Social workers help people deal with both urgent crises and everyday personal or social difficulties. They offer support in different ways, such as counselling, working with individuals or groups, providing education, supporting families through therapy, and helping people access services and support in their communities.

Within the Trust, social workers work in a range of areas, including children’s services, learning disability services, physical disability services, services for older people, and mental health.

How to contact us

Referral Gateway Team:

Oriel House, 2-8 Castle Street, Antrim, BT41 4JE

• Telephone: 0300 1234 333 or 028 9442 4459
• Email: SPOE.Referrals@northerntrust.hscni.net

Regional emergency social work service

• Telephone: 0800 1979 995

How to access the service

Gateway to Children’s social work service

Gateway is a Social Work service for children and families. They are the first point of contact for children or young persons in need of assistance or support.

The Gateway team visit children, young people and their families in their own homes, to assess what they need. They link with children and families to see what support is needed and ensure everyone involved with a child can contribute to the assessment of the child and his or her family.

The Gateway team are on hand to ensure there is an immediate response to safeguard children in need of protection. The social workers will speak to other professionals involved with the family to ensure their views are included in the assessment. They also refer families to locally based services where support is needed.

The Gateway team aim to complete all assessments within 10 working days and will keep professionals and families informed throughout the process. Gateway social services is also there to ensure children and families who continue to need a social work service are transferred to their local Family Support and Intervention team for on-going involvement.

Referral Gateway Team

If you are concerned about a child or young person, who is not already known to Social Services, the first point of contact should be made to the Referral Gateway Team.

Referral Gateway will respond promptly by gathering information and will pass the refer all to the local gateway team, should it be determined that a social work assessment is required.