Social workers don’t decide to remove a child

IN recent weeks a number of comments have been made in the Irish media in relation to the nature of the social work profession and its lack of accountability.

This has given a very negative impression of social workers. Those employed by the children and family section of the Health Service Executive (HSE) are guided by legislation and guidelines, eg, Child Care Act 1991, Children Act 2001 and Children’s First guidelines.

These emphasise supporting the child within his/her own family as the preferred option at all times. This legislation also lays down strict criteria for the way social workers can intervene in families.