The Northern Ireland Association of Social Workers (NIASW) has condemned plans to slash on-call payments made to social workers by around 60%, branding the plans “utterly unacceptable”.

THE latest statistics show that there has been a 10 percent rise in the number of children placed on the Protection Register this year in the Western Health Trust area, despite a two per cent drop in the last quarter.

A care worker at a Belfast residential home who failed to give a patient medication and then hid her mistake has been suspended from the social care register.

The leader of Northern Ireland’s voluntary sector has issued a stark warning over the future of charities after a report warned of multi-million pound cuts.

Social services in Dungannon have intervened to protect four children who were left at home when their parents went on holiday.

Childcare providers here will have to adhere to tougher standards from early next year.

There are growing concerns about the suicide rate in Northern Ireland, especially among young men. That’s after figures reached a record level last year.

An Enniskillen care home for people with mental health problems has been evacuated after a fire.

The health minister has said he has been assured by Southern Cross that it will continue to operate its care homes in NI until new owners take over.

The highest number of suicides recorded in Northern Ireland took place last year, a report has revealed.