Centre for Children's Rights marks 10 years of Children's Services Co-operation Act
The Centre for Children's Rights, in partnership with the Children’s Law Centre, hosted an event to mark the tenth anniversary of the Children’s Services Co-operation Act (Northern Ireland) 2015.
The event, From Promise to Practice: Realising the Vision of the Children’s Services Co-operation Act, brought together senior government officials, children’s services providers, academics and representatives from the voluntary and community sectors to reflect on the origins of the Act, assess progress to date, and explore what needs to change to fully realise its potential.
The Children’s Services Co-operation Act was introduced to improve the well-being of children and young people by requiring Government departments and key agencies to work together more effectively. Ten years on, the event took stock of the achievements, highlighted the barriers to implementation, and renewed the focus on enhancing cross-departmental co-operation for the benefit of children.
Professor Bronagh Byrne, Director of the Centre for Children’s Rights at Queen's said:
“This Act was born from a recognition that children’s lives do not sit neatly within departmental silos. A decade later, that truth remains unchanged. This is an important moment to reflect on how far we have come, to consider those most affected and to identify what more must be done to ensure meaningful, joined-up action that genuinely improves children’s lives. We are delighted to partner with the Children’s Law Centre in marking this significant milestone.”
Fergal McFerran, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at the Children’s Law Centre said:
“For ten years, the Children’s Services Co-operation Act has represented a clear legislative commitment to prioritising children’s wellbeing through co-operation. Yet too many children and young people are still experiencing the consequences of fragmented systems and missed opportunities for collaboration.
“Children have been failed because the systems meant to protect them did not work together. Ten years on, children are still falling through the same gaps. We can’t keep saying things will change. We need to see it happen.”
The programme included contributions from those involved in the development of the Act, duty bearers reflecting on progress and children’s sector organisations highlighting where the lack of effective implementation continues to impact specific groups of children and young people. The day concluded with facilitated discussions on how to strengthen co-operation across government and services in the years ahead.
