A two-day international conference on adoption law is to be held in UCC next month. Entitled ‘Redefining adoption in a new era: Opportunities and challenges for law and practice’, the conference will hear from a number of international experts.
Philomena Lee, whose story of the search for her son (who was adopted by a family in the US) inspired the recent movie ‘Philomena’, will contribute to the conference on 4-5 September 2014.
The conference will hear from a number of international experts including Susan Lohan of the Adoption Rights Alliance, Nigel Cantwell of UNICEF, Judge Rosemary Horgan, President of the District Court, and Nick King, who sits as an independent member of Bournemouth’s adoption panel and provides mentoring and training for prospective adopters.
“Adoption law and practice in Ireland has been undergoing a significant period of transition in recent times, particularly with the onset of the children’s rights movement” said the conference’s organisers in a press release.
“While it has always been a sensitive issue which has generated much political controversy, debate and discussion, the conference seeks to reframe adoption law and practice in light of changing cultural contexts and differing family structures with a specific focus on children’s rights.
This interdisciplinary and international conference will provide a forum for international debate and discussion on this critical issue as well a platform for sharing specialist knowledge and experiences.
Rapid cultural and legal changes coupled with differences in societal attitudes are amongst the major influences on adoption law and practice. Indeed, the latter is clear from the passing of last year’s referendum on children’s rights (currently subject to Supreme Court appeal) and the on-going debate on same-sex marriage. These unprecedented legal changes all have knock on effects.”
The event will run on September 4-5 in UCC’s Brookfield Health Sciences Complex, and will be free to attend for full-time students.
Registration queries should be addressed to Noreen Delea, Events Manager, Law Dept. UCC ([email protected] or 021-4903220).
