
Children First and Garda Vetting
Children First and Garda Vetting
Children First
The Children First Act 2015 was fully enacted in December 2017. The Children First Guidelines from 2011 have been updated to The Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children, 2017.
The Adoption Authority is a relevant organization Under the Children First Act 2015. The Children First Act together with the Guidelines requires that each Relevant Organisation ensures that children are safe from harm while using their services. Each relevant organisation carries out a Risk Assessment to identify whether a child or young person could be harmed when using the services; and has a Child Safeguarding Statement outlining the policies and procedures that are in place to manage identified risks.
A delegated Relevant Person or designated liaison person is to be the first point of contact in relation to the Child Safeguarding Statement and all matters of child protection. The Act and Guidelines also specifies Mandated Persons to formally report child welfare or protection concerns to Tulsa the Child and Family Agency. Tusla (Child and Family Agency) has an online portal for Mandated reporters which is: www.tusla.ie/children-first/web-portal. Training for all staff in a relevant organisation is carried out by the organisation’s relevant person.
For access to Child Safeguarding Statement Please click here
Children First Child Protection Officer for the Adoption Authority is Katie Harrigan, Senior Social Work Practitioner, Tel 01 2309 318 katie_harrigan@aai.gov.ie
Garda Vetting
Garda vetting is a vital part of ensuring the safety and protection of children and vulnerable adults. Since 2012 legislation requires mandatory vetting, prior to employment, of employees with access to children and vulnerable adults. The Adoption Authority of Ireland is registered with the National Vetting Bureau (NVB) for this purpose.
The Adoption Authority provides services directly to adults, through the National Adoption Contact Preference Register, the matching of Irish families with children in Ireland and abroad and through the duty telephone line. It is the policy of the Adoption Authority that all staff undergo Garda vetting and this is updated on a regular basis.

Pregnant and Thinking About Adoption
What are my choices? If you have just found out that you are pregnant, you may be feeling very confused about the future and the important decisions you have to make.
Pregnant and Thinking about Adoption
If you have just found out that you are pregnant, you may be feeling very confused about the future and the important decisions you have to make. It may be of help if you can discuss the situation with the baby’s father, or with your own family. It may also be useful to talk things over with someone who is not directly involved and to get expert advice on the options open to you. There are a number of agencies that you can access online for information about your options in relation to a crisis pregnancy, such as www.crisispregnancy.ie.
You may be considering looking after your baby yourself, perhaps with the help of your partner or family. If you are considering keeping your baby you must begin to think about the future. You should get advice about benefits and other help that may be available, whether you are planning to make a home with the baby’s father or not. Advice and information can be obtained on and www.treoir.ie and www.citizensinformation.ie.
In considering all of your choices, this web information aims to give you some facts about adoption.
If you are considering adoption there is a number of adoption service providers located around the country. A list of Adoption Service Providers can be found at the end of this page.
You can also call the Adoption Authority Duty Phone Line 01 2309 306 from outside Ireland 00 353 1 2309 306
10.00 am to 1:00pm
Monday to Friday
Your baby’s future is important so you should not make a hasty decision. Get all the advice you can and consider all the possibilities before you make up your mind.
This web publication by the Adoption Authority of Ireland in April 2016, reviews and updates the previous production by representatives of Cunamh; North Eastern Health Board Child and Family Centre; PACT; Social Work Departments of the Coombe Women’s Hospital, National Maternity Hospital, Rotunda Hospital and TREOIR, which was printed with financial assistance of the Department of Health and Children, Women’s Health Section.

Counselling
Counselling
Agency adoptions
If you are interested in tracing a relative and would like to avail of counselling this service is generally provided by the agency that arranged the adoption. Many of the old adoption agencies have closed down and their records have been transferred to Tusla - Child and Family Agency. On their website they provide a directory of the adoption agencies they hold records for and the current location of those records. Click here for details.
In the case of adoptions arranged by St Therese Adoption Society which was located in Whitefriar Street, Dublin, the Adoption Authority holds those records.
Private/non-agency adoptions
Some adoptions were not arranged through an agency, for example where a birth mother placed her child directly with the adoptive parents or a third party assisted in placing the child with the adoptive parents. In other cases a child may have been placed with a family member who then adopted them.
If your adoption was arranged by St Therese Adoption Society or was a non agency adoption as described above the social work team in the Adoption Authority will work with you to provide guidance, assistance and counselling while you are working towards contacting or reuniting with your birth family member.
In all other cases you need to contact the agency or body that is holding your records.
Information and Tracing Services
We highly recommend that you join the National Adoption Contact Preference Register as a first step in seeking information and or contact with a birth relative. The Social Work Team provides mediation and counselling for people who have been linked through the National Adoption Contact Preference Register.
The Information and Tracing section of this website will give you more practical information about how to begin your search for information, particularly if you are unsure of the adoption agency which arranged your adoption, or if you are unsure about whether you were formally adopted.
Useful Links
Information for Birth Mothers - preparing for contact with your adult, adopted child - Danú Birth Mothers Group

Contact the Social Work tEAM
The social work team can offer general information, advice and support about adoption related issues. Queries are welcome from members of the public as well as professionals.
Contacting the Social Work Team
Phone: 01 2309 306
Outside of Ireland: + 353 1 2309 306
Email: SW@aai.gov.ie
Lines are open from 10am to 1pm, Monday to Friday.
We can offer general advice. If you need specific personal information, phone us and we will talk you through what to do next.

Monitoring and Reviews of Services
Adoption Authority social workers, administration staff and the Adoption Authority Medical Advisor work together to review and monitor each application for adoption.
Monitoring and Review of Services
Multidisciplinary Team (MDT)
Adoption Authority social workers, administration staff and the Adoption Authority Medical Advisor work together to review and monitor each application for adoption. Reviews cover all aspects of adoption practice including:
- counselling and consultation with birth parents;
- consent to adoption;
- assessment for a Declaration of Eligibility and Suitability to adopt;
- selection and matching process leading to the placement of a child with a specific family for adoption;
- post placement reports;
- applications for adoption orders;
- requests for the release of an original birth certificate;
- requests for the release of identifying information.
In some intercountry adoption situations where no mediation agency operates on behalf of Irish families, such as the case in Thailand and the Philippines, the Adoption Authority social workers liaise directly with the prospective adoptive family to discuss the specifics of a child referred for them by the country's Central Authority.
The ongoing reviews highlight trends in adoption practice locally and abroad and allow us to generate statistics. The statistics and trends inform Adoption Authority seminars and training for professionals in adoption services and inspections of services.
Training
The Board of the Adoption Authority of Ireland run three seminars annually in the areas of Information & Tracing, Intercountry Adoption and legislative changes.
The Social Work Team organises four forums annually for both medical and social work practitioners in national adoption services. The forums inform professionals about recent developments in adoption work in practice. Topics for the forums also include forthcoming legislation, theory and counselling skills, matching prospective adoptive parents capacities to the needs of children and country-specific information for intercountry adoption.
The team also provides additional information and training sessions to support the development of guidelines for best practice in adoption services.
All seminars and forums afford CPD points to participant professionals.
Accreditation and Inspection
Most national adoption services are delivered through local Tusla - Child and Family Agency offices and bodies accredited by the Adoption Authority. The Social Work team is involved in reviewing applications for accreditation of adoption agencies.
The services of Tusla - Child and Family Agency are reviewed and monitored by the multi-disciplinary team on an on-going basis through desk top reviews of all documents requiring Adoption Authority authorisation.
Services provided by accredited bodies are reviewed at six month intervals by self-reporting. On-site inspections of the accredited bodies also take place in compliance with the Adoption Act 2010 and the Regulations

Post Adoption Services
Post Adoption Services
The Adoption Authority of Ireland is delighted to launch this initiative - The Post Adoption Services Directory. The purpose of the Directory is to assist people seeking post adoption services in Ireland. Please click here to read or download the Directory
To provide an update to the Directory please contact the Adoption Authority of Ireland at 01 2309 306 or email SW@aai.gov.ie .
If you would like to provide feedback, suggestions or comments about the Directory please contact Ms Katie Harrigan, Senior Social Work Practitioner directly at 01 2309 318 or Katie_Harrigan@aai.gov.ie
ICGP & AAI Report: Post Placement Intercountry Adoption: A survey of Irish General Practitioners
The Adoption Authority of Ireland carried out a survey of Irish General Practitioners in collaboration with the Irish Council of General Practitioners, in relation to children adopted into Ireland from abroad. Please click here to read the report on the results of the survey.
About Us
All adoption services are regulated by the Adoption Authority of Ireland. As part of that regulation, the social work team reviews and monitors social work practice at all stages of the lifelong adoption process, including:
- crisis pregnancy through to decisions about adoption;
- assessment of prospective adoptive parents;
- matching children with suitable prospective adoptive parents;
- talking with children about adoption;
- providing post adoption support;
- mediation and counselling in search and reunion.
The Adoption Authority Social Work Team provides mediation and counselling to people who have been involved in some third party and family adoptions. The team also offers information, advice and support about adoption related issues. Queries are welcome from members of the public as well as professionals.
To contact the Social Work Team about any issue relating to adoption, please contact us by phone or email:
Phone: 01 2309 306
Outside of Ireland: +353 1 2309 306
Email : SW@aai.gov.ie
Lines are open from 10am to 1pm, Monday to Friday.
We can offer general advice. If you need specific personal information, phone us and we will talk you through what to do next.