2013

Follow us on Twitter: @ChildRightsIRL
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/childrensrightsalliance
Watch us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/cradub
The Children’s Rights Alliance unites over
100 members working together to make
Ireland one of the best places in the world to be a child.
We change the lives of all children in
Ireland by making sure that their rights are respected and protected in our laws, policies and services.
We identify problems for children.
We develop solutions. We educate and provide information on children’s rights.
We unite our members and put pressure on Government to put children fi rst.
Children’s Rights Alliance
31 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2
Tel 01 662 9400
Email info@childrensrights.ie
www.childrensrights.ie
©2014 Children’s Rights Alliance – Republic of Ireland Limited
The Children’s Rights Alliance is a registered charity – CHY No. 11541
ISSN 2009-2458

Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
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A
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Alcohol Action Ireland
Alliance Against Cutbacks in Education
Amnesty International Ireland
Ana Liff ey Drug Project
Arc Adoption
The Ark, A Cultural Centre for Children
Assoc. for Criminal Justice Research and Development (ACJRD)
Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI)
ATD Fourth World – Ireland Ltd
Atheist Ireland
Barnardos
Barretstown Camp
BeLonG To Youth Services
Bessborough Centre
Border Counties Childhood Network
CARI Foundation
Carr’s Child and Family Services
Catholic Guides of Ireland
Catholic Youth Care
Childhood Development Initiative
Children in Hospital Ireland
City of Dublin YMCA
COPE Galway
Cork Life Centre
Crosscare
DIT – School of Social Sciences & Legal Studies
Down Syndrome Ireland
Dublin Rape Crisis Centre
Dun Laoghaire Refugee Project
Early Childhood Ireland
Educate Together
School of Education UCD
EPIC
Focus Ireland
Forbairt Naíonraí Teoranta
Foróige
GLEN - Gay and Lesbian Equality Network
Headstrong - The National Centre for Youth Mental Health
Healthy Food for All
Immigrant Council of Ireland
Inclusion Ireland
Inspire Ireland
Institute of Community Health Nursing
Institute of Guidance Counsellors
Integration Centre
International Adoption Association
Irish Association of Social Care Workers (IASCW)
Irish Association of Social Workers
Irish Association of Suicidology
Irish Autism Action
Irish Centre for Human Rights, NUI Galway
Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU)
Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL)
Irish Foster Care Association
Irish Girl Guides
Irish Heart Foundation
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Y
Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO)
Irish Penal Reform Trust
Irish Premature Babies
Irish Primary Principals Network
Irish Refugee Council
Irish Second Level Students’ Union (ISSU)
Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
Irish Traveller Movement
Irish Youth Foundation (IYF)
Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation
Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice
Junglebox Childcare Centre F.D.Y.S.
Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership
Law Centre for Children and Young People
Marriage Equality – Civil Marriage for Gay and Lesbian People
Mary Immaculate College
Mental Health Reform
Mounttown Neighbourhood Youth and Family Project
MyMind
National Organisation for the Treatment of Abusers (NOTA)
National Parents Council Post Primary
National Parents Council Primary
National Youth Council of Ireland
One Family
One in Four
OPEN
Parentline
Parentstop
Pavee Point
Peter McVerry Trust
Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI)
Realt Beag
SAFE Ireland
Saoirse Housing Association
SAOL Beag Children’s Centre
Scouting Ireland
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Sonas Housing Association
Special Needs Parents Association
SpunOut.ie
St. Nicholas Montessori College
St. Nicholas Montessori Society
St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services
Start Strong
Step by Step Child & Family Project
Sugradh
The UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, NUI Galway
The Guardian Children’s Project
Treoir
UNICEF Ireland
Unmarried and Separated Families of Ireland youngballymun
Youth Advocate Programme Ireland (YAP)
Youth Work Ireland

Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
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Aaron Robinson
Áine Lynch
Anna Carnegie
Anna Visser
Anne O’Donnell
Annemarie O’Sullivan
Ashley Balbirnie
Barry Fitzgerald, BL
Bart Storan
Beth McDonald
Billy Hawkes
Boardmatch
Bonhams
Brian Barrington BL
Brian Fitzgerald
Camille Loftus
Carmel Corrigan
Caroline O’Sullivan
Carys Thomas
Catherine Cosgrave
Catherine Ghent
Celine Dee
Chloe Kavanagh
Christivan Maritz
Chuck Feeney
Clara Barry
Colin O’Byrne
Communicating Europe Initiative
Conor Gunn
Conor Harrison
Courtney McCabe
Daina Urbonaitienė
Danny McCoy
David Joyce
Declan Ryan
Deirdre M Burke
Deirdre Mortell
Department of Children and Youth Aff airs
Department of Environment, Community and Local Government
DHR Communications
Donall Geoghegan
Dr Conor O’Mahony
Dr Deirdre Madden
Dr Fergus Ryan
Dr Liam Thornton
Dr. Geoff rey Shannon
Eilis Barry BL
Elizabeth MacBride
Ella McSweeney
Emily Logan
Emma Jayne Geraghty
Emma Lane Spollen
European Commission in Ireland
European Union House
Fergus Finlay
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Fidelma Joyce
Fielding Flynn Associates
Fielding Flynn Associates
Gareth Noble
George Rice
Gordon Jeyes
Hilkka Becker
Hugh Frazer
Idowu Salami
Irish Youth Foundation
Ita Mangan
J Patrick Clarke
Jackie O’Callaghan
Jane Foreman
Jason Ward
Jennifer Akandu
Jennifer Carroll
Jennifer Gargan
Jenny Robinson
Jessica Trimble
Jim Breslin
Joanna McMinn
John McKay, Ganley Walters
Judge Catherine McGuinness
Judy Walsh
Julie Hildebrand
Julien Van Geertsom
Juvan Maritz
Kara McGann
Karen Kiernan
Kärt Mere
Katherine Howard Foundation
Kathleen McDonnell
Kevin Baneham BL
Kirsty Nolan
Laura Scanlon
Lauren Moran
Lieve Fransen
Lisa Colfer
Mairead Somerville
Malcolm Thwala
Manus de Barra
Margaret Burns
Margot Doherty
Marta Arias
Mary Cunningham
Mary O’Connor
Maurice Kavanagh
Megan O’Byrne
Melika Khandanian
Michael Kiernan
Michael McLoughlin
Michael McLoughlin
Michelle Martin
Minister Frances Fitzgerald, TD
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Muriel Walls
Natalie McDonnell BL
Nathan Quirke
Niall Dawson
Niall McLoughlin
Niamh Gallagher
Niamh Gallagher
Nikita White
Noeline Blackwell
Noelle Spring
Noreen Flynn
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Orla Reilly
Paul Anthony Ward
Paul Gilligan
Paula Williams
Paula Williams
Pol O Murchu
Professor Aine Hyland
Professor Colin Harmon
Professor Pat Dolan
Professor Sheila Greene
Public Interest Law Alliance
Reads Print & Design
Riann Coulter
Robin Grace
Robyn Coleman
Robyn Gilmour
Roisin Webb, BL
Rose Forrest
Rowena Malee
Sally Anne Kinahan
Sandra Irwin-Gowran
Sarah Jane Judge BL
Sarah Kearney
Sean O’Neill
Senator Jillian van Turnhout
Shannon O’Connor Solicitors
Sian Jones
Siobhan Phelan BL
St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services
Susan Carey
Teresa Blake, BL
The Atlantic Philanthropies
The Community Foundation for
Ireland
The National Lottery
Tina Roche
Toby Wolfe
Tom Maher
Tom Simington
Trina Dzidonu
Úna Ni Raifeartaigh
Veronica Yates
Vicky Brown

Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
01
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
02
Aim 1: Shared Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . .
03
Bring About a Shared Vision that will Realise and Defend Children’s Rights
Aim 2: Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . .
07
Monitor and Identify Gaps in the Protection of Children’s Rights and
Improve the Eff ective Implementation of Law and Government Policies
Aim 3: Securing Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . 11
Secure Legislative and Policy Changes to Give Meaningful Eff ect to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
Aim 4: Internal Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . .
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Ensure the Alliance has the Internal Capacity to Fulfi l its Strategic Aims

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Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
While much has been achieved in Ireland over the last fi ve years towards realising the
Children’s Rights Alliance’s vision of making
Ireland one of the best places in the world to be a child, it is important that we do not become complacent.
In 2013, we saw important developments made by the Department of Children and
Youth Aff airs, including the advancement of the Child and Family Agency and the passing of key pieces of legislation. The
Alliance’s work is refl ected in all of these important developments having provided advocacy, advice and consultation, and having ensured children’s rights remain the key principle underlying the most radical reform of children’s services ever seen within the State.
Convention on the Rights of the Child becomes embedded into Irish society.
The eff ectiveness of the Children’s Rights
Alliance is directly proportional to the engagement and involvement of its membership. In 2013, we introduced a new membership structure and a membership promotional drive, which to date has yielded very positive results. We will continue to build on this work in the coming years and hope that the enhanced membership structure will help put the
Alliance’s future on a secure footing.
I am very proud of the Alliance’s work and of its achievements to date and during
2013. Perhaps its greatest achievement has been its ability to unite the voices of those who campaign for, work with and care for children to ensure they become eff ective change agents for children’s rights.
However, much still needs to be achieved.
The constitutional amendment passed by the citizens of Ireland in 2012 is not yet part of our law. A great deal of cultural change supported by legislation and policy change is still needed to ensure the UN
I wish to fi nish by thanking the Chief
Executive, Tanya Ward, and her committed and skilled team of staff for their hard work and commitment. Many thanks also to Maria Corbett who was Acting Chief
Executive for part of 2013. I wish to thank our member organisations and particularly our volunteer Board for their ongoing work: Áine Lynch, Carmel Corrigan,
Caroline O’Sullivan, Fergus Finlay, J Patrick
Clarke, Jackie O’Callaghan, Michael
McLoughlin and Noreen Flynn. I wish to pay special tribute to Michael McLoughlin who retires from the Board this year for his dedication and tireless work as Treasurer, and to Caroline O’Sullivan for her many years of contribution and support.
Paul Gilligan
Chairperson

Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
There were many successes in 2013. As always, we are immensely proud of our
Annual Report Card, our annual fl agship publication that tracks Government progress on children’s rights issues. This year, the
Government received an overall C grade. It is a mixed bag when the individual grades are closely examined. At the top end, the highlight was an A grade, which was awarded for strengthening children’s constitutional rights.
The other end of the spectrum was a tragic F grade, received for a dismal lack of action on child poverty.
The highpoint of the year for me was working together with our members and friends to secure changes to the Child and Family
Agency Bill. This work was really important because it forms the foundation of child protection and family support services for generations to come. Ireland has failed for too long in this area. The Agency must mark the dawn of a new era where children’s rights are protected and respected.
Another highlight was the launch of a
YouTube fi lm ‘Do Children’s Rights Matter?’
This fi lm marks the 21st anniversary of Ireland signing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. 22 young advocates designed, wrote and starred in the feature. The fi lm is brilliant and provides us with a new and creative tool to win hearts and minds on children’s rights.
The launch and dissemination of our guide on children’s rights in the European Union was an enormous achievement for the organisation. This has been praised as a very user-friendly document and we are inundated with requests for copies! The upshot is that a wide range of stakeholders, including young people, have the tool to navigate the diff erent opportunities that the
European Union provides.
We put a lot of focus on our development work to allow us to grow our sustainability over the years ahead. We have a while to go yet but so far we have yielded some excellent results as new avenues for funding are being explored.
I want to thank the Children’s Rights
Alliance team for their great passion and dedication during 2013. Thanks especially to Maria Corbett for covering my maternity leave and acting as Chief
Executive for part of the year – and for performing exceptionally well. We bade a fond farewell to our Communications and
Public Aff airs Director, Carys Thomas, and who was the brains behind our successful referendum campaign. We thank her for the enthusiasm and expertise she brought us over the years.
Finally, we are growing the Alliance membership! The Children’s Rights Alliance will always stand up for children but we can’t do it alone. Become a member and join the national movement for children.
Tanya Ward
Chief Executive

AIM 1 Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
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Key publications under
Aim 1 in 2013:
• A Guide to Children’s EU Rights in Ireland
• Summary of the Articles of the United
Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
• Frequently Asked Questions about the
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
• Summary of Children’s Rights Alliance
Referendum Campaign Activities
Film Project: Do Children’s
Rights Matter?
This project allowed us to foster a deeper appreciation of children’s rights to new audiences. Young advocates designed a fi lm on children’s rights to educate themselves and inform others.
The fi lm received approximately
2,500 hits on YouTube at the time of its launch.
focuses on three core themes, chosen by the young people: bullying, poverty and access to recreation spaces. The fi lm was a new venture for us as we sought to win hearts and minds on children’s rights through a new form of communication.
Watch the fi lm on YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/cradub
The Children’s Rights Alliance produced and launched a pioneering new fi lm to mark the 21st anniversary of Ireland signing the UN Convention on the Rights of the
Child. This was a key project promoting public awareness of children’s rights.
The young people, all 22 of them, were nominated from Alliance member organisations and friends. Aged between
15 and 18 years and from all over Ireland, six workshops were run to select issues most aff ecting their generation today.
The group dived deeply into the fi lmmaking process and designed, wrote and starred in the fi nal feature.
The eight minute YouTube fi lm ‘Do
Children’s Rights Matter?’ was made by young advocates between March and
June under the creative-eye of mentor director Paula Williams, a well-known RTE producer. Premiered in November 2013 in the elegant surroundings of Dublin Castle by RTE presenter, Ella McSweeney, the fi lm
This innovative project shows that young people have really signifi cant things to say if you listen to them. For this group of 22, they learnt a lot about the entire fi lm-making process – everything from directing to making cups of tea on set!
A “making of” fi lm was also launched.
The fi lm is a valuable tool for other young people to learn about rights, directly from their peers.
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Above: Taking a well earned break from fi lming.

Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
We are very grateful to one of the fi lm’s funders, St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services for the use of use their fantastic campus for fi lming, where we were blessed with sunny blue skies allowing our creativity run riot.
The premiere received extensive coverage in The Irish Examiner, The Irish Times and
The Journal . Both The Irish Times and The
Journal included links to the fi lm on their websites. However, the media highlight was when four of the group were invited onto RTÉ’s Late Debate . We provided the young people with media training via DHR
Communications and a lively discussion about young people’s lives took place along with panelists including John Lyons,
TD and Norah Gibbons, Chair of the Child and Family Agency.
Thank you to our advisory group, made up of Alliance members, the Department of Children and Youth Aff airs, and the Irish
Human Rights Commission who gave valuable oversight to the creative process.
Senator Jillian van Turnhout hosted the group and their parents in
Leinster House in November 2013.
They had a tour and dinner in the
Members’ Restaurant and were visited by Jerry Buttimer, TD and
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, TD.
Feedback from the young people about the fi lm
“Youth representation is the most eff ective way for young people to be heard.”
Clara Barry
“Too often teenagers are accused of doing nothing or just causing trouble but if we had somewhere to go… young people wouldn’t be off getting up to no good.”
Aaron Robinson
“You need to listen to us, we know our rights.”
Jenny Robinson
Above: Busy fi lming “Do Children’s
Rights Matter?”
Above: Young Advocates with Audrey
Carville on RTE’s Late Debate.
Right: Ella McSweeney launches “Do
Children’s Rights Matter” in Dublin Castle.
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AIM 1 Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
Left: Billy Hawkes, Data Protection Commissioner at the launch of A Guide to Children’s EU Rights in Ireland.
Right: Geoff rey Shannon, Special Rapporteur on Child
Protection, Hilkka Becker, Senior Solicitor, Immigrant
Council of Ireland, Natalie McDonnell, Barrister and
Tanya Ward, Chief Executive, Children’s Rights Alliance launch A Guide to Children’s EU Rights in Ireland.
Understanding Children’s Rights
By providing bespoke, accessible training, we educate and mobilise people to bring children’s rights to the centre of their work.
A Guide to Children’s European
Union (EU) Rights in Ireland
A guide on EU children’s rights is fi nally available in an accessible format. Stakeholders are being educated like never before.
We continued to provide a number of training sessions on children’s rights to members, universities and stakeholders.
Every training module we design is accessible, bespoke and individually devised for each group’s needs.
A human rights training model was piloted with the Donegal Travellers’ Movement on children’s rights in November. Members of the Legal and Policy Team provided a full day’s training to 14 members of the organisation who work directly with
Traveller young people and families. The training focused on rights and entitlements for children and available remedies.
Feedback received was very positive showing that the group felt mobilised to bring a children’s rights ethos directly into their work.
A user-friendly, information tool on children’s rights in the European Union was something that has been missing on Ireland’s policy bookshelf. Thanks to funding from the Department of the
Taoiseach’s Communicating Europe
Initiative Scheme and the European
Commission in Ireland, we developed a
A Guide to Children’s EU Rights in Ireland .
The Guide raises awareness about these important rights and the legal solutions available, including how a child can assert their rights or help to infl uence EU policy.
The EU Charter for Fundamental Rights, substantive rights in EU law, remedies and EU policy on children’s rights are all covered.
Too often EU rights are deemed to be dull or inaccessible but this Guide brings these issues straight into the living rooms of Ireland. We were overwhelmed by the level of positive feedback from members, friends and stakeholders regarding the Guide’s usefulness. Stakeholders are learning about rights in a new and accessible way. Citizen’s information centres, youth information centres,
Oireachtas members, universities and a number of senior civil servants have sought copies. We have so far distributed approximately 2,000 copies and over
1,000 have been downloaded from our website.
Internationally, there has been interest too from both MEPs and Eurochild members.
This suggests that this model could be replicated across the EU (as has happened with our Report Card series).
We launched the Guide at a national seminar on 13 December. Speakers included Eilis Barry BL, Hilkka Becker
(Immigrant Council of Ireland), Billy
Hawkes (Data Protection Commissioner),
Natalie McDonnell BL and Dr. Geoff rey
Shannon (Special Rapporteur on Child
Protection). There was considerable media coverage in all the broadsheets, including two opinion pieces based on speakers’ contributions in The Irish Independent and
The Irish Examiner .
“ This jargon-free guide is an outstanding booklet that anyone could read and fi nd out how EU law aff ects them.”
Dr. Geoff rey Shannon Special Rapporteur on Child Protection
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Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
Paula Leonard Donegal Travellers’ Movement
Paula participated in our training on children’s rights in November 2013
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AIM 2 Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
2
Key publications under
Aim 2 in 2013:
• Report Card 2013
• Briefi ng Note on the Child and
Family Agency
• Submissions on the Children and
Family Agency Bill 2013
• Child Participation Country Fiche for
European Commission Study
• UNCRC State Report Initial Feedback,
8 Feb 2013
• Submission on the NGO Consultation for inclusion in the UNCRC State Report,
12 Feb 2013
Report Card 2013
The value of the Report Card lies in its ability to drive delivery of legal and policy commitments that change children’s lives for the better.
Our annual fl agship publication, Report
Card , is our unique tool for tracking
Government progress on key children’s rights issues. Valued by government, the
Oireachtas and the media, the Report
Card scrutinises how the Government is delivering on its own promises to children made in the Programme for Government.
Consistent tracking and pressure through the Report Card has delivered real change for children. For example, the Report Card has contributed to and was instrumental in ending the detention of children in adult prisons.
In Report Card 2013 we awarded the
Government an overall C grade for their progress. This mediocre grade was down from a C+ the previous year and it certainly could have been a lot better. As always, the devil is in the detail – there was little or no progress in eight of the 19 areas examined, whereas progress was made in only fi ve areas and remained static in three.
Specifi cally, we looked at the child’s right to education, to health, to an adequate standard of living, to protection from abuse and neglect, to equality and nondiscrimination and children’s constitutional rights. It was a mixed bag with the highest individual grade being an ‘A’ and the lowest, an ‘F’.
Highest and Lowest Grades 2013
Children’s Rights Referendum
Child Literacy
Patronage & Pluralism in
Primary Education
Children in Detention
Traveller Children
A
B+
B+
B+
E
Migrant Children
Child Poverty
E
F
We would not be able to produce such a high-quality document without the vital input of our members who keep us informed of key issues and support the development of the report. Members also provided us with direct quotes, which we used to refl ect their experiences on the ground. The expertise of our External
Assessment Panel, chaired by Judge
Catherine McGuinness, adds invaluable credibility to the report.
Five years since its fi rst launch, Report Card is now a much-anticipated and respected annual publication, with a fi rm place on the political map. Once again this year, we secured extensive, blanket media coverage across broadcast and print media, as well as online and social media. Report Card is quite simply the most comprehensive analysis of legal and policy delivery for children and its infl uence brings changes to their lives.
“ The new Child and Family Agency is an essential piece of the jigsaw that we hope will revolutionise the way the State works with children.”
Ashley Balbirnie CEO, ISPCC

Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
“ The education system as a whole is under severe pressure, with many schools reporting escalating instances of family poverty, lack of resources and social stress on children in schools.”
Paul Rowe Chief Executive, Educate Together
Above: Tanya Ward, Chief Executive, Children’s Rights Alliance with Billy and Scarlett outside Leinster House.
Top of the class is the Department of Children and Youth Aff airs, under the direction of Minister
Frances Fitzgerald, gained an A grade for strengthening children’s constitutional rights and an overall B- grade for steps to better protect children from abuse and neglect. An additional win is a B+ grade for the promised closure of
St Patrick’s Institution – up from an F grade last year. Sharing the top spot is Minister Ruairí
Quinn and the Department of Education and
Skills, receiving an overall B- grade for solid progress, particularly in literacy, patronage and school buildings.
At the bottom of the class was the Department of Social Protection, receiving an F grade – a FAIL – for child poverty. Harsh measures in
Budget 2013 hit the poorest families hardest and this grade refl ects its devastating impact on children. The Department of Health is failing to perform, with an overall D grade for its work in Health. There is an under-spend in Mental
Health, inaction on alcohol misuse and delays in Primary Care and the Children’s Hospital.
Overall, Government has failed to support migrant or Traveller children or to address family inequalities, resulting in an overall E+ grade.
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AIM 2 Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
Our consultation with members strengthened the State’s report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
The Irish Government submitted Ireland’s
Report to the UN Committee on the
Rights of the Child. The Government was required to submit this report as part of its obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. In January, we coordinated the only civil society consultation on the next State Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
This is the Government’s consolidated
Third and Fourth Report and has been eagerly awaited for a number of years.
Engagement by member organisations was fi rst-rate with over 30 members participating in a special event in the
Department of Children and Youth Aff airs.
Feedback from our members signifi cantly infl uenced and strengthened the fi nal State
Report submitted to the UN Committee in September and our summary of the feedback is included in the State Report.
UN Convention Optional
Protocols
Thanks to our campaign, the
Government has committed to ratifying both Optional Protocols to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This will better protect and empower vulnerable children.
Ireland’s Examination before the
UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
The Irish Government will be examined on its children’s rights record by the UN
Committee on the Rights of the Child.
This is a two-stage process with the
Pre-Sessional Working Group meeting likely to take place in 2015 and the fi nal examination in 2016.
This campaign continued in 2013 – urging the Government to ratify the second and third Optional Protocols to the UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The second Optional Protocol relates to the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and the third allows children and their advocates to make complaints to the UN Committee on the
Rights of the Child. We see no reason why the Government has not ratifi ed these and because of this failure we lag embarrassingly behind our European and international partners.
Ireland’s next appearance before the UN
Committee on the Rights of the Child is a pivotal moment. Each examination has resulted in major changes for children including: the establishment of the
Ombudsman for Children, the adoption of a National Children’s Strategy and the holding of a referendum on children’s rights. The Children’s Rights Alliance will play a special role in the examination process. We plan to:
We held a seminar about the Optional
Protocols after our Annual General
Meeting in May. Veronica Yates of Child
Rights International Network (CRIN) made a thought-provoking contribution as guest speaker. She outlined the potential practical implications of the Optional
Protocols to members’ work in real terms and there was signifi cant media interest.
We are proud that the Government has now committed to ratify both Optional
Protocols, thanks in no small part to our important campaign. This will better protect and empower vulnerable children.
• Deliver training on children’s rights
• Organise a national consultation to feed information into the development of a major Shadow Report
• Produce a signifi cant Shadow Report for the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
• Produce a child and youth-led shadow report for the UN Committee
• Co-ordinate an international advocacy campaign and arrange for a national delegation to appear before the
UN Committee
• Co-ordinate and organise a high-profi le media campaign
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Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
The Voice of the Child in the Child and Family Agency Act
Children have a right to be consulted and participate in decisions aff ecting them, and the Child and Family Agency
Act now contains innovative provisions around consulting children in planning. The Bill also includes a requirement to consult children in welfare, childcare and adoption matters.
services for vulnerable children.
Reform of Children’s Services:
Child and Family Agency
Our advocacy work has ensured that the new Child and Family
Agency has children’s rights at its heart. This will better protect and respect children. Our recommended amendments were included in the legislation that established the Agency.
2013 presented us with a once-in-alifetime chance to shape the development of the Child and Family Agency. We spent much of the year focusing our energies on this important task. We pushed to ensure that the Agency’s structures, design and service delivery model are legally accountable, transparent, promote the principles of equality, the best interests of children and the participation of children in decisions aff ecting them. in October and secured one-to-one meetings with the Minister and her Department.
We achieved critical changes to strengthen the Bill through sustained advocacy and by working in partnership with key decisionmakers. Several of our recommended amendments were directly put forward by the Minister. These included a greater focus on family support and educational welfare, and an amendment to ensure broader consultation with children and individuals. There were also technical amendments on governance and an important point read into the debate on maintaining the independence of the community and voluntary sector.
We infl uenced amendments put to the
Bill by Robert Troy TD (Fianna Fáil) and
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD (Sinn Féin). legislation so we are very proud of the fact that the Minister took up so many of our changes. This represents one of our major achievements for 2013.
We organised and supported a large coalition of 28 interested member organisations to inform and steer our work on the Child and Family Agency Bill, the legislation to establish the Agency. We helped secure an information briefi ng with the Minister for Children and Youth
Aff airs for the group and we coordinated a submission outlining the need for children’s rights to be put at the heart of this legislation. We busied ourselves with media work, held an Oireachtas briefi ng
Child protection and family support in
Ireland has failed for too long and we hope the new agency marks the dawn of a new era where children’s rights are protected and respected.
Child and Family Agency Symposium
The Children’s Rights Alliance spearheaded the organisation of a highly successful symposium in February on ‘Embedding a Children’s Rights
Approach into the new Child and Family
Support Agency’, along with the UNESCO
Child and Family Centre at NUI Galway and the Prevention and Early Intervention Network.
High-level speakers included Minister for
Children and Youth Aff airs, Frances Fitzgerald,
Gordon Jeyes, then CEO Designate Child and
Family Agency, and Dr Geoff rey Shannon,
Special Rapporteur on Child Protection.
The event was massively oversubscribed with over 350 people seeking to attend and over
300 tuning into the live stream. There was signifi cant media interest and a lively panel discussion on the Today with Pat Kenny
Show . The symposium shed light on the development of the new agency and the role it had to play for children.
Left: Minister for Children & Youth Aff airs, Frances
Fitzgerald, Gordon Jeyes, CEO Child & Family Agency and Norah Gibbons, Chair Child & Family Agency.
Right: Child and Family Agency Bill being discussed in the Oireachtas.

11
AIM 3 Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
3
Key publications under
Aim 3 in 2013:
• Analysis of Budget 2014 and its Impact on Children
• Pre-Budget Submission to the
Department of Social Protection
• Submission to the Minister for Justice and Equality on the Courts Bill
(Misc Provisions) 2013
• Information Note on Jurisprudence from the European Court of Human
Rights relating to Children
Above: Edel Quinn presents to the Joint Committee on
Education & Social Protection.
Budget 2014
Together with our members we discouraged the Government from attacking children in Budget 2014.
Our analysis informed our members and stakeholders to understand how the Budget impacts on children.
On the negative side, there were cuts.
One cut targeted maternity benefi t which will reduce the amount of time new mothers can care for their babies.
We criticised the total unacceptability of medical cards being withdrawn from children with high-level health needs.
Extensive media coverage was garnered including a front page article in The Irish
Times and on Morning Ireland as well as many other mainstream publications.
The Budget outlines the Government’s proposed revenues and spending for the fi nancial year. Each year the Children’s
Rights Alliance dives into the detail of the
Budget by producing a budgetary analysis for our members and stakeholders to better explain how national resources are spent on children. Families on low incomes suff ered from cuts imposed in
2012, and along with our members, we engaged in high profi le media work and public awareness. This work, together with our pre-budgetary work in 2013, discouraged the Government from making further attacks on children.
Within a week of the Budget being issued, the Children’s Rights Alliance issued its hotly anticipated in-depth post-budget analysis providing a detailed overview of the budgetary spend on children. This analysis highlighted the positives and negatives, informing our members and stakeholders to better understand the actual impact on children.
On Budget Day (15 October 2013), the
Children’s Rights Alliance welcomed the fact that child income supplements had escaped attack. This was a major achievement for children particular given that the Troika was still in town and we were in the midst of a recession. The
Budget also included the introduction of free GP care for under fi ves and allocations for child protection reforms and early childhood supports.

Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
Tanya Ward Chief Executive, Children’s Rights Alliance
Positives
• Introduction of free GP care for children under the age of six
• Maintenance of Child Benefi t at current levels
• €5 million for a national book rental scheme
• €9 million for the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy
• €4.5 million for the Pre-School
Quality Agenda
Negatives
• 12% reduction in maternity benefi t
• Failure to restore the Back to School
Clothing and Footwear Allowance to
2012 levels
• Increase in the prescription charge to
€2.50 per medicine
• Introduction of a new Single Person
Child Carer Tax Credit which will impact on families with shared parenting arrangements where the
12

AIM 3 Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
Above: Minister for Children and Youth Aff airs, Frances Fitzgerald, TD turns the sod at Oberstown.
Photo: Department of Children and Youth Aff airs.
Our Role as a Social Partner
As a dedicated Social Partner, we bring children’s issues to this unique form of engagement with
Government.
The Children’s Rights Alliance is a nominated Social Partner on the
Community and Voluntary Pillar. This allows us to give a children’s rights perspective to engagement with
Government Departments on a range of issues, most notably budgetary issues.
We attended a number of bi-laterals throughout the year with the Department of Education and Skills; the Department of Social Protection; the Department of the Environment, Community and Local
Government; the Department of Social
Protection; and the Department of Public
Expenditure and Reform.
The Pillar had a direct pre-budget meeting with Ministers Noonan and
Howlin from Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in September. We also met
Expenditure and Reform. We attended the post-budget forum on Budget Day in
November. These meetings allowed us to raise important issues arising under
Report Card 2013, ensuring that our calls for action are heard at the highest levels of Government and across a range of departments.
National Policy Framework for
Children and Young People
During 2013, the Alliance worked through the National Children’s Advisory Council
(NCAC) to infl uence the development of the Government’s Better Outcomes
Brighter Futures: the National Policy
Framework for Children and Young People
2014-2020. The Alliance continued to co-ordinate the non-governmental representatives on the Council and to keep them informed of work as it progressed. In addition, we co-ordinated and compiled input from members organisations on issues aff ecting marginalised groups to ensure their views were heard and engaged in intensive in a small Council subgroup, which we co-ordinated and hosted. The Alliance also made a written submission in November 2013.
During late 2013 Maria Corbett engaged extensively with the Framework’s author to shape the content and structure of the document. This unique method of working enabled the Alliance to share its expertise with the author, it provided us with an opportunity to explore how our issues could be communicate in a manner that was acceptable within a Government policy document, and critically it helped us ensure key issues avoided being cut during the fi nal editing stage. The Alliance also provided tailored material on the UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child for inclusion throughout the document.
This ensured that the Framework aligns its vision and outcomes with the relevant articles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child – making the
Convention more accessible for the for implementing the Framework. We secured the inclusion of some important new Government commitment, including on childhood obesity, food poverty, child poverty, and support for child victims and reducing the harm often caused by the court proceedings.
Children in Detention
Children were bring detained in an adult prison but following years of criticism by the Children’s Rights
Alliance and others, this serious children’s rights violation has fi nally stopped. Vulnerable children are now better protected.
Since 1998, we have consistently highlighted the detention of boys in St.
Patrick’s Institution, an adult prison, as a serious breach of children’s rights. Finally, and after many years of pressure and criticism, the Government announced the closure of the prison in 2013. The children were transferred to a special unit in Wheatfi eld Prison and will remain there until the completion of a new national children’s detention facility Oberstown,
Co. Dublin.
The Minister for Children and Youth
Aff airs, Frances Fitzgerald launched the construction of this new site on 14
October. We warmly welcomed this development which is a major step forward for vulnerable children, and our press release was picked up by a range of media outlets.
Upon the request of our member, Irish
Penal Reform Trust, we subsequently coordinated a meeting in late October between the Minister and our member organisations to provide an update on the
Oberstown development. The group made recommendations on how best to ensure the new facility truly addresses the needs of vulnerable children. A commitment was also sought that the interim placements in Wheatfi eld will not continue to be used for 17-year-olds and the
Minister committed that this would not be a long-term solution. The Alliance will continue to follow this issue closely to make sure that all children in the prison system are protected.
13

Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
Above: Maria Corbett, Legal and Policy Director discussing child poverty on RTE News.
Ireland’s Presidency of the
European Union
We organised the only Irish EU
Presidency event on children. Our high-level event spotlighted the issue of child poverty and gained signifi cant media attention.
Standarised Packaging of Cigarettes
We supported a campaign to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes that will help stop children from smoking.
Ireland held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the fi rst half of
2013. This was an important opportunity to shape law and policy for children. We co-hosted a two-day, high-profi le event entitled ‘Taking action to fi ght child poverty and to promote child well-being’ on 10 and 11 April. This was the only Irish EU
Presidency event to focus on children.
Leading human rights organisations from all over Europe assembled in Dublin to strategise on how to eliminate child poverty.
In September, we joined the Irish Heart
Foundation, the Irish Cancer Society and a coalition of children’s charities to support the Government’s plans to standardise cigarette packets to stop children from smoking. The Chair of the Children’s Rights
Alliance, Paul Gilligan appeared before the
Joint Committee on Health and Children alongside the ISPCC. The Children’s Rights
Alliance submission on the Standardised
Packaging of Tobacco Bill 2013 highlighted the importance of plain packaging as an important measure to stop children from smoking. Research has shown that the introduction of plain packaged cigarettes drastically reduces the number of young people who start smoking.
Our co-hosts were UNICEF Ireland and the
European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN).
We were delighted to participate with our member organisations, One Family, Start
Strong and Lifestart. The event gained signifi cant media coverage including a package on RTE’s Six One News and
RTE’s Drivetime, ensuring the messages on child poverty were voiced on our national airways.
Subsequent to the hearings, the Joint
Committee on Health and Children issued its report on the legislation which had a specifi c focus on children. This included a number of the arguments contained in
Health, James Reilly, TD at the launch of the Plain
Packaging campaign. Picture: Andres Poveda.
Above: Paul Gilligan, Alliance Chairperson speaks to the
Joint Committee on Health & Children about smoking.
14

AIM 3 Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
Targeting Corporal Punishment in the Home
The Children’s Rights Alliance spotlighted the impact of Ireland’s failure to ban corporal punishment in the home by generating a national debate and by partnering with the ISPCC.
APPROACH, a non-governmental organisation based in the UK, took a collective complaint against Ireland under the European Social Charter for failing to ban corporal punishment to the European
Commission of Social Rights. The basis of the complaint is that striking a child is still legal in the home in Ireland and the
Government is obliged under the Charter to prohibit corporal punishment against children in all settings. A ban would have the eff ect of changing attitudes as well as reducing violence and abuse towards children. This has been the experience of other countries who have introduced a ban.
In 2013, we wrote to the Minister for
Children and Youth Aff airs calling for ban. The Minister said the issue is under review. We are awaiting the decision of the
European Committee on Social Rights in relation to Ireland.
Carl O’Brien, Chief News Correspondent of The Irish Times covered the story in early September. The story subsequently dominated all major media outlets for an entire week. The Chief Executive appeared on Morning Ireland on the fi rst school day in September, which made a great impact. She also appeared on TVAM and on national and local radio. All the major tabloids covered the story and a Journal article by Tanya entitled “I fi nd it upsetting that you can legally strike your children as a form of discipline” achieved 21,730 views and 466 comments. The issue clearly attracted the public’s attention and generated much debate – the best way to achieve societal change on an issue like this.
Court Reform
We directly shaped the law. Our recommendation on the Courts and
Civil Law Bill 2013 was taken on by the Minister for Justice and Equality.
The amendment means that children and their families have a say on press access and broadcasting of their case.
We made a submission in April to the
Minister for Justice and Equality, Alan
Shatter on the Courts and Civil Law Bill
2013. The Bill is important because it increases transparency in the Courts by allowing media access in certain family law cases. Our submission recommended an amendment to ensure that the views of the child and other parties are considered in the decision-making process on restricting such access. In the Seanad debate on the
Bill on 26 June, Minister Shatter amended the Bill to include our recommendation, thanking the Children’s Rights Alliance for putting it forward. Because of the
Children’s Rights Alliance, children and families have a say on the media access to their own case.
Above: Tanya Ward on TV3 discussing corporal punishment.
15

Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
Alan Shatter TD, Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence
16

17
AIM 4 Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
4
Key publications under
Aim 4 in 2013:
• Annual Review 2012
• Four newsletters
• Weekly Oireachtas Monitors
Building a Sustainable
Organisation
The Children’s Rights Alliance launched a
Sustainability Strategy in 2013 to diversify our funding base over the next 1,000 days. and trained our team on using a sales approach to secure philanthropy with the help of the US-based organisation For
Impact. We also formed a Sustainability
Group involving the Chair, Vice Chair,
Treasurer and the Chief Executive to advise the Board on plans to take account of changes in the funding environment. At the staff level, we formed a Development
Team, which meets on a regular basis.
Atlantic Philanthropies has been a champion of the Children’s Rights
Alliance through its Children and Youth
Programme. Atlantic will make another three-year investment to the Alliance from
2014-2016. This includes a capital grant to help the Children’s Rights Alliance fi nd a permanent home for the organisation and help found a Centre for Children. The purpose of this Centre is to create a space for organisations working with children and young people, a place where we can collaborate, organise and share best practice.
The One Foundation made its last and fi nal grant to the Children’s Rights Alliance in 2013. With its focus on supporting advocacy to secure systematic change for children, the One Foundation was an important and valued partner for the
Alliance. Despite the completion of the
One Foundation programme and the ongoing challenging funding environment, we achieved considerable success in building up our funding base.
The Children’s Rights Alliance continued to receive core funding from the Department of Environment, Community and Local
Aff airs for our work in representing children’s issues on Social Partnership and to act as a national network.
Impactful Communications in 2013
Brand Recognition: RichardsDee, our brand designers and ‘guardians’, were nominated for two Irish Designer
Institute Awards in 2013, including
‘Illustration’ and ‘Brand Identity’
Website: 86,000 unique visitors in
2013 with an average of 330 daily visits
Social media: 1,800 new followers on Twitter and 350 new likes on
Facebook
Press releases: 20 press releases issued in 2013
Radio and Television: We appeared on all major national news agenda setting stations and local stations. You can watch us on our YouTube station www.youtube.com/user/cradub

Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
Tanya Ward Chief Executive, Children’s Rights Alliance
New Project Funding
UN Shadow Report: In 2013, the
The One Foundation changed the face of children’s rights, migrant rights and mental health with its ten-year lifelimited investment programme for Ireland between 2004 and 2013. Over that period,
One made its second biggest investment in children’s advocacy to the Children’s
Rights Alliance. The One Foundation encouraged the Alliance to be visionary, focus on outcomes and to deliver real change for children.
An evaluation of One’s support for advocacy in children’s rights entitled,
Daring Voices , found that the Alliance’s relentless pursuit of the children’s referendum helped get it over the line.
In particular it found the Alliance’s:
“representative status strengthened its hand with politicians across party lines and coordinated a two-way fl ow of information that infl uenced the solutions proff ered for change…the infl uence of the CRA can be tracked from 2006 to the point of impact in 2012”.
Department of Children and Youth Aff airs made an important investment in the
Children’s Rights Alliance to perform its role in preparation of Ireland’s upcoming review by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. The Department has agreed to partially fund a national consultation to inform a shadow report that will document
Ireland’s progress in meeting the rights of children under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This report will be submitted to the UN Committee on the
Rights of the Child.
Our Promise to Alliance
Supporters
In order to provide full accountability and transparency to our supporters, the Children’s Rights Alliance signed up to the Statement of Guiding
Principles for Fundraising drawn up by the Irish Charities Tax Research in 2013.
You can read our Donor Charter and
Public Compliance Statement on our website under ‘Our Promise to
Alliance supporters’.
Go to www.childrensrights.ie
Our work for children could not happen without the support of our funders. We thank you for your continued support and belief in the Children’s Rights Alliance.
Annual Report Card: The Children’s Rights
Alliance ran a successful funding campaign for its fl agship annual Report Card project.
The Community Foundation of Ireland, the Katherine Howard Foundation and the
Irish Youth Foundation agreed to make a strategic three-year investment covering
2014 to 2016. Representing a total of
€127,500, their support of the Report Card will help us achieve many more changes for children in Ireland.
Do Children’s Rights Matter?: A successful funding campaign for our youth-led fi lm on children’s rights attracted support through the crowd funding website FundIT, the Katherine Howard Foundation and St.
Patrick’s Mental Health Services.
A Guide to Children’s Rights in the EU:
Our popular A Guide to Children’s EU
Rights in Ireland was fully funded by the
Department of the Taoiseach under the
Communicating Europe Initiative Scheme and the European Commission in Ireland.
Making Children’s Rights Real: Involving an audit of child law to identify gaps in the protection of children’s rights, this project attracted funding from leading practitioners and fi rms representing children, together with the Public Interest
Law Alliance.
18

AIM 4 Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
Above: Staff members Rachel Duke and Louise
Dromey after completing the Mini-Marathon.
19
Membership and Community
Fundraising
Being a strong independent voice for children is critical for the Children’s
Rights Alliance. Membership income is an important way to guarantee that independence. In 2013, the annual membership subscription of €50 was replaced with a sliding scale based on income. Members pay a fee ranging from
€70 for an income under €50,000 to
€1,000 for an income over €2 million.
Thanks to our many members, our membership income increased from
€5,300 in 2012 to €24,731 in 2013.
In 2013, the Children’s Rights Alliance team raised money for the organisation in the mini-marathon. Rachel Duke and Louise
Dromey set up fundraising profi les on iDonate and raised a fantastic €575!
Robust Governance
Structure
The Children’s Rights Alliance is a company limited by guarantee and does not have a share capital. It is governed by a
Memorandum and Articles of Association, which were last amended at our AGM on
28 May 2013.
Board
The Children’s Rights Alliance is governed by members of the Board of Directors who are elected by the members.
Potential Board members are nominated by members and elected by secret ballot at AGMs. At every AGM one-third of the
Board must retire or stand for re-election.
There is a bar on former Chief Executives serving on the Board of Directors. There are two positions on the Board where an individual can be co-opted to fi ll a skills gap for a one-year period.
Board members serve as nonexecutive directors and do not receive any remuneration for their work. The
Board meets at least six times a year and is responsible for all business of the organisation, while the day-to-day management is delegated to the Chief
Executive and the Alliance staff team.

Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
Board Members Meeting Attendance
Paul Gilligan (Chair) nominated by St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services
Áine Lynch (Vice-Chair from May) nominated by National Parents Council (Primary)
Michael McLoughlin (Treasurer) nominated by Youth Work Ireland
Margaret Burns (Vice-Chair to May) nominated by Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice, stepped down in May 2013
Pat Clarke (Director) nominated by Down Syndrome Ireland
Carmel Corrigan (Director) co-opted in 2011
Fergus Finlay (Director) nominated by Barnardos
Noreen Flynn (Director) nominated by Irish National Teacher’s Organisation
(INTO), elected in May 2013
Jackie O’Callaghan (Director) nominated by National Parents Council (Post Primary), elected in May 2013
Mary O’Connor (Director) nominated by Children in Hospital Ireland, stepped down in May 2013
Caroline O’Sullivan nominated by the ISPCC
Staff in regular attendance
Chief Executive
6/6
5/6
4/6
3/3
1/6
4/6
4/6
2/3
1/3
3/3
4/6
The Board is supported by a committee structure which deals with specifi c aspects of the company’s business. There were two standing committees in 2013:
1. Audit Committee
This Committee is responsible for eff ective review and monitoring of fi nancial risks; reliable management and fi nancial reporting; ensuring compliance with laws/regulations; and maintenance of an
Members
Michael McLoughlin
Treasurer (and Audit
Committee Chair)
Pat Clarke
Board member
Paula Doherty
Independent member
The Audit Committee meets four times a year in advance of Board meetings.
Staff in attendance
Chief Executive
2. Remuneration
Committee
This Committee meets once a year to set and review all staff salaries and pensions.
Members
Paul Gilligan
Chair (and Remuneration
Committee Chair)
Aine Lynch
Vice Chair
Michael McLoughlin
Treasurer
Staff in attendance
Chief Executive
20

AIM 4 Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
Right: Alliance members at AGM look back on achievements of 2012.
In 2013, Boardmatch conducted a review of governance within the Children’s Rights
Alliance with the kind support of the
One Foundation. Overall, Boardmatch found robust governance structures but made some recommendations on board papers, internal policies, the management of member records and proposed time limits for board members. The process of implementing these recommendations began in 2013 and is being continued in 2014.
Membership
The size and diversity of our membership gives the Children’s Rights Alliance its credibility, its mandate and its voice for children. Our members are integral to our work, informing our advocacy and helping us bridge the gap between the reality on the ground and the understanding of policy makers at national level.
Finance
The management accounts are prepared in the Children’s Rights Alliance by appropriate personnel with the necessary expertise and in accordance with best practice. In 2013, the Board adopted a
Financial and Internal Controls Policy and the accounts are prepared in accordance with this policy.
From time-to-time, informal working groups of members and stakeholders are established to work on specifi c issues. In
2013, for example, the Children’s Rights
Alliance formed a working group involving a diverse range of representatives to guide its work on the Child and Family Agency.
We also formed an advisory group to guide the development of a Child Law Audit. This group comprises member organisational and legal experts.
The audited accounts are prepared in accordance with requirements under the
Companies Acts 1963 to 2013 and the
UK Statement of Recommended Practice
(SORP), which is considered international best practice. The Children’s Rights Alliance latest audited accounts are available on the Alliance website. The 2013 audited accounts also include the salary scales for staff within the organisation.
New Membership Categories
In 2013, two new categories of membership were introduced at our AGM,
Associate Membership for commercial
/ for-profi t organisations and Individual
Membership for individuals. These two new categories of membership do not have the same benefi ts as those of full members (not-for-profi ts). For example, they cannot vote in AGMs or nominate an individual to join the Board of Directors.
Membership Survey
A membership survey was carried out in 2013, which highlighted that 86% of members are happy with the work and direction of the Alliance. The overwhelming majority of members were very satisfi ed with how the Children’s
Rights Alliance consults its members, with the communications and information provided, and the opportunities for engagement particularly appreciated.
Children’s Rights Alliance
Membership Benefi ts
By joining the Children’s Rights Alliance, members can:
• Be part of a well-recognised national voice that is led by its members and works collectively to achieve real change for children
• Inform our research, shape our policy and set our agenda
• Receive our information updates, newsletters and weekly Oireachtas/ parliamentary monitor detailing what is happening for children
• Access to our expertise, networking opportunities and training on children’s rights
Auditors
The annual audit of the Children’s Rights
Alliance is undertaken by Fielding Flynn
Associates Chartered Accountants.
Financial Overview
Income
Expenditure
Net Incoming Resources for Year
Total funds carried forward at end of year
2013
€802,826
€746,107
€56,719
€477,136
2014
€825,592
€749,828
€75,763
€420,417
21

Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
New Members
We welcomed fi ve new members in 2013, bringing our membership to 104 by the end of December 2013.
Mental Health Reform works with people their families and friends in promoting a fundamental improvement in mental health services, social inclusion and vindication of rights. www.mentalhealthreform.ie
Realt Beag , Ballyfermot STAR Child and
Family Centre is part of a larger drugs project, providing full day care, focusing on the wellbeing of the child and linking this care with the wellbeing of the parent who is accessing support for drug/alcohol misuse. www.ballyfermotstar.ie
Irish Premature Babies supports families of premature babies in Ireland, through providing services, information and support. www.irishprematurebabies.com
Safe Ireland envisions a society that acts decisively on the issue with compassion and strongly challenges the perpetration of all violence against women. They believe passionately in a future where women and children are free from this violence and where we can all live in community without fear. www.safeireland.ie
Scouting Ireland is the National Scout
Association for Ireland and a member of the World Organisation of the Scout
Movement. Scouting Ireland has over
40,000 members across Ireland, including
Northern Ireland where it works in partnership with the Scout Association
Northern Ireland, a part of the United
Kingdom Scout Association. www.scouts.ie
Oireachtas Monitor
We publish a weekly
Oireachtas Monitor for members, providing a round-up of children’s issues discussed in the Oireachtas/ parliament.
This unique publication is produced by Ken Reid, our Information email to members.
The updates include debates, written and oral questions and
Committee sessions that have taken place in the previous week.
Members have consistently rated the monitor as the most useful publication developed by
Alliance staff .
22

AIM 4 Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
23
Information Support
The Children’s Rights Alliance received a high number of queries from our members, statutory organisations and the public.
The Alliance invests signifi cant time in providing a comprehensive referral service to vulnerable callers; we also monitor queries to keep abreast of issues of public concern, to keep our website up-to-date and to inform our policy work. With many callers coming to the Alliance as a last resort, it often brings to light gaps that exist in national policy or service provision.
The Alliance responded to 151 inquiries in 2013.
The categories were as follows:
General rights/ information requests
(45)
These related to general information on the rights of children and adult/parental responsibilities to safeguard these rights; the role of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Irish law and policy; accessing services for children; children in the media; children’s privacy; youth justice issues; social welfare issues and general requests for documents and leafl ets.
Family
Environment/
Children in Care
(29)
Concerns about children’s safety and wellbeing in the family; parental substance misuse; children in care; negative interactions with the HSE/social workers in care/fostering arrangements.
Child
Protection
Referrals
(24)
Third party referrals to the HSE regarding child protection allegations or concerns.
Family Law and Children (22) Issues regarding parental access, voice of the child in family law settings, poor interactions with the judiciary, parental mental health issues, maintenance and mediation.
Family Law and
Children
(22)
Issues regarding parental access, voice of the child in family law settings, poor interactions with the judiciary, parental mental health issues, maintenance and mediation.
Education
(17)
Suspension/expulsion; poor interaction with Board of
Management/teacher/principal; lack of clarity regarding schools’ procedures and policies; discrimination, educational provision for children with disabilities.
Asylum and
Immigration
(5)
Issues around citizenship; visa issues; access to education; maintenance and social welfare.

Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
Our People
The Children’s Rights Alliance benefi ts from a dynamic, expert and committed team of individuals. In 2013, we also gained from the invaluable support of several interns including: Laura Scanlon (a secondyear law student form University College
Dublin), Julie Hildebrand (a law student from the University of Tulsa, USA) and Trina
Dzidonu (a fi rst year student of Economics,
Politics and Law in Dublin City University).
We greatly appreciate their time, energy and commitment!
Children’s Rights Alliance Staff
(as at December 2013)
Tanya Ward
Chief Executive
Promoting Children and Young
People Externally
The Children’s Rights Alliance promoted the rights of children by participating and being represented on the following entities during 2013.
International
• Eurochild
Government / Statutory
• Community and Voluntary Pillar, Social
Partnership
• National Children’s Advisory Council
• Department of Foreign Aff airs NGO
Standing Committee on Human Rights
• Ryan Report Implementation Plan
Monitoring Group
Legal & Policy Team
Maria Corbett
Legal and Policy Director
& Deputy Chief Executive
Emma McKinley
Edel Quinn
Saoirse Brady
Research and Projects Manager
Julie Ahern
Legal and Policy Assistant
Communications & Public Aff airs Team
Brid McGrath
Communications Manager
Ken Reid
Membership and Sustainability
Rachel Duke
Administration Team
Louise Dromey
Non-Governmental Organisations
• Action for Aftercare
• Bethany Survivors Group – participated only, not members of the group
• Campaign for Children
• Children’s Mental Health Coalition
• Child Care Law Reporting Project Advisory
Group
• End Child Poverty Coalition
• Equality and Rights Alliance
• ESC Rights Initiative led by Amnesty
International
• Future Voices Ireland
• Prevention and Early Intervention Network
• Research Advisory Committee for familial abuse inquiries by Dr. Helen Buckley and Dr. Caroline O’Nolan
• Saving Childhood Ryan Group
• St. Patrick’s Youth Advocacy Group,
St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services
• The Law Centre on Children and Young
People Steering Group
• Turn Off the Red Light led by the
Immigrant Council of Ireland
Ciara Murphy
Administrative Assistant
24

Children’s Rights Alliance Annual Review | 2013
25

29

Follow us on Twitter: @ChildRightsIRL
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/childrensrightsalliance
Watch us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/cradub
Children’s Rights Alliance
31 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2
Tel 01 662 9400
Email info@childrensrights.ie
www.childrensrights.ie