The Department of Health has announced a Review of how social care services for children and families are delivered in Northern Ireland. The Review will take over a year to complete, and will be led by Professor Ray Jones, and supported by a professional Advisory Group.
It is really important that the review hears from those with experience of these services. In April 2022, VOYPIC established the Experts by Experience Reference Group, made up of over twenty young people from across Northern Ireland with lived experience of the services being reviewed.
But, the Review needs to hear as wide a range of voices as possible!
To make sure this happens, VOYPIC is delivering a series of workshops for those with lived experience of all the services being considered by the Review.
The services being reviewed are:
– Early Years Services;
– Family Support Services/ Family Intervention Service
– Gateway Services;
– Family Intervention Services;
– Looked After Children’s Services (including residential care, foster care and kinship care);
– 14/16+ Services (Leaving and After Care Services);
– Adoption Services;
– Personal social care services provided to children with a disability, including physical and sensory disability services, learning disability services, autism services, ADHD services and the provision of short breaks; and
– CAMHS to the extent that those services integrate with wider Children’s Services to create a support system for vulnerable children
We are hosting a series of workshops on Wednesday 24 August 2022, at the Dunsilly Hotel, Antrim. To book your place, click the relevant flyer below!
Light refreshments will be served at all workshops.
There will be a crèche facility onsite for those needing childcare, but this must be booked in advance.
We can also provide help with transport, if required. Please contact us for information.
If you have any questions or need any assistance, please contact Brenda or Nicola on 028 9024 4888.
We want the Review to hear from care experienced young parents.
This means any young person, up to 25 years old, who has experience of care (foster care, kinship care, children’s home, and/or living at home on a Care Order), and is now a parent.
We want to hear about supports for young parents in and leaving care, supports for their children, and how this can be improved.
To book your place, click the flyer and complete the short registration form!
We want the Review to hear from young people across Northern Ireland with lived experience of care.
This means any young person, up to 25 years old, who has experience living with foster cares, living with members of their extended family (kinship care), living in children’s homes, and/or living at home on a Care Order.
With our friends at Barnardo’s and Action for Children, we want the Review to hear from young carers.
This means any young person, up to 25 years old, who looks after a parent or other family member, taking on duties that adults usually handle.
We want the Review to hear from care experienced adults.
This means any adult, over 25 years old, who has experience of care, including foster care, kinship care, children’s homes, and/or living at home on a Care Order.
We want to hear about your experiences of care and leaving care, how this can be improved for young people today.
If you have any questions or would like to talk to someone about the workshops. please call Nicola or Brenda on 028 9024 4888.
