Folder labelled "Children First" consists of correspondence, newsletters, meeting agendas and other material related to the organisation, formed in 10/05/1974, concerned with the welfare of children in adoption, and with proposed amendments to the Adoption Bill 1974. It includes correspondence between Vera Stokes, PRO [Public Relations Officer] Children First, and Minister for Justice, [Mr Cooney], 07/06/1974; correspondence between R Charles Mollan, member of Children First, and Mary Robinson (MR), introducing the organisation, its aims and recommendations, and requesting informal meeting, 08/06/1974 and further correspondence 21/06/1974; proposed constitution for Children First, 197[4?]; memorandum sent to every senator by Children First, [06/1974]; letter of thanks from Vera Stokes to MR, following her meeting with the Committee of Children First, 06/1974; correspondence between Nan Avery, Mary Heffernan, Children First, and MR including various case studies outlining examples of issues with adoption law*, 26/06-19/07/1974; Children First 1st progress report 05-11/1974; submission from Children First to Task Force on Child Care Services, with cover letter to Senator MR from Anne Larkin, Secretary, Children First, 31/01/1975 which also mentions sudden death of Vera Stokes in previous October; 2nd progress report 12/1974-05/1975; Agenda for AGM, 28/05/1975 and 17/04/1978; Children First newsletters Winter 1975-6, Summer 1976, Autumn 1976, Winter 1976-7, Special issue on Proceedings of the Children First Conference on Substitute Parenting, Spring 1977 with supplement, Summer 1977, Autumn 1977, Winter 1977-8, Summer & Autumn 1978, Spring 1979 with supplement, Summer & Autumn 1979, Winter 1978-9 and Winter 1979-80; flyers for symposium "Working Together for our Sick and Handicapped Children", 18/11/1976, Children First seminar "From Birth to Three the Most Vulnerable Years", 03,04/11/1978, and flyer for Bernardo’s Adoption Advice Service, 197[?].
*Non anonymised case studies have been removed to closed file.
