Workers to be recognised for services to children

Workers providing services and supports to children and young people will be recognised at an awards ceremony launched today.

Established by the Children Acts Advisory Board (CAAB), the Awards for Services to Children and Young People scheme aims to encourage effective practice in the delivery of services provided under the Children Acts.

Launched by Minister for Children, Brendan Smith, the scheme will acknowledge the individual and collaborative efforts of agencies. Categories include the community, education, juvenile justice, residential care and inter-agency working.

“The awards provide an opportunity to reward and acknowledge the many, many silent successes of individuals and teams working at the coalface with children, young people and their families, who up to now have not had this recognition nationally,” said Mr Smith.

The minister also encouraged all the key organisations to become involved and called on management to encourage individuals and/or groups within their organisations to enter and to share examples nationally of effective practice and success stories in what is a very challenging, but equally stimulating, area of work.

The judging panel will include John Lonergan, Governor of Mountjoy Prison, Cllr Rotimi Adebari, Lord Mayor of Portlaoise and Richard Murphy, Child Care Expert.