PUBLIC STATEMENT REGARDING THE CLOSURE OF
CLARECARE ADOPTION SERVICES
We regret to announce that Clarecare Adoption Services will close on 31st October 2017. Until then the service will continue to provide Post Adoption support and Information & Tracing (I&T) services in line with its accreditation under Section 4(k) of the Adoption Act 2010
Clarecare holds the files for St. Catherine’s Adoption Society and has provided services to birth relatives and adoptive families since 1974.
This decision has been forced upon Clarecare for two reasons.
The first relates to proposed legislation changes in Adoption I & T which will invest all future legal rights and responsibilities for all I&T services solely in TUSLA Child & Family Agency. Accredited adoption bodies like Clarecare will no longer be legally allowed to provide I & T services.
The second reason relates to funding. Clarecare can no longer afford to continue to heavily subsidise Adoption services, both Information & Tracing and post-adoption support. All efforts to date to secure funding have failed.
Clarecare is very sorry to see the competence and expertise of the Clarecare Adoption Team/Services being lost to the sector. Were the funds available Clarecare would be well positioned and willing to offer a comprehensive post adoption service in the Mid-West.
In the interim the adoption team will endeavour to do all it can for service users.
If you are affected by this announcement please contact any member of the Clarecare adoption team before 31st October 2017. Any enquiries after that date should be directed to your local TUSLA Adoption Service www.tusla.ie .
Fiacre J. Hensey
General Manager
Clarecare
19th June 2017