Department of Children, Disability and Equality
14 May 2025
Dublin – Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, has welcomed the agreement of a new North/South Child Protection Work Programme extending to 2028. The programme was approved today at the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) Health Sectoral meeting, marking an important step forward in cross-border collaboration on child welfare and protection.
This was the first NSMC Health Sectoral meeting since the formation of the new Irish Government in January and brought together Minister Foley, Northern Ireland’s Minister for Health Mike Nesbitt MLA, and Junior Minister Aisling Reilly MLA of the Northern Ireland Executive.
The newly agreed work programme outlines a shared commitment to deepening cooperation between jurisdictions on child protection issues. It includes joint initiatives on:
- Knowledge exchange between practitioners and policymakers
- Early identification and information sharing on emerging and complex child protection concerns
- Ongoing operational collaboration in child welfare and protection services
A central element of the initiative is the Knowledge Exchange Forum, a platform that enables child protection practitioners—such as social workers from Tusla and their counterparts in Northern Ireland—to connect, share experiences, and learn from one another. The forum is designed to improve frontline practice through the exchange of insights and strategies from both sides of the border.
Following the meeting, Minister Foley said:
“I am very pleased to have met with Minister Nesbitt and Junior Minister Reilly to advance this vital area of cooperation. The level of engagement and commitment to child protection policy and practice across both jurisdictions is deeply encouraging.”
“This new work programme reflects a shared ambition to improve how we protect children on the island of Ireland. By sharing knowledge and aligning our approaches, we can build stronger, more responsive systems that benefit all children—regardless of which side of the border they live on.”
The work programme is expected to foster collaboration at multiple levels, including frontline practitioners, service managers, and policymakers, creating a robust and coordinated approach to protecting children across the island.
The next NSMC Health Sectoral meeting is scheduled for autumn 2025, where progress on the implementation of the work programme will be reviewed.
Minister Norma Foley Picture by Gareth Chaney Collins Dublin
