childcare-50years

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1 recognition of the effect of the ongoing political violence in Northern Ireland and that so many children grow up in a society never knowing alternatives to violent and socially aggressive behaviour. If the Maria Colwell Inquiry was to have a major impact on policy and legislation, the Hughes Inquiry (1986) into Kincora Boys Home in Belfast was to have the same in Northern Ireland. The media publicity and outcry following the revelation of abuse of boys by staff caused the Black Report (1979) to be placed on the 'back burner' in the light of a lengthy legal inquiry. The shock to public and professionals alike was twofold - firstly, that vulnerable children were being sexually abused and secondly, that staff trusted with their care were carrying out such acts. There followed in the 1980s further revelations not just in Northern Ireland but across Great Britain and Ireland as to how paedophiles had used the residential child care system to gain access to young people. Hughes introduced a number of important changes to the recruitment and management systems in residential homes together with improved 'check' arrangements with the police. There was also an emphasis on improving the training, qualifications and pay to staff working in this difficult and extremely demanding area of child care. Residential children's homes no longer provided for young children but rather for young people with a range of social and emotional problems - some traumatised by sexual abuse in childhood. The 1980s and early 1990s saw greater emphasis on improving the procedures for staff engaged in child protection work. This included the development of protocols and joint training with the police. It was vital that both groups of professionals understood their respective responsibilities and worked in close collaboration. Legislation and policy 1990 to date In 1991 the United Kingdom adopted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This was a further landmark in the development of child care services as it was to influence the 50 YEARS OF CHILD CARE IN NORTHERN IRELAND 12
1 forthcoming Children Order (NI) in 1995. The Convention established that children had specific rights in law and that these should be enshrined in legislation. The 1995 Order has been described as one of the most significant pieces of social legalisation of the 20th century. If the Acts of 1902 and 1908 heralded the dawn of a new era of legislative protection and care for children, the 1995 Order was to place children's needs and rights in law in an entirely new domain. The focus of the Order was about acknowledging children with individual needs. Some of these may be universal, others will be specific. The need for children to be listened to and their statements and opinions accepted was now recognised. Greater emphasis was to be placed on collaboration across a wide range of agencies and a partnership with parents. There was to be a greater shift towards prevention and family support. This philosophy has also influenced the approach towards adoption. The principle of ‘freeing’ older children for adoption has been introduced. This has encouraged social workers to consider alternatives to fostering and residential care for children who may spend a lengthy period of time in the public care. New policies and legislation continue to emerge as our knowledge and understanding of the needs of children grow. The Northern Ireland Assembly, the Executive and the Minister have made a number of important commitments which should lead to further improvements in the life opportunities and well-being of children. The period 1950-2000 has been of major importance in the care and protection of children in our society. Following World War II the public was determined to provide a better future for all children and especially those caught in poverty and living in deprived communities. There began a period of sustained development in which new policies and legislation have emerged. These have laid the foundation of a modern child welfare service free at delivery, universal in approach and committed to provide children and their families with the best possible help and support. 50 YEARS OF CHILD CARE IN NORTHERN IRELAND 13
Page 1: 50 A Better Future 40 30 20 10 Depa
Page 5 and 6: PREFACE There is both an acceptance
Page 7: Finally, I am indebted to Mr Selwoo
Page 10 and 11: 1 decisions, taken in the late 1940
Page 12 and 13: 1 1946 which resulted in the Childr
Page 17 and 18: Chapter FOSTER CARE 2 Background an
Page 19 and 20: 2 adequacy of the supply of foster
Page 21 and 22: 2 residential care to children wher
Page 23 and 24: Both these issues were addressed in
Page 25 and 26: 2 "On balance and taking into accou
Page 27 and 28: 2 Numbers of children fostered and
Page 29 and 30: 2 Safeguarding children in foster c
Page 31 and 32: 2 Prior to the adoption of the Nati
Page 33 and 34: 2 • encourages partnership workin
Page 35 and 36: 2 "The most important general issue
Page 37 and 38: 2 The main achievements in foster c
Page 39: 2 The Human Rights Act 1998, also b
Page 42 and 43: 3 Adoption of Children Act (NI) 192
Page 44 and 45: The social context to 1947 3 Povert
Page 46 and 47: The management and structure of ado
Page 48 and 49: 3 cent were under 2 years. Third pa
Page 50 and 51: 3 baby boy: the child's mother did
Page 52 and 53: 3 The management and structure of a
Page 54 and 55: 3 Adoption (NI) Order 1987 however
Page 56 and 57: 3 figures available show that in 19
Page 58 and 59: 3 situations, Catholic lists remain
Page 60 and 61: 3 The Adoption Allowances Regulatio
Page 62 and 63: 3 population) had been freed or wer
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3 Table 4 - Number of children adop
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3 could be assured within the law t
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adoption. In the near future, few p
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3 The post placement and post adopt
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3 professional responsibility for s
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3 Church of Ireland Adoption Societ
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3 • the establishment of speciali
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4 During the 1950s the main concern
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4 • every attempt was to be made
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4 failed, however, to anticipate th
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4 "Boards should seek to reduce the
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4 taken to ensure that these childr
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4 Practice, however, soon establish
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4 • the need for a complaints pro
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4 Kincora, as early as 1967, there
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4 • there were social, economic a
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4 Table 7 - Number of children in c
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4 The Child Welfare Council Report
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4 within homes as a consequence of
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4 The past 50 years have, therefore
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4 The devolved administration, the
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Chapter 5 JUVENILE OFFENDING Develo
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5 • the view that imprisonment wa
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5 the order did not appear as a cri
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5 Having commenced with a small gro
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5 The decline in numbers of young p
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5 considerably, juvenile liaison bu
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5 years the percentage of cases giv
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3. Working with young offenders req
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5 remanded or placed in a secure un
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Chapter DISABLED CHILDREN Introduct
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6 In the absence of a full and read
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6 in Northern Ireland designed to p
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6 are known are receiving either ca
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6 other conditions. This became the
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6 cent of children who fell within
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6 Sixteen percent of parents said t
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6 The treatment of handicapping con
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6 Nursing Team) and the Children's
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6 The 1950 Children and Young Perso
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6 them) her young siblings made a j
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6 Legislation and the development o
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6 based homes and hostels. Some chi
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6 The Children Order was implemente
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6 In an ever-changing social contex
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Chapter 7 CHILD PROTECTION Origins
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7 the 1908 Act did not allow such a
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7 under the supervision of a probat
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7 Boards to set up registers on chi
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7 supposed satanic abuse in the Ork
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7 can be uncomfortable to the profe
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7 Work like this is not given much
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7 Alongside these educational progr
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7 the responsibility of one agency
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Chapter SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION & TRA
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8 basic qualification in social wor
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8 proposed a two year generic socia
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8 in Residential Care for Children
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8 CCETSW's report "Care for Tomorro
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• high expectations are placed on
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8 people that are involved across a
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8 7. Since the 1990s there has been
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9 Because our society is in the pro
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9 specific commitment to improve co
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9 who wish to work in the care serv
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9 establish a contract with SCIE to
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BIBLIOGRAPHY • ‘Adoption of Chi
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• Department of Health, ‘Adopti
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• O’Halloran, K. ‘Adoption La
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• Tresiliotis, J. Shireman, J. an
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ISBN 0-946932-07-7 Published by: De
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