Fostering
Guidance & Regulations
- Current Northern Ireland legislation relating to fostering includes:-
- The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995
- The Children (Private Arrangements for Fostering) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996
- The Foster Placement (Children) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996
- The Arrangements for Placement of Children (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996
- The Review of Children's Cases Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996
- The Placement of Children with Parents etc. Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996
- The Representations Procedure (Children) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996
Guidance
to HSS Boards and Trusts on fostering is contained within the "Guidance & Regulations Volume
3 - Family Placements and Private Fostering" which is available on the government website at www.nics.gov.uk/ni-direct/dhss/child/volume3.pdf
.
.Individual Health and Social Services Trusts may provide publications
tailored to aspects of foster care. The Fostering Network(Telephone: 028 90673441) also produces a series
of leaflets.
Priorities:
The development of family and child care services remains a priority
for the Department. Priorities for action for 2003/2004 include:
- Boards and Trusts should develop arrangements and agree initiatives with Education and Library Boards and schools so that by March 2004 there is a 15% increase in the number of children leaving care with recognised educational/vocational qualifications.
- Boards and Trusts should provide an extra 50 foster care places by December 2003.
