THE HEALTH Service Executive has appointed a new national director for child and family services as part of a drive to improve child protection services.
Gordon Jeyes, who was the UK’s first director of children’s services and has provided advice to governments in Scotland and at Westminster, will report directly to the HSE chief executive.
The services have been the subject of considerable negative publicity over poor standards for children in care and the number of young people who have died while in care or known to social services.
In a statement yesterday, the HSE said the two-year post had been established to “lead organisational and cultural change” in child and family services.
A critical role for Mr Jeyes will be the delivery of a service that focuses on providing a “safe and high-quality child protection service which is consistent with our statutory obligations”, the HSE added.
Minister for Children Barry Andrews, who pledged to the Dáil last June that such a post would be created, welcomed the appointment last night.
He said an independent consultant’s report last year had clearly established the need for strong managerial leadership in the area of children’s services.
Health Service Executive chief executive Cathal Magee also welcomed the appointment and said Mr Jeyes would bring a “requisite strong focus and leadership to the development of child and family services”.
