Many parents in child care court cases raising children alone — report 

The majority of parents involved in childcare cases in the courts are single or separated and parenting alone, while almost one in three children involved has special needs.

The second Interim Report from the Child Care Law Reporting Project, which will be published today, also reveals that 25% of child care cases in the courts involves at least one parent from an ethnic minority, including Travellers, and that a sixth of cases involves a parent suffering from cognitive impairment or mental illness.

The report by Dr Carol Coulter will be launched by the president of the District Court, Judge Rosemary Horgan and shows that there are variations around country in the seeking and obtaining of care orders.