Links - Introduction

This section will help link you to other social care organisations and related websites. Where possible, we have tried to give some indication of what you can find on these sites. The website links are listed in alphabetical order.  Scroll down the page to find the link you require or use the quick links below if you know the name of the website link you are looking for.

NISCC is not responsible for the content of these sites and does not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them. If there are other websites that you feel may be of interest to others and should be added to our links, please email NISCC Information Service and pass on the details so we can check it out.

Links A-C

Association of Care Training and Assessment Networks (ACTAN)
Training and assessment within the UK care sector.
Website:
www.actan.org.uk

Association of Directors of Social Services (ADSS)
Represents all 179 directors of social services in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The association initiates and contributes to all areas of social care policy, and is regularly consulted by government ministers, civil servants, voluntary organisations, media and other opinion-formers in the field.
Website: www.adss.org.uk

Association of Northern Ireland Colleges
Contact details for NI Colleges of Further & Higher Education.
Website: www.femeansbusiness.com

Association for Real Change
Support for those who provide services for people with a learning disability, to help them promote change and good practice.
Website: www.arcuk.org.uk

Belfast Metropolitain College
Professional social work and social care training.
Website: www.belfastmet.ac.uk 

British Deaf Association (BDA)
Information and services for deaf people and those wanting to learn signing or to develop materials to support communication with deaf people.
Website: www.signcommunity.org.uk

Care Council for Wales (CCW)
Regulation of the social care workforce in Wales. Regulation and promotion of social work education and training. Workforce development within the UK Alliance for the Sector Skills Council ‘Skills for Care & Development’.
Website: www.ccwales.org.uk

Care Tribunal NI
Appeals against decisions made by the NISCC, RQIA and other bodies regulating those teaching or working with children/vulnerable adults.
Website: www.caretribunalni.gov.uk

Carers Information
Improving the health and well being of carers in Belfast.
Website: www.carersinfo.net

Carers NI
Advice and support for carers on a local and national basis.
Website: www.carersni.org

C.A.U.S.E. for Mental Health
Support groups, a helpline, carer advocacy, educational programmes for carers and mental health professionals.
Website: www.cause.org.uk

Children’s Law Centre NI
Children’s rights and the law affecting young people.
Website: www.childrenslawcentre.org

Children in Northern Ireland (CiNI)
Regional umbrella organisation for the children's voluntary sector in Northern Ireland. 
Website: www.ci-ni.org.uk/

Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC)
Workforce development and skills strategy for the Children, Young People and Families workforce in England. Workforce development within the UK Alliance for the Sector Skills Council ‘Skills for Care & Development’.
Website: www.cwdcouncil.org.uk

Citizens Advice NI
Free advice on managing debt, accessing social security benefits, housing rights, discrimination, employment, immigration, consumer issues, health, and legal matters.
Website: www.citizensadvice.co.uk

City and Guilds
Vocational qualifications in child care, social care, community services and justice.
Website: www.city-and-guilds.co.uk

Commission for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE)
Best practice and consistency in the regulation of healthcare professionals by the General Chiropractic Council, General Dental Council, General Medical Council, General Optical Council, General Osteopathic Council, Health Professions Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council, Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.
Website: www.chre.org.uk

Community NI
Information, news, discussion, training and skills development for the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland
Website: www.communityni.org

CORU
Regulatory body for health and social care professionals in the Republic of Ireland.
Website: www.coru.ie

Council for Awards in Children's Care and Education (CACHE)
Vocational qualifications relating to working with children and young people.
Website: www.cache.org.uk

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Links D-F

Department of Education NI (DENI)
Education policy and resources (except F&HE)
Website:
www.deni.gov.uk

Department for Employment & Learning NI (DEL)
Government initiatives on third level education, training and a range of employment measures.
Website: www.delni.gov.uk

Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS NI)
Policy and current initiatives in health and personal social services, public health and well-being and public safety including the Fire Authority, food safety and emergency planning.
Website: www.dhsspsni.gov.uk

Disability Action
Activities to ensure that people with disabilities attain their full rights as citizens.
Website: www.disabilityaction.org

Edexcel
Vocational qualifications relating to social care.
Website: www.edexcel.org.uk/
 
Education Development International (Edi)
Vocational and professional qualifications in Health and Social Care
Website: www.ediplc.com

Educational Guidance Service for Adults (EGSA)
Advice and services for adult learners, learning advisers, providers, employers and anyone interested in improving access to learning for adults.
Website: www.egsa.org.uk

Educationalists.co.uk
Resources for education and training specialists
Website: www.educationalists.co.uk

Foundation for people with learning disabilities
Information and support for service users, carers, service providers, researchers and policy developers in learning disability.
Website: www.learningdisabilities.org.uk

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Links G-L

General Social Care Council (GSCC)
Regulation of the social care workforce in England. Regulation and promotion of social work education and training.
Website:
www.gscc.org.uk

Health and Care NI
Information and contact details for Health & Personal Social Services in NI. Links to all local Health and Social Services Trusts, General Practitioner Surgeries and Clinics, Health Boards and Councils.
Website: www.healthandcareni.co.uk

Health and Social Care Board NI
Responsible for commissioning health and social care services in NI
Website: www.hscboard.hscni.net  

Independent Health and Care Providers (IHCP)
Information for private, voluntary, charitable and church-affiliated providers of health and social care. Members include nursing and residential homes, domiciliary care providers and housing with care schemes.
Website: www.ihcp.co.uk

Information for Practice (IP)
Resources for social service professionals with access to relevant world news outlets, scientific and technical reports on social work and social care.
Website: www.nyu.edu/socialwork/ip

Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM)
Leadership and management qualifications.  Support to help organisations understand and meet developmental needs.
Website: www.i-l-m.com

Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Social policy research and development.
Website: www.jrf.org.uk

Kings Fund
Health and social care resources, including free publications, briefings, articles and links.
Website: www.kingsfund.org.uk

Law Centre NI
Briefings, advice and training for social workers and social care workers.  Specialist legal advice and tribunal representation service in community care, mental health, immigration, social security and employment rights
Website: www.lawcentreni.org

Learn Direct
Education and training courses for all interests and abilities.
Website: www.learndirect.co.uk

Learning Point
Training, news and events for the voluntary and community sector in Ireland.
Website: www.learningpoint.ie

Lifeline 24/7 Counselling Helpline
A free counselling helpline service for people in NI of all ages who are suffering from emotional distress or despair.  Calls are free and treated confidentially on 0808 808 8000.  Operated by Contact Youth, the service is also open to families and carers, concerned friends, professionals, teachers, youth workers, clergy and communities.
Website: www.contactyouth.org

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Links M-N

National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS)
Support, information and advice for deaf children and young people, their families and professionals working with them.
Website:
www.ndcs.org.uk

National Social Work Qualifications Board Ireland (NSWQB)
Registration of qualified social workers working in Ireland. Information about social work education and training.
Website: www.nswqb.ie

National Union of Students-Union of Students in Ireland (NUS-USI)
Information and advice on education, welfare, finance, legal issues and many other issues affecting students.
Website: www.nistudents.com

NI Direct
Links to NI government depts and information about living and working in Northern Ireland.
Website: www.nidirect.gov.uk

NIPPA - the Early Years Organisation
Information and training for parents, childcare providers, employers and local authorities in early childcare and education.
Website: www.nippa.org

North West Regional College
Professional social care training
Website: www.nwrc.ac.uk 

Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health
Advocacy, home support, counselling, and information services for people with mental ill health and their carers.
Website: www.niamh.co.uk

Northern Ireland Association of Social Workers (NIASW) - formerly BASW (NI)
Information and advice on professional social work practice.
Website: www.basw.co.uk/

Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY)
Projects to safeguard and promote the rights and best interests of children and young people.
Website: www.niccy.org

Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action
Information and advice for community and voluntary organisations on training, information management and policy development.
Website: www.nicva.org/

Northern Ireland Executive
Government of Northern Ireland site, including information on legislation, and the work of government departments in Northern Ireland.
Website: www.northernireland.gov.uk

Northern Ireland Office
Office of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Responsible for overseeing the Northern Ireland devolution settlement and representing Northern Ireland interests at UK Government level and UK Government interests in Northern Ireland. The department also has responsibility for national security in respect of Northern Ireland as well as Human Rights, elections, legacy issues (including current ongoing public inquiries).
Website: www.nio.gov.uk

Northern Ireland Ombudsman
Investigation of complaints from people who believe they have suffered injustice as a result of maladministration by government departments and public bodies in NI.
Website: www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk

Northern Ireland Open College Network (NIOCN)
Support, training and consultation services for providers of education and training.
Website: www.niocn.co.uk

Northern Ireland Post Qualifying Education & Training for Social Workers
News and information for prospective and current PQ candidates, trainers, managers and funding agencies.
Website: www.nipqetp.com

Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA)
Trade union protection and representation at work for civil service, public service and voluntary sector workers in NI.
Website: www.nipsa.org.uk

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Links O-R

Open University (OU)
Part-time and distance learning opportunities for health and social care, early years and childcare
Website:
www.open.ac.uk

Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR)
Vocational qualifications relating to social care.
Website: www.ocr.org.uk

Patient Client Council
The independent voice on health and social care issues in Northern Ireland.
Website: www.patientclientcouncil.hscni.net

Probation Board for NI (PBNI)
Services, training and employment programmes to manage and support the safe rehabilitation of offenders.
Website: www.pbni.org.uk

Quality Assurance Agency (QAA)
Quality assurance of the provision and standards of awards in higher education
Website: www.qaa.org.uk

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA)
Quality assurance of standards in education and training. Information on curriculum and assessment for schools, colleges and work-based training.
Website: www.qca.org.uk

Queens University of Belfast (QUB)
Professional social work training and professional development courses for qualified social work professionals.
Website: www.qub.ac.uk

Reform Implementation Team
Policy and Guidance documents on the DHSSPS change agenda for child protection services in Northern Ireland, based on a Care Pathway approach.
Website: www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/index/ssi/oss-childrens-services

Regulation, & Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA)
Regulation of the availability and quality of health and social care services in Northern Ireland.
Website: www.rqia.org.uk

Review of Public Administration (RPA)
Details of restructuring of Health & Personal Social Services, local government and education in NI.
Website: www.rpani.gov.uk

Royal National Institution for the Blind (RNIB)
Information, support and advice for people with sight problems - including services in education, employment and training.
Website: www.rnib.org.uk

Royal National Institution for the Deaf (RNID)
Raising awareness of deafness and hearing loss, providing services and advice and carrying out social, medical and technical research.
Website: www.rnid.org.uk

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Links S-Z

Samaritans
Confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair.
Website:
www.samaritans.org

Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)
Regulation of the social care workforce in Scotland. Regulation and promotion of social work education and training. Workforce development within the UK Alliance for the Sector Skills Council ‘Skills for Care & Development’.
Website: www.sssc.uk.com

Skills for Care (SfC)
Workforce development and skills strategy for the adult social care workforce in England. Workforce development within the UK Alliance for the Sector Skills Council ‘Skills for Care & Development’.
Website: www.skillsforcare.org.uk

Skills for Care and Development (SfCD)
UK workforce development and training for the Social Care, Children and Young People's Workforce.
Website: www.skillsforcareanddevelopment.org.uk
Website: www.caringcareers.org.uk

Social Care Association (SCA)
Leading voice for all staff groups in social care services.
Website: www.socialcareassoc.com

Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)
Resources, research and examples of good practice in social care.
Website: www.scie.org.uk

Social Policy and Social Work (SWAP)
Resources for students, practitioners and educators on learning, teaching and assessment in social policy and social work.
Website: www.swap.ac.uk

South Eastern Regional College
Professional social care training.
Website: http://www.serc.ac.uk

South West Regional College 
Professional social care training.
Website: www.swc.ac.uk/

Student Finance NI
Online application facility and advice on grants and loans for further and higher education students.
Website: www.studentfinanceni.co.uk

UK Centre for Advancement of Interprofessional Education (CAIPE)
Promotion of interprofessional learning between health and social care.
Website: www.caipe.org.uk

UNISON
Trade union protection and representation at work for public service workers in health; social services; education; local government; private companies providing public services; and the community and voluntary sector.
Website: www.unison.org.uk/

United Kingdom Home Care Association (UKHCA)
Information for independent sector providers of domiciliary care.
Website: www.ukhca.co.uk

University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)
Details of all the courses offered in any further or higher education establishment in the UK, including social work.
Website: www.ucas.com

University of Ulster (UU)
Professional social work training and professional development courses for qualified social work professionals.
Website: www.ulster.ac.uk

Youth Justice Agency (NI)
Services to help children address their offending behaviour, divert them from crime, assist their integration into the community, and to meet the needs of victims of crime.
Website: www.youthjusticeagencyni.gov.uk

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