There are several ways we get to hear about young people. Either you get in touch directly by calling, texting or emailing us or your fostercarers, keyworker or social worker may contact us on your behalf.

If a young person doesn’t contact us directly, the first thing we do is make sure they have agreed they want to have contact with us.

Who can help?

We have 2 direct services designed around the differing needs and concerns of children and young people in care and with care experience:

Get in touch

Young people, foster carers and professionals can contact us to get information and or support. We only ever agree to meet with a child or young person who wants to meet us.

You can phone the main number on 01-8727661 or text us on 087-9036598 and someone will ring you back. Anytime a young person contacts IAYPIC, we will always ring back, so that young people don’t have to use their own credit.

Or email info@iaypic.ie for more information.

Children’s Rights and Participation Officers work with and advocate for children and young people living in care.

So What Do They Do?

They...

Act as an Independent Advocate for Young people. (What does that mean?)

• Listen to what young people are saying and offer them support and advice.
• Tell children and young people about their rights and responsibilities and explain what they’re entitled to.
• They also work to promote young people participating in their own care.
• Empower young people to get involved in the decisions being made about their care.
• Carry out consultations with young people to let them have their say about anything concerning them.

What Can You Do For ME?

The 1st thing we will do is give you an IAYPIC Information Pack to welcome you to IAYPIC and tell you all about us!

What’s in it?

A Letter of Greeting, Our IAYPIC leaflet, A Young Person’s version of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, OCO Complaints Pack, Our IAYPIC Survival Kit.

We can:

• Provide you with information and advice about your rights and entitlements.
• (An entitlement is the right somebody has to do or receive something)
• Attend a meeting with you or on your behalf.
• Help you speak out about decisions that affect you.
• Help you make contact with other services.

Let us know about your experiences so that we can let other professionals know if changes need to be made.

You can take part in some of the groups / activities IAYPIC runs. Check out how to Get Involved! with IAYPIC.

Sometimes we meet with young people only once to give them information they are looking for or help them with a particular problem they are having.

We will help in any way we can. It’s totally up to you whether or not we chat or meet up again.

How can you get in touch with us?

You can phone the main number on 01-8727661 or text us on 087-9036598 and someone will ring you back. Anytime a young person contacts IAYPIC, we will always ring back, so that young people don’t have to use their own credit.

Or email info@iaypic.ie for more information.

Aftercare Advocacy and Support

The Aftercare Advocacy & Support Programme Network Coordinator’s job is to help, support and advocate for all young people preparing to leave care, in aftercare or who have left care.

What can Aftercare Support do for Me?

Here are some of the ways we can help:

• Supporting young people in developing their Aftercare Plan.
• Providing information and advice about young people’s rights and entitlements.
• Providing an independent advocacy service for young people with care experience.
• Helping young people to speak out about decisions affecting them.
• Providing peer group support where young people with similar experiences can meet.
• Helping young people make contact with other services.

If you need help with anything such as:

• Education
• Health
• Employment
• Accommodation

IAYPIC can put you in contact with the right services.

Regardless of what’s going on for you, we can always support you and advise you of your rights and responsibilities.

If you have a problem or would just like somebody to talk to, drop in to us or give us a call and one of our team will be happy to help in any way we can.

Get In Touch

Young people can phone the main number on 01-8727661 or they can text a message to 087-9036598 and someone will ring you back. Anytime a young person contacts IAYPIC, we will always ring back, so that young people don’t have to use their own credit.