Independent Review of Northern Ireland’s Children's Social Care Services - consultation response

Our response

The College issued a response in December 2023 covering a broad range of the recommendations of the review. A brief summary of the RCPCH response below:

• RCPCH supports the recommendation around a Minister for Children and Families as it provides the opportunity to consider children and young people as a distinct population and place them at the centre of all policy making.
• The College highlights the need for a whole child approach to health and social care. RCPCH notes the need for no policy to be taken forward in isolation given the distinct vulnerabilities of children as a population.
• The ending of the Child Poverty Strategy led by the Department of Communities and the delay to a successor strategy for the population of Northern Ireland continues to impact our ability to ameliorate poverty and the subsequent impact on health and wellbeing.
• The College support the Review’s recognition of the success and contribution of Sure Start, along with other VCS family support services, and the recommendation that they should be expanded beyond deprivation indices borders and extended to children aged 4-10 years.
• The RCPCH is in full support of adequate, high quality, properly commissioned and person-centred approaches to transition particularly for young people with specific vulnerabilities as set out in the Review.

Download and read the response in full below.

We respond to a wide range of consultations to ensure that the College’s position, and ultimately children’s health, is represented. Members can get involved in current consultations by contacting the Ireland Team: enquiries.ireland@rcpch.ac.uk