Work is currently ongoing at a Government level on a new national policy framework for children and young people, the successor to Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, adopted in 2014. Various Irish studies and reports also point to the impact of structural discrimination on the lives and life chances of disadvantaged children. I have no doubt that the Government officials tasked with developing the new national policy framework for children are genuinely and deeply committed to addressing the disparities in outcomes for children. It is important to acknowledge that there have been some welcome policy developments in recent years with the potential to significantly improve the lives of some of the most disadvantaged children in Ireland. Dr Karen Smith is a lecturer in Equality Studies in the School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, University College Dublin.

Source: Irish Examiner April 25, 2022 00:01 UTC