One year after the publication of a major report into children’s social care services in Northern Ireland, its author has warned more children will end up in care without action.
Professor Ray Jones spent 18 months on the review which involved speaking to children in care, social workers and many more to understand the situation in Northern Ireland.
He found that a record high of more than 4,000 children were on waiting lists for social care, with many waiting over a year.
In recent weeks, social care workers for children’s services in the Belfast Trust area took strike action over crippling workforce shortages they said were put vulnerable children at risk as more families deteriorated into crisis.