The Department of Social Care has been working closely with The Children’s Centre to ensure that resources are focused on those most in need and that we achieve best value for the tax payer. We have agreed with The Children’s Centre a rebalancing of their work for us that will achieve increased provision for those children and young people at risk of significant harm and in need. As a consequence of this some services aimed at the wider population can no longer be supported by the Department. This re-shaping of the service will come into effect on or before April 1st 2011 and is driven by the Department’s need to both make cost savings and to ensure that funding is primarily utilised for statutory provision. This new focus will result in five members of staff being made redundant from the overall Family Centre Team of 27. The Children’s Centre will continue to deliver services from the three established Family Centres in Douglas, Ballasalla and Ramsey – providing support for children, young people and families through targeted programmes and one to one support. The Children’s Centre will be making every effort to find suitable alternative employment for the members of staff affected by this decision and is pleased that the impact has been minimised by a negotiated lead-in period and the opportunity to offer all staff a ‘sessional contract’ for possible future work. John Knight, Chief Executive of The Children’s Centre commented; “We are very sorry to have to take this decision and to lose five very valued staff members. Family Centre interventions are a significant part of our partnership agreement with Social Services and provide high levels of support for many of the Island’s most vulnerable and at risk children. The refocusing of services will ensure that our teams work even more effectively with those clients that Social Services deem to be the most in need and we support the Government’s direction to target its resources ever more closely”. Minister for Social Care Hon Martyn Quayle MHK commented: “I am very pleased that we are continuing our joint work with The Children’s Centre to improve our effectiveness in assisting the most vulnerable children and young people in our society. In expanding our work with those most vulnerable we have had to draw priorities and some of the informal group activities not required by law unfortunately are unable to receive our ongoing support. I am sure it will be understood where our priorities must lie.” End