'So, the hell started. I went homeless': Children who arrive here alone need supports

Children who arrive in the State alone need wraparound supports, particularly after they turn 18 when they move straight from the care of Tusla into homelessness, writes Wayne Stanley

Fri, 10 Oct, 2025 - 01:04

Wayne Stanley

“You get a cake. Then you have to leave.” This is how one young person described turning 18 while in the care of the State. What should be a reason to celebrate can, for many separated children, become the start of homelessness, instability and fear.

Today, Empowering People in Care (EPIC) will launch new research, Be Strong – There’s so many problems waiting, highlighting the experiences of separated children and young people seeking international protection in Ireland. The research, conducted by Dr Muireann Ní Raghallaigh, Dr Joanne Kelleher and Professor Prospera Tedam, shows the courage and resilience of these children and young people, alongside the gaps in the system that leave them at risk.

The accounts of young people, and the professionals who work with them, in the report suggest a lack of consistency and stability in care, and reveal disparities in access to education, healthcare, and accommodation.

We know that Tusla are working to meet the needs of these children and young people. They are doing so as the number of separated children arriving in Ireland has been steadily rising, reflecting broader trends across Europe.

At the end of June 2025, Tusla was accommodating 478 separated children, including children seeking international protection and children from Ukraine — a sharp increase from 86 children in 2021. However, children cannot be reduced to numbers.

Many arrive in Ireland having fled war or persecution. They do not have the safety nets of family support, community and connection. In these circumstances, the State takes on parental responsibility. And like any parent, it has a duty to protect, guide, and support these children into adulthood.

While meeting the needs of increased numbers requires resources, systemic pressures — including the absence of a clear legal framework, staff shortages, the housing crisis, an international protection system under pressure and growing anti-refugee sentiment — pose significant challenges.

Turning 18 can be a particularly precarious moment. Entitlement to aftercare services and support is dependent on the length of time spent in care before reaching 18, with many separated young people not meeting this threshold. For those who remain in the international protection process, access to all important aftercare support is no longer available.

The consequences are stark. Some young people struggle to navigate adulthood, education and life in a new country. One young person described turning 18 bluntly, saying: “So, the hell started. I went homeless.”

This should not be the reality for any young person in Ireland. Yet EPIC’s National Advocacy Service is meeting too many separated young people who move straight from the care of Tusla into homelessness.

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The research reveals the impact of another worrying trend: the rise of racism and anti-refugee sentiment. This societal issue adds to the challenges these young people already face.

Experiencing discrimination while already coping with trauma and displacement can have devastating effects on mental health and integration. Anti-racist policies and practices must be strengthened to ensure that children feel safe, supported, and welcome.

In the face of the challenges set out above it is important to recognise that there are solutions: legislative and policy reform.

Section 5

Tusla is responsible for the care of separated children, but there is no national legal or policy framework setting out their responsibilities. While Tusla have significantly increased capacity to address the challenges that have arisen with increased numbers of children arriving in Ireland, gaps remain.

One notable example is the use of Section 5 of the Child Care Act 1991. Of the 478 separated children in Ireland, 108 were designated as “in care”, while 370 were children accommodated under Section 5.

Section 5 does not provide the same statutory safeguards that apply to children in care. As a result, children under Section 5 may not receive the same stability, oversight or support as those formally “in care”. When they turn 18, some of these young people face a cliff edge, as Section 5 does not secure necessary aftercare supports.

The forthcoming Child Care (Amendment) Bill provides an opportunity to clarify the admission of separated children to care, establish aftercare arrangements and set standards for consistent, high-quality support.

Wayne Stanley: 'A joined-up and adequately resourced approach is essential to ensure that every child and young person in Ireland is given the opportunity to thrive.' File photo: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos

The young people’s experiences documented in this research remind us that every child in Ireland is more than just a number. Their vulnerabilities when turning 18 are particularly important: without parental care, they must navigate unfamiliar systems while coping with trauma, loss, displacement and stigma.

This must be taken seriously across relevant government departments in a co-ordinated and deliberate manner.

When systems work together — across social work, aftercare, education, housing and health — these young people can build stable lives and bright futures. A joined-up and adequately resourced approach is essential to ensure that every child and young person in Ireland is given the opportunity to thrive.