NDA Submission on the National Policy Framework on Alternative Care

The NDA’s submission to the Department of Children, Disability and Equality drew attention to the fact that care-experienced children and young people with disabilities face heightened risks and a range of specific challenges and barriers at every stage of their engagement with alternative care systems in Ireland. Noting the government’s commitments and obligations under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025 – 2030, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the NDA advised that a policy framework for alternative care should be rooted in a rights-based, holistic, child-centred and coordinated approach that makes explicit provision for the needs of disabled children and young people, and their families and carers, in all care and aftercare settings.

In particular, the submission highlighted considerations related to interagency coordination, underpinned by disability-inclusive legislation and policy; the voice of the child, including children with disabilities; Universal Design throughout the service pathway; disability-inclusive prevention, early intervention and transitions strategies; disability disaggregated data; and staffing, including support and training on disability equality and skills to support additional care needs for all frontline staff, and foster, respite and home share families.