7th Floor Millennium House
19-25 Great Victoria Street
Belfast BT2 7AQ
Web: www.niscc.info
CCETSW (NI). 1997. Employment survey of newly qualified social workers in Northern Ireland. Belfast: CCETSW (NI).
The majority of social workers in the North of Ireland are employed by Health and Social Services Trusts within four Health and Social Services Boards. Each board covers a geographic area - north, south, east and west. There are 18 Trusts in total. The Health and Social Services Boards are commissioners of both health and social services whilst the Trusts are the principal statutory providers.
Services in the Trusts are delivered in programmes of care, which include family and child care (residential and field work), elderly care, learning disability, physical health and disability and mental health.
A professional social work qualification is a requirement for all social workers in field work posts, residential social work staff in children's homes and team leaders in residential child care. Approved social workers are required to complete the NI Approved Social Worker programme, which is part of the post-qualifying framework.
Information on Health and Social Services Boards, Trusts and related agencies can be found on the Health and Personal Social Services website: www.n-i.nhs.uk
North of Ireland: Health and Social Services Boards (with Trusts)
The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety funds the Health and Social Services Boards.
Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Castle Buildings, Stormont, Belfast BT4 3SJ. Tel: (028) 90520500. Fax: (028) 90520572. Web: www.dhsspsni.gov.uk
Please note that these structures are set to undergo significant change as a consequence of the Review of Public Administration. Refer to insert 2 for details of how these changes will affect health and social services structures.
The voluntary sector is the second biggest employer of social workers in the North of Ireland. Voluntary organisations work with a range of service users and receive funding from a variety of sources. Some voluntary agencies are contracted to provide specific services for community Trusts. Social work positions within this sector are wide-ranging and include criminal justice, learning disability, adults and children (residential and day care), elderly and mental health.
Voluntary Organisation Forum, 43 Marsden Gardens, Cavehill Road, Belfast BT15 5AL Tel: (028) 9075 1230. Fax: (028) 209300. E-mail: vof@caresector.net
Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action, 61 Duncairn Gardens, Belfast BT15 2GB. Tel: (028) 90877777. Fax: (028) 90877799. E-mail: nicva@nicva.org - Web: www.nicva.org
Disability Action Northern Ireland, Head Office, Portside Business Park, 189 Airport Road West, Belfast BT3 9ED. Tel: (028) 9029 7880. Fax: (028) 9029 7881. E-mail: hq@disabilityaction.org - Web: www.disabilityaction.org
Bogues, S. 1998. Social Work and the Voluntary Sector. Social Work and Social Change in Northern Ireland - issues for contemporary practice . Belfast: CCETSW (NI).
Criminal justice services for adults and young people are delivered through both the statutory and voluntary sectors.
The Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI) is a statutory agency funded by the NIO. The aim of the PBNI is to help reduce crime and the harm it does. PBNI also funds voluntary agencies such as Extern and NIACRO to provide services to offenders and their families.
Probation Officers, who are qualified social workers, are employed by PBNI and work in a number of settings such as communities, courts, prisons and hostels. The Probation Officer is involved with the court, supervision of offenders and work with offenders in prison.
The purpose of a Probation Officer is primarily to:
The Youth Justice Agency was established in 2003 by the NIO from a recommendation in the Criminal Justice Review 2000. It is funded by the Northern Ireland Office to protect the public by preventing offending and reoffending by children. It delivers a range of services, often in partnership with others, to help children address their offending behaviour, divert them from crime, assist their integration into the community, and to meet the needs of victims of crime. The YJA employs social workers in three areas of service; Community Service Projects, Restorative Youth Conferencing, and Custodial services in the form of the Juvenile Justice Centre for Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Office, Stormont Castle, Stormont Estate, Belfast BT4 3TT. Tel: (028) 90520700. Fax: (028) 90528195. E-mail: press.nio@nics.gov.uk - Web: www.nio.gov.uk
Probation Board for Northern Ireland, 80-90 North Street, Belfast, BT1 1LD. Tel: (028) 90262400. Fax: (028) 90262470. E-mail: info@pbni.org.uk - Web: www.pbni.org.uk
The Youth Justice Agency of Northern Ireland, Corporate Headquarters, 41-43 Waring Street, Belfast BT1 2DY Tel: 028 9031 6400. Fax: 028 9031 6402/3. E-mail: info@yjani.gov.uk - Web: www.youthconferenceserviceni.gov.uk
NIACRO, 4-8 Amelia St, Belfast, BT2 7GS. E-mail: info@niacro.co.uk - Web: www.niacro.co.uk
Extern, Hydepark House, 54 Mallusk Road, Newtownabbey, BT36 4WU. Tel: (028) 90840555. Fax: (028) 90847333. E-mail: info@extern.org - Web: www.extern.org.uk
Social workers in education are employed in five Education and Library Boards and are known as Education Welfare Officers.
Belfast Education and Library Board Web: www.belb.org.uk
Western Education and Library Board Web: www.welbni.org
Northern Education and Library Board Web: www.neelb.org.uk
South-Eastern Education and Library Board Web: www.seelb.org.uk
Southern Education and Library Board Web: www.selb.org
Please note that these structures are set to undergo significant change as a consequence of the Review of Public Administration. Further information can be obtained from the Department of Education, www.deni.gov.uk
Other possible areas of employment
Social workers also work in a variety of posts that are not designated for social workers but where a social work qualification can be advantageous. Such areas include social care services and community work.
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