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Office of Social Services, Department of Health Northern Ireland

Sean Holland, Chief Social Work Officer of Social Services in Northern Ireland, leads a team of professional officers at the Office of Social Services to support ministers, the Department of Health NI, and other government departments and agencies to ensure that local social work and social care services are responsive to the needs of the population in Northern Ireland, and are of the highest standard.

The Office of Social Services provides professional advice and input to the formulation and implementation of Northern Ireland government departments’ policies on social care services and related social and professional practice matters. This includes safeguarding children; looked after children; sponsorship of the Northern Ireland Social Care Council and regulation of the social care workforce; adult social care; older people and carers; mental health, dementia and disability; social work and social care training policy.