Children and Young people

National Children's Standards

National Standards for Children’s Residential Centres were produced by the Department of Health and Children (DoHC). These standards set out how children should be looked after in social care centres including children’s centres, foster care, and special care units.

Inspectors from the Authority visit the centres to check that children are being looked after properly, as outlined by the standards. The standards tell children and parents what they should expect from these services.

We are reviewing the standards for special care units which we will be registering and inspecting by the end of 2012.

The current standards for children and young people are presented as:

• National Standards for Children’s Residential Centres
• National Standards for Special Care Units
• National Standards for Foster Care

Information can be found on the different standards below:

National Standards for Children’s Residential Centres, DoHC

We inspect children’s services against the National Standards for Children’s Residential Centres, produced by the Department of Health and Children, to ensure that each child or young person has the protection and care necessary for his or her well being. Standards cover matters such as the premises, purpose and function, health and safety, management and staffing, planning and review arrangements for care of the children, the quality of care provided, children's rights, child protection, education and vocational training, health care and health education, exercise of control, record keeping and the extent of parental involvement in the care and upbringing of the children.

There is also a children's version and a version for young people.

National Standards for Special Care Units, DoHC

The National Standards for Special Care Units were produced by the Department of Health and Children and cover special care units - centres where children may be detained on foot of a 'Special Care Order' as defined by the Children’s Act 2000.

The standards are based on legislation and the National Standards for Children's Residential Centres. The Authority’s Social Services Inspectorate inspects against these standards every year, to ensure that each young person in the special care units has the protection and care necessary for his or her well-being.

National Standards for Foster Care, DoHC

The National Standards for Foster Care were produced by the Department of Health and Children in 2003 and apply to foster care services provided under the Child Care (Placement of Children in Foster Care) Regulations, 1995 and the Child Care (Placement of Children with Relatives) Regulations, 1995.

Children’s version of the standards

A children's version of the standards has also been produced, called the Children's book about Foster Care.