Social workers who forcibly removed three children from their mother acted unlawfully, the High Court has ruled.

An investigation into the case handling of two notorious paedophile brothers has been passed to independent experts, the health minister has announced.

The Northern Ireland Association of Social Workers (NIASW) has written to the Stormont government to offer a stark warning that ‘if further cuts are made to frontline social work services the most vulnerable people in our society will suffer and some will die’.

UK parents with autistic children are missing out on the support they are required to receive from social services, it has been claimed.

SOCIAL workers who handled the case of two paedophile brothers who controversially returned to live in the village where they committed abuse should not be “hung out to dry”, the health minister insisted yesterday.

Autism carers are at “breaking point,” a leading charity says, calling on a Department of Health audit of families who are waiting for a carer’s assessment.

Health Minister Michael McGimpsey today officially opened the new premises for the National Autistic Society (NAS) Northern Ireland and launched their Family Support Programmes 2010-2011.

A strategic plan should be developed for addressing the health needs of travellers in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, according to the All Ireland Traveller Health Study published last week.

Social workers are being asked to attend consultation events to consider the merits of the 10 Year Strategy for Social Work In Northern Ireland: 2010 – 2020. Set to be held in Belfast and Derry the events form part of a wider consultation process into the ambitious review of the social work profession.

A local childcare charity has said it is concerned about the use of unregistered childminders. Northern Ireland Childminding Association (NICMA) surveyed more than 200 newly-registered childminders.