THE SYSTEM for children in care needs to focus more on early intervention in order to improve outcomes for children at risk, the head of a State advisory body on children said yesterday.
Aidan Browne, chief executive of the Children Acts Advisory Board, which advises the Government on the implementation of legislation relating to minors, said the current system had a heavy emphasis on child protection.
However, he said alternative approaches had demonstrated that the needs of vulnerable families could be met more quickly and effectively through early intervention and addressing the real welfare needs of children.
The Irish Times reported last month that health authorities were unable to respond adequately to hundreds of cases of children at risk as a result of understaffing of social work teams and waiting lists.
Mr Browne said other jurisdictions had similar experiences with escalating numbers of children referred to the statutory system, placing services under extreme pressure despite investment in the sector.
Studies had shown that a large proportion of such cases required a welfare-oriented response, such as support for parents, and did not require a child-protection response, he said.
