McGimpsey emphasises commitment to strengthening services to vulnerable children and families

Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey has reaffirmed his commitment to protecting vulnerable children and families.

Noting the publication of the Children Order Statistical Bulletin 2008 today, the Minister said: “The figures published today reflect the increasing demands placed on Family and Childcare Services in Northern Ireland. We all have a duty to ensure that our children receive the greatest level of protection possible, which is why I fought so hard to secure extra money during the Budget negotiations.

“The additional £10million I allocated to improving services to vulnerable children and families in 2008-11 reflects my commitment to safeguarding and supporting those who are most in need within our society.

“This investment is enabling much-needed improvements in family support services, adoption, foster care, children’s residential care and services to young people leaving care. The funding is linked to a range of ambitious targets which seek to ensure that the money directly benefits the children and families concerned.”

He added: “In addition, child protection services continue to undergo a substantial programme of reform. My recent announcement of a further investment of £3.5million to create around 70 extra posts in Health and Social Care highlights my commitment to strengthen safeguards for our most vulnerable children.

“We continue to take a holistic view of safeguarding and therefore understand the need to invest not only in child protection services, but also in areas such as family support, adoption and leaving care. This will help to ensure that problems are not simply displaced within the system. We will continue to look at the needs of the whole system and not just one part of it."

Notes to Editors:

1. The Department’s £10million investment in 2008-11 includes:

• £4.65million for Family Support Services to strengthen preventative services to avoid difficulties escalating into more serious problems. The funding will allow family support interventions to be provided to an additional 3,500 vulnerable children each year by March 2011.
• £650,000 in Child Protection Gateway Teams to identify the most appropriate course of action in respect of children who come to the attention of social services.
• £2.15million has been allocated to support young care-leavers. This includes:
• £300,000 to help Preparation for Adulthood;
• £350,000 to enable more young people to remain living with their former foster carers after they turn 18;
• £500,000 to establish specialist (16+) Transition Teams; and
• £1 million for the development of leaving care services to support positive outcomes.

2. The funding supports the Department’s targets to increase the number of care leavers living with their former foster carers or supported by family and increasing the proportion of care leavers in education, training or employment.

• Funding of £350,000 to develop trauma-sensitive approaches in residential children’s homes across Northern Ireland;
• £1.2million to recruit more specialist salaried foster carers; and
• £1million invested in adoption services to facilitate the development of specialist regional adoption services – including dedicated support services for everyone affected by adoption.

3. The Department has introduced a wide range of reforms aimed at strengthening child protection services, supported by investments of over £1million into child protection teams over the past two years and the creation of expert Principal Practitioner posts in each HSC Trust to provide support to less experienced members of staff.

4. There are currently over 420 staff working in HSC Trust Gateway and Family Intervention Teams. Gateway Teams are responsible for initial assessment of referrals made to Social Services whilst Family Intervention Teams deal with the longer-term needs of those that have been referred.

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