Project reveals further insights into child care order circumstances

Alcohol, drug addiction and mental health problems are significant contributory factors in court orders being granted to take children into care, according to the latest batch of cases to be outlined by the Child Care Law Reporting Project.

The project was set up last year to put details of court orders involving children into the public domain, without compromising their privacy or the privacy of their parents.

The latest batch of case reports published by the project also shows the courts sometimes refuse to grant the HSE an order - and give parents an opportunity to prove they can look after their children.

Project director Carol Coulter said most of the children who come before the courts are suffering from neglect.

"It might be abuse - it could be physical abuse or non-accidental injury, where a child suffers a serious injury at the hands of their parents or in the company of their parents," Ms Coulter said.

"Those cases are quite rare," she added.

"Most commonly it's what's described as neglect, where children are just not receiving the kind of nurture and care that will allow them to develop normally."