How does EPIC support young people in care?

EPIC (Empowering people in care) is an independent advocacy group that provides information for people living in care, in residential care, foster care, hostel, high support and special care. EPIC also works with young people preparing to leave care and in aftercare, and with care experience generally.

What does EPIC do?

EPIC was set up to:

• Give people in care or after care a voice
• Highlight the rights of young people in care
• Provide information and support to young people in care or after care
• Help people who work with young people in care to involve them more when decisions are being made about them

EPIC aims to do this through 3 ways; advocacy, engagement and policy.

EPIC Advocacy

EPIC listens to young people in care and after care so that they can help make their voices be heard.  EPIC aims to help those who have experienced care known their rights so that they can be part of the decisions that are being made about their lives. They offer support services to answer questions which young people may have while in care or after care and help them to understand the complaint system. You can find more information on how EPIC can advocate for you here.

EPIC Engagement

EPIC engages with the young people they work with so that they are involved in the planning and decision making that affects them and other young people who experience care. EPIC aims to create engagement through their youth-adult partnerships where both sides come together to learn and teach each other.

To achieve this engagement EPIC established a National EPIC Youth Council . The Council is made up of a group of young people with care experience between the ages of 18 – 25. They give advice to EPIC on issues of concern to young people in care & work on campaigns and projects to improve the outcomes for young people in care.

If you are a young person with care experience and would like to get involved with EPIC you can find more information here.

EPIC Policy

EPIC works to influence change in policy, legislation and practice to ensure better outcomes for children and young people in care, in aftercare or with care experience. You can find information on the work of EPICs Policy Manager here.

How can EPIC help me?

If you have any questions or complaints relating to your care you can get in touch with EPIC and they can help you. There are four EPIC offices in Ireland in Dublin, Galway, Cork and Limerick.

• Dublin Ph: 01-8727661
• Galway Ph: 091 395 605
• Cork 021 242 8434
• Limerick 061 514518

What services are there on the EPIC site?

On EPIC’s website there is a section where commonly asked questions about being in care or leaving care are answered.

The section covers questions such as:

• Who will look after me while I am in care?
• What happens if I don’t get a social worker?
• Can I keep in touch with my family and friends if I went into care?

Visit the Care Questions Answered page here.

Your rights in care

EPIC also have a section on their site which is dedicated highlighting the law when it comes to the rights of young people in care.

Learn more about the rights of young people in care here.

EPIC on Aftercare

There is a section on EPIC’s site which covers what happens to a young person when they leave care and go into aftercare. The section outlines what is aftercare, what is an aftercare plan and offers their Pathways guide which is a detailed guide about life after leaving care.

EPIC Pathways Guide

Pathways is an aftercare guide that has been created for young people who are preparing to leave care by young people who have left care.

The guide is broken down into nine topics:

• Moving forward
• Money matters
• My rights and responsibilities
• My new home
• Education and training
• Employment
• Staying safe
• Parenthood
• Mind, body and soul

You can find the Pathways guide in full here.

For more information on EPIC and to visit their website click here.

Or follow EPIC on Facebook or Twitter.  

Need more information?

We are here to answer your questions and talk through your options. Our online chat service is for 16 to 25 year olds and is available Monday to Friday, 4pm to 8pm. Chat to us now about your situation.

• Chat now to a trained Youth Information Officer
• Or leave us a message and we will email you back