Family & Community Government Policy & Strategies entries for Northern Ireland include strategy documents which inform current and future policy.
Time for action on perinatal mental health care in Northern Ireland
During the perinatal period, from pregnancy up to a year after birth, women can be affected by a number of mental health problems. These include: anxiety, depression and postnatal psychotic disorders. If perinatal mental illnesses go untreated they can have long-term implications for the well-being of women, their babies and families.
This report looks at the perspectives of health visitors and midwives in Northern Ireland who provide a universal service to women and families during the perinatal period. It describes their experiences of identifying and responding to women and families affected by perinatal mental illness. The report highlights considerable challenges that are impacting on the primary care being provided to women and families in Northern Ireland.
Parents’ and carers’ working together to prevent the sexual abuse of disabled children
Children and young people who have disabilities are at an increased risk of being abused compared with their non-disabled peers (Jones et al, 2012).
Seeking the views and expertise of parents and carers is a vital part of understanding what we need to do to help keep disabled children safe from sexual abuse.
We wanted to find out what parents and carers of disabled children think about:
- the most effective ways to keep their children safe from sexual abuse and where they feel they need more support
- how they have conversations with their children about sexual abuse
- who they go to for advice and support and how they would like professionals and other community groups to engage with them on preventing child sexual abuse.
How safe are our children?
For the past six years our annual How safe are our children? report has compiled and analysed data from across the UK to show the current child protection landscape.
This year, for the first time, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have taken on this task, with the first edition of its compendium of child abuse data sources for England and Wales due in winter 2019/20.
We have taken this opportunity to refocus our 2019 report on statistics relating to the issue of online abuse.
Contribution of the Voluntary, Community and Independent Early Years Sector in Northern Ireland
Early Years research highlights sector as significant economic driver
Early Years and iReach Market Research launched a robust and representative assessment of the contribution of the voluntary and independent childcare and education sector to the Northern Ireland economy and society.
This is the first comprehensive assessment of such early childhood provision in Northern Ireland.
Workforce Development Sector Survey 2017
The Workforce Development Survey 2017 was designed, developed, implemented and analysed by Early Years – the organisation for young children, on behalf of the Childcare Partnerships.
The purpose of the survey was to:
- Clarify the availability of childcare places and their location across Northern Ireland.
- Profile the current qualifications held by early years practitioners.
- Identify future training and qualification needs.
- Inform and support the development of early years policy, including the Executive Childcare Strategy.
- Facilitate the development of a business case aimed at supporting sectoral need.