A Northern Ireland health visitor put vulnerable children at risk of harm after failing to act to protect them from violent and alcoholic parents, it has emerged.

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust “failed in its duty of care” towards an allegedly sexually abused child, the NI Ombudsman claims.

Fostering People, a non-statutory foster care agency, has launched its services in Dublin to meet the needs of vulnerable children and young people living in the city.

Northern Ireland’s pensioners face a substantial bill to pay for a social care system that is broken and in need of urgent reform, according to a leading business consultancy.

A proposed Quality Strategy for NI’s health and social care sector has been launched.

Children across Northern Ireland are to benefit from a new service specialising in helping them come to terms with a trauma in their lives.

A total of 266 people die from alcohol abuse in Northern Ireland every year, according to the British Medical Association NI.

The Executive has been accused of lagging behind the rest of the UK in delivering children’s rights in Northern Ireland.

Health Minister Edwin Poots has denied there has been a cover-up of abuse at two hospitals in Northern Ireland.

Two-thirds of girls in care homes in Northern Ireland are at risk of sexual exploitation, a survey has suggested.