The withdrawal of statutory services from young people who reach the age of 18 in Dublin can result in homelessness.

A new unit, dedicated to co-ordinating the implemention of a national strategy to tackle human trafficking, has been set up.

The ongoing classroom assistants’ strike may cause “serious disruption to the education of children who attend special schools”, charity Disability Action has claimed.

Social services on both sides of the Border are to review their care of children in danger from depressive or psychotic parents, after the fire deaths of the family in Omagh last week brought the number of children killed in domestic “homicide-suicides” in Ireland this year to 10.

One of the UK’s children’s commissioners has declared there is a pressing need for an all-Ireland sex offenders register.

Two-child families in Ireland are paying as much as €28,000 a year for childcare — but prices nationwide are not enough to cover the real costs of quality care.

A zero tolerance policy is required to tackle drug-related suicide in Belfast, the Lord Mayor said yesterday.

The Government will today be called on to give more support to carers across Ireland. The Carers Association will present its pre-Budget submission to TD’s and Senators, where it will highlight the Government’s need to implement a committed national carers strategy.

A survey from the charity Barnardos shows that almost 80% of parents interviewed feel children are less safe today than they were during their own childhood.

National elderly-support group Age Action tonight called on workers in the medical services to expose ageist practices within the sector.