The Department of Social Care has tabled a Motion for the July 2011 sitting of Tynwald seeking Tynwald approval for a Supplementary Revenue Vote of ?498,000 for the current financial year to fund an additional 10 staff for the Department’s Children and Families Services within Social Services. The additional staff will be social workers with relevant experience and related support staff. The staff are urgently needed in order to ensure prompt and effective services in the face of a 50% rise in workload within Children and Families Services in the last year. This rise is due to a range of factors, principally the introduction of improved child protection procedures (based on UK best practice and adapted for the Island’s needs) and increased workload to support the Courts in relation to cases affecting children. Within Children and Families Services, both workloads for new cases and for support to the Courts have risen by approximately 500% in the last year. The Minister for Social Care Hon Martyn Quayle MHK commented: “Protecting the vulnerable in our community is a key aspect of Government’s and in particular my Department’s role. Upon taking my current role as Minister for Social Care on 1 April 2010, I instructed that internal reviews of all key services were initiated immediately including children’s services. In June 2010 my Department concluded there were significant deficiencies with children’s services within Social Services warranting further action. I immediately authorised for a comprehensive review involving independent experts and consulting with other related Government agencies and organisations from the third sector. In addition I authorised for additional agency social workers to be brought in to help to cope with rising workloads. This work commenced in July 2010 and completed in May 2011. It concluded that major changes were required within Children and Families Services, including 10 additional staff, improved organisation structure, additional staff training, simplified processes, improved management information and related investment in IT. Since then this work has been discussed with the Children’s Committee, the Treasury and the Council of Ministers, to ensure that the additional resources are absolutely necessary, especially in the current climate where Government must seek further staff and financial savings. I can confirm that my Department’s proposals secured approval from the Council of Ministers who recognise that ensuring the Island’s children are adequately protected is essential. Despite the rising demand for my Department’s services, we have plans in place to deliver staff savings such that my Department requires no increase in its Headcount budget in order to recruit the extra staff. However, due to rising non-staff costs (principally Social Security benefits) it is impossible for my Department to fully fund the additional staff and other planned improvements within its existing Revenue Vote. Therefore I will bring a Motion seeking a Supplementary Vote for the necessary funds to the July sitting of Tynwald.” The Isle of Man is not unique in needing to make additional investments in Children and Families Services, not least child protection services. This is true of every other jurisdiction in the British Isles and many countries around the world as the scale of difficulties for some families and the abuse and/or neglect of children becomes better understood. In the period since 2006, Children and Families Services has not had any additional staff, while such staff have increased by approximately 20% in the UK. The Department’s planned increase of 10 staff equates a rise of approximately 15%. ENDS