Gateway to Children's Social Work Service
0300 1234 333
What is Gateway?
Gateway is a social work service for children and families. It is the first point of contact for people who are concerned about a child or young person not already known to social services.
What is the purpose of Gateway?
- To make sure all new referral are responded to promptly.
- To link with children and families to assess their needs and to identify appropriate support services.
- To ensure an immediate response to safeguard children in need of protection.
- To ensure that everyone involved with a child can contribute to the assessment of the child and his or her family.
- To make sure children and young people receive ongoing social work support whenever they need it.
- To work closely with other agencies when additional support is needed.
What do Gateway do?
- Gateway provide a social work service, Monday-Friday, 9.00am-5.00pm.
- Visit children, young people and their families in their own homes to assess their need.
- Speak to other professionals involved with the family to ensure their views are included in the assessment.
- Refer families to locally based services for additional support when needed.
- Take steps to protect children and young people when this is necessary.
- We aim to complete all assessments within 10 working days and we keep families and professionals informed throughout the process.
- We give the family and professionals (when appropriate) a written copy of the completed assessment.
- We ensure families and professionals know what happens next.
- We ensure children and families who continue to need a social work service and transferred to their local social work team.
You can contact Gateway by telephoning 0300 1234 333
A duty social worker is available to take your call, Monday-Friday, 9.00am-5.00pm (excluding public holidays)
An out of hours emergency social work service can be contacted after 5.00pm
Further contact details:
Central Gateway Team (covering Ballymena, Cookstown and Magherafelt)
Unit 5A
Toome Business Park
Hillhead Road
Toomebridge
BT41 3SF
Telephone: 028 7965 1020
Email: central.gateway@northerntrust.hscni.net
South Eastern Gateway Team (Antrim, Carrickfergus, Newtownabbey and Larne)
The Beeches
76 Avondale Drive
Ballyclare
BT39 9DB
Telephone: 028 9334 0165
Email: southeastern.gateway@northerntrust.hscni.net
Northern Gateway Team (Ballycastle, Ballymoney, Portrush and Coleraine)
Coleraine Child Care Team
7A Castlerock Road
Coleraine
BT51 3HP
Telephone: 028 7032 5462
Email: northern.gateway@northerntrust.hscni.net
Page last updated:24 December 2009
