Those with Care Experience, Academics, Professionals and many others will explore and recommend how we, as a society, can ensure better, more equitable outcomes for the children and young people who come through our care system.

These webinars will seek to provide participants with an overview of the unique issues facing care experienced children and young people in terms of LGBTI+, Ethnicity, Education, Disability, Accommodation and Justice.

This online event explores the relationship between the care system and the justice system. The content has been drawn together by Care-leaver Jessica Duffy and EPIC Advocates, Edel Weldon and Peter Lane. Peter and Edel have many years of experience between them conducting Visiting Advocacy services to Oberstown Children’s Detention Centre and the Dóchas Centre.

We hope to bridge the gap between reality and perception about why it is so many young people with care experience come into contact with the justice system. There will be an online questions and answers session afterwards.

Speakers /Contributors:

Gareth Noble

Gareth is recognised as one of Ireland’s leading litigators in the area of children with disabilities. He has successfully represented many families in challenging the law in respect of Domiciliary Care Allowances, Carer’s Allowance and services for children in education and early assessment of their needs and service provision.

Judge John O’Connor

Judge John O’Connor is currently a judge of the Circuit Court. He has extensive practical and academic experience in dealing with vulnerable children. For six years he was a judge of the District Court and the principal judge of the Children’s Court in Smithfield.

Damien Hernon - Interim Director of Oberstown

Damien became Interim Director on 2 November 2020. He has an extensive working knowledge of and experience within the children detention arena which stretches back almost 30 years. He has gained wide-ranging frontline knowledge along with a broad operational understanding which contributes to a holistic approach to developing the campus.

In his role as Interim Director, Damien is committed to building on the platform created over the years by the previous executive in conjunction with the Board of Management, with regard to the future development of our campus, our young people and our staff.

Dr Nicola Carr

Dr Nicola Carr is an Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham. She has carried out research (with Paula Mayock) exploring the over-representation of young people with care experience in the criminal justice system. This research was commissioned by the IPRT. Nicola has a longstanding history of involvement with EPIC, having previously served as Chair.

Michelle Martyn: Policy and Research Manager

Michelle Martyn joined IPRT in November 2016. She has managed IPRT's annual report, Progress in the Penal System: A Framework for Penal Reform and other externally commissioned research projects including: Care and Justice: Children and Young People in Care and Contact with the Criminal Justice System. Previously, she worked in EPIC (Empowering People in Care) as Research, Policy and Fundraising Assistant.

In 2012, Michelle worked as Acting Research and Policy Officer in IPRT and managed and authored ‘Picking up the Pieces: the Rights and Needs of Children and Families Affected by Imprisonment’. She also worked as an Independent Research Consultant for the Probation Service in 2011 on analysis of the project ‘Drug and Alcohol Misuse among Adult Offenders on Probation Supervision: Findings from the Drug and Alcohol Survey 2011’.

She holds a Masters in Criminology and Criminal Justice from University College Dublin (2010), Masters in Criminology from Dublin Institute of Technology (2009) and Bachelor of Social Science from NUI Maynooth (2008).

Dr Niall Muldoon

Dr Niall Muldoon is Ireland’s second Ombudsman for Children. Niall, who is a counselling and clinical psychologist and was previously Director of Investigations at the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO), was appointed by President Michael D Higgins on February 17th 2015. As Ombudsman for Children Niall has focused on generating an Ireland where children and young people are actively heard, particularly those who are most vulnerable.

During his tenure the Office has sought to give voice to those children who are often not listened to. In that time the Office has consulted with young people availing of Ireland’s Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), Direct Provision, those in children’s hospitals, young people living in Family Hubs and young people affected by Brexit.

The OCO has also published a range of special reports on topics such as Education, Scoliosis Treatment and School Transport, as well as investigations highlighting cases where children’s rights were not respected in the provision of disability supports, in the care system and in housing.

In 2019 the OCO hosted “Beyond Limits: Empowering young people with disabilities” the first event of its kind bringing together 1,000 people in Croke Park for speakers, demonstrations, information and activities – all focused on children with disabilities. Working with others, Niall has contributed to i) the introduction of the ‘Barnahus, Onehouse Galway’ model to ease trauma for children who have been sexually abused and ii) bringing an end to young people being held in adult prisons.

He is also a member of the European Network of Ombudspersons for Children (ENOC) where he holds the role of Secretary on the Bureau.

Please note, these webinars are aimed at ages 16+