Updated 1o.55pm
This story is part of a series on the Family Court which can be viewed here>>
TWO CHILDREN WERE returned to their mother after three years in care. The judge said it was a “good news story” that she didn’t come across too often.
The solicitor for the Child and Family Agency (CFA) also said that it was a positive story and acknowledged the work that the mother had put in.
The social worker who prepared the report on the case said that significant progress had been made in the past seven months.
She said that the mother had been active in taking part in all the supports and they were happy to let her daughter return home to her.
“All the supports are there to allow this to happen,” said the social worker.
“It is Child A’s wish to go home. She very much wants to feel normal and not to be known as the ‘child in care’,” said the social worker.
“The mother has been engaging with the agency, has been making great progress and the CFA wants to continue to support her. We wish it all to work out for Child A and mother,” she said.
The judge said it was with her “great pleasure to discharge this care order. It is not very often I can do this in court”.
“I commend [the mother] on all her work.”
She said she would like to see supervision be put in place for a period of 12 months and she wanted all supports to be put in place to support the mother.
“It is not going to be easy, but I am sure you understand that yourself,”the judge told the mother, which she replied that she did.
“I wish you all the best and I hope it all goes well for you,” said the judge.
‘A Week in the Family Courts’ series will be running all this week on TheJournal.ie.
Read: A Week in the Family Court: ‘There needs to be intervention before we reach crisis point’>
Read: A Week in the Family Court: 6,500 children are in care – here are some of their stories>
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