Legal Guides

Caring for someone can be a rewarding experience but it can bring about challenges including understanding the various legal arrangements that exist. But you are not on your own.

Family Carers Ireland and Community Law & Mediation have launched two separate legal guides to support family carers. 

These guides (i) A Practical Guide for Family Carers on the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 and (ii) A Guide to the Legal Aspects of Caring are now available to download.

Family Carers Ireland believes there are approximately 18,000 family carers who are caring for adults (18+) with profound disability who may/will need to apply to the courts to become Decision Making Representatives under the provisions of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. We have secured the support of a solicitor who will offer legal advice throughout this process to ensure it is done speedily and efficiently.

For those signing up as potential Decision Making Representatives which requires a court application, we will support these family carers through this legal process while for those signing up as Decision Making Assistants or Co-Decision Makers, this support will include regular updates and advocacy when required.

Those wishing to be added to our database or to get further information on this can do so by emailing Andrew at arooney@familycarers.ie.


A Practical Guide for Family Carers on the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015

Download

A Guide to the Legal Aspects of Caring

Download

 

Please see below a presentation by Aoife Doonan BL who worked with Family Carers Ireland and Community Law & Mediation on the content for both guides. This presentation was delivered virtually at an information session for family carers on April 26th 2023.