Multi-agency plan urged to enhance partnership approach to protecting children

The recommendation comes following a joint pilot inspection of child protection arrangements in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust area.

It examined how justice, health and social care and education organisations work together to protect children where there are concerns about risk of harm.

The inspection considered how police officers, health and social care professionals as well as teachers and education staff were supported in their work.

Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJI), the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) and the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) worked together for the first time for an inspection of this type.

It looked at the point or referral response when children aged 12 to 17 years were identified as being at risk of harm or in need of protection within the Southern Trust area.

Inspectors visited policing teams, social work and health care teams, including a hospital Emergency Department, and schools as well as speaking to staff.

Jacqui Durkin, Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland, said each inspectorate has different legislative powers and working practices, and were conscious of the pressures on frontline services.

In conclusion, the heads of the three Inspection bodies, including Briege Donaghy, chief executive of the RQIA, and Faustina Graham, chief inspector with the ETI, said they encouraged other areas to make use of the inspection findings to improve how children are protected elsewhere in Northern Ireland.

In a joint statement, they said they have asked police, the Education Authority and the Southern Trust to develop a multi-agency action plan for implementation to enhance their partnership approach to protecting children.

"We also hope the findings and learning from this joint pilot inspection of child protection arrangements will help the Departments of Health, Justice and Education develop a framework for child protection inspection in Northern Ireland," they said.