Fostering legislation in Northern Ireland

• The legislative framework for Northern Ireland's child protection system is set out in The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995. 
• Adoption and Children Act 2002
• Contact with Children Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996
• The creation of the regional Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland (SBNI) was set out in law in the Safeguarding Board Act (Northern Ireland) 2011. This also established five Safeguarding Panels to support the work of the SBNI at a Health and Social Care Trust (HSCT) level.

The Children's Services Co-operation Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 requires public authorities to co-operate in contributing to the wellbeing of children and young people in the areas of:

• physical and mental health
• enjoyment of play and leisure
• learning and achievement
• living conditions, rights and economic wellbeing. 

• Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland Procedures Manual
• GEM Scheme: Going the Extra Mile This looks at the role of carers who continue to provide care, support and accommodation for young people aged 18 - 21 years whom they have previously fostered.
• The Arrangements for Placement of Children (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996
• The Foster Placement (Children) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012
• The Children (Private Arrangements for Fostering) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996
• The Foster Placement (Children) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996
• The Placement of Children with Parents etc. Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996
• The Representations Procedure (Children) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996
• The Review of Children's Cases Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996
• The Children (Leaving Care) Act (Northern Ireland) 2002
• The Children Leaving Care Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005

• Guidance & Regulations Volume 3 - Family Placements and Private Fostering
• The 'A Life Deserved: "Caring" for Children and Young People in Northern Ireland' strategy aims to improve the wellbeing of children and young people who are already in care, at risk of entering care and those children and young people who have recently left care.
• Independent Review of Children's Social Care in Northern Ireland This review made recommendations for improvements and changes to children's social care.
• Young People's Strategy
• Co-operating to Safeguard

The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority is the Northern Ireland regulatory authority, but they do not inspect fostering services as there are no standards against which to inspect.  

Foster care in Northern Ireland is governed by 1996 regulations. New draft regulations were consulted on in 2015 before the Northern Ireland Assembly fell. These regulations were not approved and remain draft although, had they received assent, they would have triggered the development of standards for foster care. 

Currently the proposal within the draft regulations is only to inspect the independent sector, which accounts for approximately six per cent of children in foster care in Northern Ireland. There is no current plan going forward to subject health and social care trusts to inspection.  

The draft Adoption and Children Plan in Northern Ireland, proposes amendments to the Children (NI) Order and Care Planning legislation which will make some changes to fostering panels which will allow a move towards inspection. This legislation is draft and requires executive and ministerial approval to proceed which, given the current stasis in the Northern Ireland Assembly, means there is no timescale for implementation.