Perspectives from practice: Part two of the c.c.c.r. family support research

Abstract

There is general agreement that a central challenge from Northern Ireland's legislation, the Children (N.I.) Order 1995, is to refocus both assessment of need and provision of services in such a way that family support, incorporating child protection, becomes the defining characteristic of the child care system. This new policy direction is endorsed by the Department for Health and Social Services (D.H.S.S.) Regional Strategy for Health and Social Welfare 1997 - 2002 (D.H.S.S. 1996, 1997). This is also a policy direction for which there is considerable professional support. Alongside recognition of the importance of the policy direction and the considerable commitment to it, goes the question of how long it will take to achieve and indeed whether or not it can be achieved. To make a contribution to answering those questions is the aim of the Northern Ireland Family Support research study being undertaken by the Centre for Child Care Research (a partnership between Queen's University of Belfast, the D.H.S.S. and the four Health and Social Services Boards).