BASW NI briefs Northern Ireland Assembly Health and Justice Committees
The Association was called to provide oral briefings to the Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Health concerning the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care and to the Committee for Justice regarding the Justice Bill.
Former Chair of BASW NI and Chair of the BASW UK Independents’ Committee, Orlaith McGibbon, represented BASW NI before the Justice Committee. Issues Orlaith highlighted the Association’s views on included the retention of biometric data for children and young people aged under 18 charged with or convicted of a crime, and proposed changes to bail and custody conditions for young people.
Speaking following the session at Parliament Buildings, Ms McGibbon said: “Social workers play a key role in the youth justice and probation services. I welcome the Justice Committee’s interest in exploring the social work perspective on the provisions of the Justice Bill.
“Ensuring the Bill delivers fairness for young people, particularly young people in the care system, is vital. We must avoid retaining biometric data for looked after children convicted of minor offences. Keeping this data on record into adulthood can leave young people feeling labelled as future offenders. It is also vital that the Bill goes further to legislate for alternative bail accommodation for young people aged under 18.”
Speaking about the youth custody and supervision orders which would be introduced by the Bill Ms McGibbon said: “Where a child has committed an offence it is vital the new orders provide all necessary opportunities for practitioners to work with the child, their family and community to support them and avoid a return to custody.”
BASW NI Chair, Professor Davy Hayes, led the Association’s delegation which provided evidence to the Committee for Health. The session was an opportunity for the Association to outline its support for the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care aim to shift children’s services away from an approach primarily characterised by child protection towards one focused on early intervention to improve support for children and families. It also stressed the importance of creating a region-wide children’s and families Arms-Length Body to lead the planning and delivery of children’s services. This is needed to ensure services receive sufficient strategic focus and resourcing.
Speaking after giving evidence to the Health Committee, Professor Hayes said: “To move from our current child protection focused model, services must be resourced, structured and staffed in a manner which enables social workers to spend more time in direct engagement with children and families, understanding their needs and providing support which addresses the challenges families face.
“We need to see improved funding for services in both the statutory and voluntary sectors and regional consistency in service delivery across Northern Ireland. Furthermore, it is essential we follow a human-rights informed approach in pursuing a reset and refocus in children’s services.”
Professor Hays finished by saying: “The Health Committee’s focus on the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care is very welcome. It is clear members of the Committee share BASW NI’s frustration at the lack of progress made in implementing the recommendations of the Review.
“A year and a half on from the publication of the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care report, the number of children in care continues to grow and the social work workforce crisis remains largely unaddressed. Now is the time for action from the Department of Health to deliver meaningful change for the children and families who use services and the social workers who support them.”
Contact:
Andy McClenaghan, BASW NI Public Affairs, Policy and Communications Lead
07702 517560 / a.mcclenaghan@basw.co.uk