Integrating Children's Services

The Isle of Man Government is continuing its work towards integrating children’s services.

The goal is a more joined-up, community based approach to supporting all children and young people, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable.

A Children’s Plan was produced in May 2009 which features the views of children, their families and carers, officials in the Departments of Education, Health and Social Security and Home Affairs, the voluntary sector and the community. It provides, for the first time, a single, over-arching plan for all services affecting children and young people in the Island. It is tailored around the Government’s five priority outcomes for children as set out in its 2005-2010 Strategy for Children and Young People: Staying safe, being healthy, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution and prospering.

The move towards integrating children’s services (ICS) followed the 2006 report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Care of Young People which included the recommendation that the Government improves the co-ordination of services it provides for children. In May 2007, a Council of Ministers’ report on the progress made on implementing the Commission of Inquiry’s 132 recommendations agreed that the role of the Minister for Education would be extended to that of Minister for Education and Children.

The report received Tynwald’s support. In December 2007, the Council of Ministers agreed a draft implementation plan for the integration of children’s services, which tasked the Departments of Education, Home Affairs and Health and Social Security with working together to bring about change.

For further information about children's services in the Isle of Man please visit the Youth.im website