Children Involved With Social Services Departments

Children may become involved with social services departments in a range of circumstances including after a request has been made by parents for family support services, where concerns about child protection are raised, where children are taken into care and are being ‘looked after’ by the local authority, or where a child is placed for adoption.

Local authorities have primary responsibility for providing these services but it is expected that there will be inter agency co-operation between health services, the police and social services to protect the interest of children in need of support services. In recent years there has been a range of initiatives designed to improve children’s services.