A new Government advisory board is being established to help provide more co-ordinated health and social services to children at risk.
The lack of co-operation between various agencies in areas such as health, justice and social work has long been identified as a major failing in providing timely support to vulnerable young people.
The new Children Acts Advisory Board (CAAB) will advise the Minister for Children on policy issues relating to the effective delivery of services to children.
It replaces the old Special Residential Services Board, which provided advice on children on remand or in detention.
The new body will have a broader remit, offering advice on children in care and the legal representation of children in the justice system.
Finbarr O'Leary, deputy chief executive of the new board, said: "Children will benefit from the enhanced and integrated services available as a result of our facilitation; inter-agency working, research and co-operative style of operation in bringing various services together to achieve better outcomes for at risk children."
Among the Children Acts Advisory Board's key functions will be:
* Advising the Minister on policy issues relating to the co-ordinated delivery of services under the Child Care Act 1991 and the Children Act 2001;
* Reporting on the level and nature of residential accommodation and support services to children detained in children's detention schools and special care units;
* Publishing criteria for the admission of children to and discharge from special care units subject to special care and interim special care orders in consultation with the Health Service Executive;
* Giving its views on any proposal of the Health Service Executive to apply for a special care order;
* Preparing reports on child care court proceedings that can be used as an evidence based approach to policymaking.
The establishment of the new body is the latest in a series of reforms to the justice and welfare systems for children at risk.
In one of his last acts as minister for children, Brian Lenihan announced that the remaining sections of the Children's Act (2001) would be implemented over the coming months. These include providing greater alternatives to detention for young people in trouble with the law, such as community sanctions.
