Children We Support

Our Children

Children are at the centre of the family in Ireland, In 2009, there are 1,064,000 children, aged 0 to 18, living in Ireland. Although most are happy, healthy and well cared for, there are many who are not.

These are the children that the Irish Youth foundation seeks to help – and there are many areas in which they need our support.

Did you know?

Children in Poverty

1 in 14 children in Ireland is living in consistent poverty, which means that this year almost 76,000 children went without basic necessities – a warm meal, a winter coat, heating at home – because their families were too poor to provide them. Another 230,000 children, or 1 in 5 of all children, are at risk of poverty or are living in relative poverty. 36,000 children are living in overcrowded, inappropriate or emergency accommodation.

Children with psychiatric needs

140 children were admitted to or detained in adult psychiatric units between November 2006 and July 2007.

Literacy Problems

1 in 3 pupils from disadvantaged areas continue to have severe literacy difficulties and in 2006 4% of school-leavers left with no Junior Certificate. Over 12% of people aged between 18 and 25 are early school leavers and only 30% of young people from unskilled backgrounds progress to higher education compared to over 70% from higher professional backgrounds.

Young Offenders

On 23 May 2007, there were 199 young offenders detained in St Patrick’s Institution, 67 of whom were children.

Child Protection

Ireland has no statutory guidelines on reporting child abuse and children have limited entitlement to be heard in their own right in court or to attend hearings that directly affect them.

Between 2000 and 2007, 5369 separated children were referred to the HSE - 2536 were placed in care, 441 went missing from care and 388 are still unaccounted for.