply for a childcare order or supervision order or may provide services or assistance to the child or family as it considers appropriate. Where the conference has been convened by Court, the outcome is reported to the Court.

Matters discussed at the conference are not admissible as evidence in a subsequent Court hearing. This is not the case in respect of the actual decisions and recommendations.