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| Four day centres
are operated in four different locations throughout Gibraltar.
Approximately 100 people use the service. The centres provide
social contact for the older persons, and it helps to keep these
service users integrated in the community, advising them of
their rights and assisting them with problem solving. The centres
use their own bus to transport service users to and from the
locations to encourage greater attendance. The service is staffed
by a Day Centre Co-ordinator and by volunteers. The Co-ordinator
is supervised by a social worker from the adult team. |
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| 3 - Day Centre Service for adults
with learning disabilities |
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| St
Bernadette’s Occupational Therapy Centre is a day centre
for adults with learning disabilities. Activities are organised
to promote integration and personal development, and to provide
stimulation. The Centre is located directly below the Dr Giraldi
Home and is open Monday – Friday during school term
times from 09.00 am to 4.20 pm.
Click here for information about Occupational Therapy at St Bernadette's OTC  |
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| 4 - Family Court Welfare Service |
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| This
team assist the courts through the preparation of reports and
mediation in relation to matrimonial disputes where custody
and access to children of separating parents are involved. |
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| 5 - Probation Service |
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| Provides
a service to the Courts by preparing pre-sentence reports,
supervising offenders on parole or on probation in the community
and working within HM Prison.
The Probation
Service is the ministerial responsibility of the Minister
for Justice, and currently runs in conjunction with the Social
Services Agency. |
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| 6 - Community Service |
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| The
Community Service Order Scheme provides work placements and
supervision to offenders subject to Community Service Orders
imposed by the courts. It is run by a Community Service Officer.
The Community
Service is the ministerial responsibility of the Minister
for Justice, and currently runs in conjunction with the Social
Services Agency. |
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| 1 - The Child in Need Team |
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| The
Social Services Agency works to promote the welfare of children
generally and in particular those considered being ‘in
need’. As far as possible, it enables children to be
brought up by their families by providing a range of support
services. The Child in Need team deals with all incoming referrals
concerning children; they carry out initial assessments in
order to gauge the child’s situation. Children and families
that need help may be offered advice, counselling, and guidance
on parenting amongst other services. The SSA can also seek
the assistance of other departments and agencies. Sometimes,
protection plans may be made in order to safeguard a child’s
wellbeing. The SSA strives to undertake these in partnership
with parents or carers, and generally involve other professionals.
Where
the SSA has reasonable cause to suspect that a child in its
jurisdiction is suffering or is likely to suffer significant
harm it has a duty to make enquiries. The purpose of such
an enquiry is to decide what action, if any, is necessary
to safeguard the child’s welfare. An initial assessment
and/or core assessment will be conducted, which involves inter
agency enquiries regarding the child’s education, health,
general welfare and any particular matter which may have acted
as a catalyst for the child coming to the attention of the
SSA in the first place. If necessary, a child protection conference
can be convened to co-ordinate multidisciplinary responses
to any perceived needs the child may have. At this point,
the decision is made as to whether or not the child’s
name should be included on the child protection register and
what action if any is necessary.
Most children
on the child protection register remain at home with monitoring
and support. However, in some cases after conducting in-depth
assessments it may be considered unsafe for the child to remain
at home. The Social Services will then accommodate the child
and bring his circumstances to the attention of the court
in a process that is known as ‘Care’ proceedings.
Work with the ‘looked after child’ continues,
looking at key issues that affect him. Work with the family
also continues, in an attempt to improve conditions for the
child’s safe return home.
In some
cases, where the necessary changes do not occur, longer-term
plans will be made for the child. In most cases, the Social
Services Agency will encourage contact between looked after
children and their families if this is consistent with their
welfare. |
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| 2 - The Child Placement Team |
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This
service seeks to provide a range of placements for children
who live or are found locally and require to be accommodated.
The team is involved in recruiting, training and assessing prospective
adopters and foster carers and in providing them with ongoing
support and guidance. The team also carries out the functions
of a local “Adoption Agency” and co-ordinates Inter-country
Adoptions.
Adoption
Fostering |
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| 1 - Dr Giraldi Service |
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| Dr Giraldi is an
established residential care home service providing services
to adults with a learning disability. The service currently
offers two residential care homes, one for seven people and
one for six people. The home also provides a flat and 24-hour
support to an individual who lives on his own, a respite service
and a sitting-service. Two further adult service-users live
in a flat in the community and are supported by carers at
home. |
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| 2 - Looked after Children |
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| There are eight
flats in the community which house looked after children.
Each flat has a unit manager who has supervisory duties for
a team of social care workers. |
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THE
COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGY SERVICE
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| The
Agency employs a qualified full-time psychologist and a counsellor.
This service provides therapeutic counselling support to adults
and children receiving a service from the Agency. |
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DUTY
SOCIAL WORKERS (Out of Hours)
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| The
Agency operates an emergency social work provision outside office
hours, including weekend and public holidays thus ensuring that
there is a social worker available 24/7. Referrals are made
through the RGP. |
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| HOW
TO ACCESS OUR SERVICES |
|
Enquiries
and referrals are taken from a range of agencies involved with
children and families, and from members of the public who have
concerns regarding the physical, emotional and developmental
needs of a child or children. Enquiries and referrals are similarly
taken in respect of vulnerable adults.
An enquiry or referral can be made by ringing Tel 20078528 and
asking for the Duty Social Worker, or by calling into the office
in person between 9.00 am to 1.00 pm Monday to Friday, and making
arrangements to see the Duty Social Worker. (The Duty Social
Worker would usually be seen by appointment.)
If a service is required outside of these times, we provide
an ‘emergency only’ duty system that can be contacted
via the Police on 20072500. The Police will contact the Duty
Social Worker who will then ring you back. |
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| CONTACT
US |
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| If
you wish to contact us, in respect of an enquiry or referral,
or for any other reason, you can do this in person by calling
at our offices between 9.00 am to 1.00 pm, from Monday to Friday:
Social Services Agency
16 Governor’s Parade
Gibraltar
Alternatively,
you could write to us at that address,
or telephone our offices on:
Tel No: 20078528
or fax
us on :
Fax No: 20044194
or e-mail
us
for any
general enquiry on: infossa
for the
Duty Social Worker on: TBA
for the
SSA Adult Team on: TBA
for the
Children & Family Team on: TBA
for the
Counselling and Psychology Service on: TBA |
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| LOCAL
ADOPTION |
|
Adoption
is the legal process by which children, who cannot be brought
up by their own parents, become full and permanent members of
a new family. Legal parental responsibility is transferred to
the new family by the granting of an Adoption Order by the courts.
Locally there are very few babies needing adoptive placements
today. The majority of children who need permanent homes are
generally several years of age. Sometimes, the impact of their
early history may have affected their health, education and
general development but children usually thrive with the stability
and emotional nurturing that comes with adoption.
Children come from a variety of backgrounds and Social Services
are therefore keen to have a wide range of families to draw
on - from single applicants to couples and parents with children
– so that a good ‘match’ can be made between
the specific needs of a child and what the families can offer.
Most children placed for adoption will have memories of their
previous family. Adopters need to be able to accept this and
help the child understand their birth family history.
Adoptions in Gibraltar are governed by the Adoption Act 1951.
The Social Services Agency can provide guidance to people who
are considering adoption as a way of increasing their family.
They can be guided through the process from the ‘enquiry’
stage through to ‘approval’ as prospective adopters
and eventually, after introductions and the gradual transition
of the child into the new family, through the legal process.
There are no fees to be incurred if you wish to adopt a child
that is placed with you for this purpose by the Social Services
Agency.
Further information regarding local adoptions can be obtained
by making an appointment to see the Duty Social Worker. |
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| INTER-COUNTRY
ADOPTION |
|
The
Social Services Agency also co-ordinates the local aspects of
Inter-Country adoptions.
Step
by step guide to the process for Inter-country Adoptions and
the fees payable at each stage |
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| FOSTERING |
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| Sometimes
families encounter difficulties that make parents unable to
care for their children; this may be for a brief period or for
longer. When for whatever reason, children cannot be looked
after at home, the Social Services Agency may arrange for them
to live in an approved foster home.
Being a foster
carer involves many tasks but primarily it is about:
• Caring for someone else’s child(ren) in your
home as part of your family
• Providing a safe and stable environment for children
and young people, from babies to 18 years
• Enabling the children to keep in contact with their
own family
You can make an offer to Social Services to provide care in
a manner that suits you and your family. E.g. the age range
of children, their sex, numbers and length of stay. A child
may need foster care for:
• A short
time while difficulties are sorted out
• Longer periods, perhaps until s/he reaches 18 years
of age
• A planned short stay to bring a much needed break
to a family
What makes a good foster carer?
People with a variety
of life experiences and from all religious, ethnic and cultural
backgrounds can become successful foster carers.
To be a foster
carer you’ll need:
• Patience and an understanding of the needs of children
in foster care
• Experience of looking after children
• Time and energy to care for children who may have
complex needs
The SSA will provide
training and support before and during your time as a foster
carer and will pay a weekly allowance for the maintenance
of the child.
If you are interested in becoming a foster carer contact us
and we will provide you with an information pack and details
of the next Information Meeting.
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| RELATED
LEGISLATION |
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| The
following is some of legislation that is relevant to the work
of the Agency: Social
Services Agency Act
Criminal
Procedure Act
Adoption
act
Fostering
Act
Probation
Rules
Mental
Health Act
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