Committee hears child protection appeal

The children's charity, the NSPCC is calling for greater investment, a new strategic direction and a strengthened child protection system in Northern Ireland.

Representatives from the charity are to give evidence to the Assembly Health Committee inquiry into child protection services.

The inquiry was set up following the death of a baby girl from shaken baby syndrome in west Belfast earlier this year.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children has published a 50-page report to coincide with the assembly committee's inquiry, Protecting Children in Northern Ireland: Challenging Priorities.

We have a poor record on child protection and higher levels of child protection registration figures

Ian Elliot NSPCC

The publication looks at a range of changes the charity would like to see made to the structure of the child protection system in Northern Ireland as well as a number of key developments to policy and practice.

Ian Elliott, NSPCC Divisional Director, said the inquiry was extremely important and long overdue.

"We have a poor record on child protection and higher levels of child protection registration figures when compared to England.

"Much of this can be directly related to the lack of investment and political direction under direct rule.

"Currently we have a situation where we invest, on average, 40 % less in family and childcare and this is reflected in under development of preventative services in particular".

Recommendations

Mr Elliott said funding was only one element of the problem and the province urgently needed to develop a range of structural, policy and practice areas in child protection.

He added: "The protection of children in Northern Ireland is something which must be given the highest priority by the executive and a responsibility that cuts across a range of government departments."

The charity said there were many challenges ahead and Mr Elliot made a series of recommendations including:

The need for the DHSSPS to develop a clear strategic plan for child protection and that the newly established Child Protection Review Group provides a strong departmental focus for child protection;

The creation of a Departmental Taskforce to develop a comprehensive, coherent and properly funded regional strategy on prevention and family support;

Strengthening the role of Area Child Protection Committees (ACPCs) by placing them on a statutory basis and ensuring that lessons from Case Management Reviews are adequately disseminated throughout Northern Ireland;

Establishment of a Child Death Review Team and processes to examine in a multi-agency way, the unexplained deaths of children;

Creation of multi agency interdisciplinary 'Child Safeguarding Teams' to bring together all local agencies for the assessment and investigation into children's welfare;

Ensuring that priority is given to the development of innovative services to help children protect themselves.

Mr Elliott is also to outline the NSPCC's recommendations around policy and practice areas.