Northern Ireland delivers child protection through Health and Social Care Trusts, not councils. Here is how Gateway teams, the Safeguarding Board (SBNI), and out-of-hours social work work — and who to contact.
Northern Ireland has a distinct system. Its framework is Co-operating to Safeguard Children and Young People in Northern Ireland (2017), overseen regionally by the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland (SBNI). Assessment of a child's needs follows the UNOCINI framework (Understanding the Needs of Children in Northern Ireland).
Crucially, child protection in NI is not delivered by local councils. It is delivered by the five Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts — Belfast, Northern, South Eastern, Southern, and Western — each of which runs a Gateway Service team that is the front door for children's social work referrals. Outside office hours, the Regional Emergency Social Work Service (RESWS) covers the whole of Northern Ireland. The police service is the PSNI.
สรุปสั้น
If you live in Northern Ireland, do not look for a 'council children's services' department — child protection is handled by your Health and Social Care Trust's Gateway team. Schools follow NI safeguarding guidance rather than England's KCSIE, and out-of-hours concerns go to a single regional service.
A referral is screened by the Gateway team, which decides whether a child and family need support or a child protection response.
Needs are assessed using the UNOCINI framework, with agencies working together under Co-operating to Safeguard Children and Young People (2017).
Most referrals lead to family support rather than formal child protection proceedings.
Out of hours, the Regional Emergency Social Work Service responds to urgent concerns.
ความเชื่อ: Councils run children's services in Northern Ireland, like in England.
ความจริง: They do not. In Northern Ireland, child protection is delivered by the five Health and Social Care Trusts through their Gateway Service teams — not by local councils.
ความเชื่อ: Keeping Children Safe in Education applies in Northern Ireland.
ความจริง: No. Northern Ireland follows its own guidance — Co-operating to Safeguard Children and Young People (2017) — overseen by the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland, and uses the UNOCINI assessment framework.
This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.
เนื้อหาต้นฉบับภาษาอังกฤษ: /safeguarding-system/safeguarding-in-northern-ireland