Debate contribution: Children’s Social Care Services

Debate contribution by Ms Sian Mulholland on 8 October 2024.

MLA

Ms Sian Mulholland

Party at the time

Alliance Party

Date

8 October 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Committee Business

Heading

Children’s Social Care Services

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4581591

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I cannot help but feel an overwhelming sense of frustration and disappointment. It is 16 months since the publication of the independent review of children's social care services — the same length of time that it took Ray Jones to gather his evidence and compile that thorough report — yet here we are discussing the same issues with little or no tangible progress. The review's findings and recommendations were clear and painted a distressing picture of a system that intervenes too late, failing to offer support until a family is in crisis. Recommendation 2 emphasised the critical need to address child poverty through changes in our welfare system. Tackling poverty is an essential step in preventing children from being placed into care: we know that. We cannot continue to allow families to face the burden of poverty without providing them with the financial support that they need to care for their children. If we tackle poverty upstream, we reduce the need for social services' involvement downstream. Ray Jones's report emphasised that doing "the basics well" is a crucial foundation of any successful intervention. That means being reliable and respectful, thereby maintaining the trust in our social services. Unfortunately, many families interact with the system only when a crisis is imminent or under way. That is a fundamental failure of our current approach.

Thank you. I will come on to Sure Start later. The report called for cooperation between Departments and agencies to ensure that families do not fall through the cracks of a fragmented system. Sixteen months later, we are still waiting for that cooperation. We are still waiting for the early interventions across all Departments that can save families before they reach breaking point, and the lack of collaboration between agencies remains a significant barrier to delivering the effective and compassionate care that families so desperately need. That collaborative and supportive approach is key to creating a system that prioritises family welfare over crisis management. Recommendation 4 called for:

"more help for families to assist them to care well for their children."

That is more about assistance than confrontation. As Jones noted, "stability and continuity" are essential. Families should not have to deal with multiple social workers. They need consistent support to build a trusting relationship, something that is sorely lacking with the constant churn in personnel. As Mrs Dillon pointed out, recommendation 23 reminds us of the crucial role that early support programmes such as Sure Start play in keeping families together. My party believes strongly in the expansion of Sure Start to include children aged from four to 10. Family support should not be limited to children under three years of age. We need a system that addresses the needs of children and families beyond those early years and ensures that no family is left behind due to postcode lotteries or geographical barriers, particularly in rural areas such as my constituency. We acknowledge the complexities involved in implementing that expansion, but the principle is clear and aligns with our guiding theme, which is that social services should be based on family support. As we reflect on the challenges that children and families face across Northern Ireland, we must not lose sight of the crucial role that youth services play in preventing those crises. Youth services, especially those for care-experienced young people, such as Voice of Young People in Care (VOYPIC), must be a priority. Young people with care experience need access to services that are specifically tailored to their needs, services that provide stability, emotional support and guidance as they navigate the complexities of life without a stable family environment. We cannot allow those children to be left behind. At the same time, we must address the gap in general youth services. There is an urgent need to provide structured supportive environments for all young people, not just those in care, so that they have a safe place where they can grow and develop.

Those services are vital in helping to prevent issues before they escalate; again, it is about nipping it in the bud before there is any escalation that requires intervention from social services. Youth services for children in care, general youth services and family support are all essential elements of a compassionate and effective system. Families and children across Northern Ireland depend on us in the Chamber and you, Minister, to deliver those services. They cannot wait any longer, and nor should they.

739 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:12 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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