Promoting Quality Care; Rights and Responsibilities of Service Users and Providers; The Children Act 1989

Outline of Act

Local Authorities and Social Services Departments are required by the Children Act, 1989 to act together to provide services and support for children, young people and their families, including disabled children.

The act covers children and young people, all under the age of eighteen.

The key features of the act are:

• to protect children who are at risk, known as the paramouncy principle.
• children have the right to beheard.
• children's wishes have to be taken into consideration.
• support to be provided to keep families togter where this is at all possible.

Outline of Act

The physical, emotional and educational needs of the child must be considered when  a child must be considered when a child protection case is being discussed.

Decisions have to be reached as to whether the paremnts have the ability to meet these needs caring for the child.

The panel of professionals, who have responsibility for the child or children, have to take into account any harm that the child is caused and the risk that they are associated with this.

They also considered whether any circumstances have changed for the child and whether such changes could have a positive or negative effect on the child.

Outline of Act

The services provided under the children Act, 1989 can include:

• social work.
• help with housing and support.
• equipment and adaptations.
• occupational therapists or other specialists.
• short term breaks.
• counselling.
• interpreters.
• an advocate or representative for individuals or families.

Outline of Act

The main purposes of child protection are to keep a child safe and secure, protecting the child from harm.

Children now have to be kept informed abot what is likely to happen to them and their opinions should be sought, particularly if decisions are to made that will affect their future.

The local authorities have a statutory duty to investigate any reported cases of child abuse in order to protect the child from harm.

Abuse could be in the form of verbal, sexual, physical and emotional punishment and torture.

Outline of Act

When the child protection conference is convened a decision may be made to place the child being discussed on the child protection register.

This means that both the child and their parents are then supported by Social Services to try and avoid any future difficulties.

An approved social worker is often provided to help with such responsibilities.

As a result of the Children Act 1989 the county court has the ability to protect a child by making it a ward of court and placing it under the protection of the court and the official Solicitor.

They also have the ability to make orders that can remove a child safely or take other protective action.

Strengths of the Children Act, 1989:

• As a result of the Act children are prtoected from harm through the 'paramouncy' principle.
• Children are able to express their preferences and views and these have to be 'listened to' or taken into consideration.
• Parents have 'responsibilities' which they must accept.
• The local authority must work in partnership with parents.
• Children have 'rights'. People who are dealing with children cannot just 'do things to them' or 'make arrangements for them', without their consent or without listening to their opinion.
• Details are provided about the circumstances under which children can be 'taken into care', but it is clear that such action should only be taken as a last resort.

Weaknesses of the Children Act, 1989:

• There is little accountability of social care workers involved in cases. In other words, social worers are not held to account by others outside of their department.
• Court cases that involve child protection are heard privately so there can be no public scrutiny of procedures.
• Children under the age of ten years are not considered to be old enough to be held accountable, for example, of committing a criminal offence,