Care Matters
“We want all children and young people in Northern Ireland to fulfil
their potential. We must help them get the best possible start in life and do as well as they can”
Our Children and Young People – Our Pledge, OFMDFM 2006
In 2006, OFMDFM published a 10 year strategy for children and young
people, “Our Children and Young People – Our Pledge”, which seeks to achieve the following outcomes
for all children and young people;
- Being healthy;
- Enjoying, learning and achieving;
- Living in safety and with stability;
- Experience economic and environmental wellbeing;
- Contributing positively to community and society; and
- Living in a society which respects their rights.
It identifies that not all children have an equal start in life and
that targeted support should be available to particular groups to ensure that all young people have
the opportunity to fulfil their potential. It proposes a ‘whole child’ approach to ensure support
in each of these key areas.
In line with this principle, DHSSPS, in conjunction with other Government
Departments and voluntary sector partners, sought to develop a comprehensive strategy to better enable
care-experienced young people to achieve their potential and deliver improvements in their health, educational,
social, and economic outcomes.
Care Matters in Northern Ireland (CMNI) outlines
a strategic vision for wide-ranging improvements in services to children and young people in and on
the edge of care. It seeks to increase support for vulnerable children and improve outcomes for
care-experienced young people, by:
- increasing preventative services and support to help vulnerable families stay together;
- improving the range, quality and stability of placement options for children who cannot live at home;
- ensuring that HSC Trusts have the necessary arrangements in place to act as effective corporate parents for children in care;
- improving educational opportunities for children in care;
- providing children in care with opportunities to take part in activities outside school and care; and
- strengthening support to young people leaving care as they make the transition to adulthood.
The Care Matters Consultation
Care Matters NI (PDF 954KB) was launched for consultation
in March 2007 at a LACE (Looked After Children in Education) seminar. At the launch, the Minister
said:
“Children who are unable to live with their families are some of the
most vulnerable in society. They are entitled to a normal life like everyone else in society,
yet children in care often face uncertain futures. Care Matters seeks to
remove these uncertainties, build a bridge to the future and ensure that children in care can look ahead
with the same confidence as other children do in terms of their health, their education and employment
opportunities.”
A Young People's Guide to Care Matters (PDF 2.2MB)
was issued in June 2007 at a consultation event for care experienced children and young people jointly
hosted by DHSSPS and the Voice of Young People in Care. The consultation period closed on 3rd
September 2007.
Care Matters in Northern Ireland was fully endorsed
by the Northern Ireland Executive in September 2009. The Executive was asked to recognise the
State’s unique responsibilities to this vulnerable group of children and young people and acknowledge
that it is incumbent on all Departments and agencies to co-operate and take action to improve the life
experiences of these young people. At the same meeting the Executive agreed to the publication
of the Care Matters Consultation Summary Report.
