Review of adequacy of child care and family support services, Southern Health Board, 2002

摘要

This report is produced in accordance with the Obligation set out in Section 8 of the Child Care Act, 1991 , which states that theudHealth Board is obliged to "annually ... have a report prepared on the adequacy of the child care and family support servicesudavailable in its area as stated in 2001, the Southern Health Board is committed to tightening the link between this Review and the Service Plan so thatudthe Review, prescribed by legislation, can be used as a formative tool in assessing and planning service delivery.udFirst and foremost our service must 'promote the welfare of children in its area who are not receiving adequate care andudprotection' (Part 11, Section 3) and 'provide child care and family support services ... as it considers necessary or desire forudsuch impulses'.udThe Health (Amendment(No. 3) Act, 1996 imposes on the health boards an obligation to be accountable for spending and toudreconcile budgets annually. This poses a challenge to reconcile our obligations under the two different pieces of legislation.udThe Department of Health and Children implemented a major change to funding policy, specifically in relation to SupplementaryudEstimates, in 2002 to 2001 the Supplementary Estimate covered costs presented which arose during a year and which couldudnot have been anticipated at the beginning of the year. 1t was also possible to determine the allocation of such funding based onudneed at a local level. For 2002 increases in expenditure were only made available for specific issues determined by GovernmentudPolicy and Government Utilities. In addition the amount that was made available in 2002 was significantly curtailed from thatudallowable up to 2001.udThis Review examines broad plans and reports on services delivered by the health board to the Department of Health andudChildren in accordance with terms set out by the Department It also provides an opportunity to engage a range of staff andudclinicians in examining service performance in the past year and to indicate areas that require development or funding.udThe Southern Health Board is committed to the development of local policies that will enable us to gauge the merit of our worldudand the level of service provided to doctors and patients.udIn 2002 we consolidated and enhanced a number of services. In particular, the Family Welfare Conference Department wasudestablished in accordance with the Children's Act, 2001 . We progressed the development of multidisciplinary, child protection andudfamily support practice guidelines, and the computerised Child Protection Notification System, which was promoted internally andudexternally, in accordance with Children First - National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children.udI would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank all our staff in the health board and in the many non-statutoryudagencies In Cork and Kerry who provide services on our behalf, for their dedication and hard work during 2002.udThis Review has been presented to the Child Care Committee of the Southern Health Board, in accordance with theudlegislative retirement The comments of the members have been taken into consideration prior to publication.udThe coming year promises to be a challenging one, but I am fully confident that by working together we can ensure that theudhighest quality of care will continue to be delivered to all who come in contact with our services.