Abstract
Since January 2016, Irish family law courts have been obliged to take into consideration the voices of children in proceedings where decisions regarding contact with parents are being made. This article examines the findings of an Irish study that shed light on how young children’s voices are heard in decisions regarding contact with parents who do not, or no longer, live together. The views of key stakeholders who have some involvement with contact arrangements for young children in the 0–6 years age category are highlighted. A thematic analysis of the data was conducted in order to understand various perspectives on how and under what circumstances young children are heard in contact cases. The findings demonstrate that the voices of young children are virtually absent in family law decisions regarding contact. Determining factors relate to the infrastructure of the courts, a significant lack of resources to support the Irish family law system and significant variation in practice approaches between social and legal professionals. As a result of these findings, suggestions are proposed for informing practice and improving service delivery in family law in a way that best meets the needs and rights of young children.
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