This submission from Barnardo's Northern Ireland was prepared for the Independent Review of Children's Social Care Service in Northern Ireland.
With more than 45 different services and programmes, including work in over 200 schools, Barnardo’s NI provides prevention and early intervention services, family support work and specialist services to support children and families with a range of needs. Central to our approach to improving the lives of children and families, is listening to their experiences and using this evidence to develop our policy positions.
As part of this commitment and to inform the response to the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care Services, Barnardo’s NI commissioned Stats & Stories to consult with Barnardo’s NI staff, children, young people, parents and carers on their experiences of children’s social care services and their thoughts on what changes are needed in the future. Specific attention was given to consulting participants on the proposals by the Independent Review around the creation of one regional organisation for Children’s Services and the increased use of multi-disciplinary teams. The findings of this summary paper explore the multiple perspectives of Barnardo’s NI staff, children, young people, parents and carers.