The Kildare Child Poverty Profile was officially launched by Lara Hynes, Assistant Secretary for the Department of Children, Disability and Equality’s (DCDE) Child Policy and Tusla Governance Division on 14th November 2025. The Poverty Profile shines a light on the often-hidden realities of child poverty in one of Ireland’s most affluent counties, with neurodivergent children particularly affected.
The Kildare Child Poverty Profile is a key element of the Kildare Child Poverty Initiative, one of the four pilots under the National Local Area Child Poverty Action Plan pilots scheme funded by DCDE’s What Works to develop locally informed evidence-based responses to child poverty.
Left to Right: Sarah Griffin (Tusla), Lara Hynes (Assistant Secretary, DCDE), Emma Berney (Tusla/Kildare CYPSC), Audrey Warren (Tusla/Kildare CYPSC Chair)
Over 2024-2025, DCDE allocated €756,000 from Dormant Accounts-funded What Works initiative to establish four two-year Local Area Child Poverty Action Plan pilots. These four pilots are part of Ireland’s European Child Guarantee National Action Plan.
Further to an open call for proposals in 2024, four pilot plans were developed by Kildare, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown & Wicklow, Tipperary and Monaghan Children and Young People’s Service Committees (CYPSC) in collaboration with their corresponding Local Community Development Committee (LCDC). This approach has offered CYPSC and LCDCs an opportunity to collaboratively design a pilot plan that will respond to local realities and contexts.
Audrey Warren (Tusla/Kildare CYPSC Chair)
The Kildare Child Poverty Initiative was developed to better understand the causes of poverty and disadvantage in County Kildare, with a particular focus on improving access to supports and services for neurodivergent children and young people living in disadvantaged areas.
The Kildare Poverty Profile marks the completion of a key component of this Poverty Action Plan. The findings reveal extensive hidden disadvantage across County Kildare affecting over 77,000 people in Kildare, including one in four children living in areas experiencing disadvantage. The profile highlights the particular pressures faced by families of neurodivergent children.
Left to Right: Andy Bray (University of Limerick), Aoife Dowling (Independent Consultant), Lara Hynes (DCDE), Ellen Duggan (Newbridge Family Resource Centre), Cecilia Saviotti (Space2be), Brenda O’ Connor (Athy Community Family Resource Centre)
In launching the report, Lara Hynes recognised the importance of looking beyond stereotypes and perception to the reality, grounded in data, evidence and lived experience and making policy and resource decisions that take account of this reality. She also recognised the efforts of local interagency coordination in achieving national policy at a local level. She said:
“This work shows what can be achieved when we all unite around a shared purpose. The practical steps will make a real, everyday difference for neurodivergent children and young people.”
The Profile can be accessed here.
Left to Right: Back Row: Susan Bookle (Kildare County Council/Kildare LCDC), Michael Kenny (Kildare LCDC), Tom Dunne (In Sync Youth & Family Services), Aoife Dowling (Independent Contractor), Lara Hynes (DCDE), Denise Croke (HSE), Maura Harrington (HSE), Audrey Warren (Tusla/Kildare CYPSC Chair), Karl Duffy (Co. Kildare LEADER Partnership)
Front Row: Tony Shanahan (Kildare County Council), Fidelma Costello (Department of the Taoiseach), Kateryna Zinovyeva (Kildare County Childcare Committee), Emily Moore (Kildare County Childcare Committee), Maria Healy (Kildare County Council/Sláintecare Healthy Communities), Ellen Duggan (Newbridge Family Resource Centre), Emma Berney (Tusla/Kildare CYPSC)