Improvements to services to help children and families at risk will be completed within a year.

That is the claim from Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas after three previously separate action plans were combined into one document to be laid before Tynwald this week. He has promised that all the necessary measures identified will have been completed by this time next year.

The Combined Action Plan for Children and Young People aim to address key areas including improvements in the immediate response to children who may be at risk of abuse or neglect.

Actions include enhancing early intervention and support for children, young people and their families are highlighted, along with the work taking place in respect of staff performance, training, complaints and partnerships with parents.

Mr Thomas, who is chairman of the Council of Ministers’ social policy and children’s committee, said: ’Departments are working together to respond positively to the challenges that have been identified.

’The progress report being presented to Tynwald shows the many steps that have been taken.’

’An update will be in Tynwald in July next year, by which time all the actions should have been completed.’

The action plans stem from the government response to comments arising from previous investigations:

The 2016 Care Inspectorate of Scotland progress review into services for children and young people in the Isle of Man.

Investigation into the management of case files and treatment of services users of the children and families services section of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Social Affairs Policy Review Committee report into the children and families services.

One of the action points in the combined plan says that communication between agencies and partnership working with vulnerable families ’must improve’.

A ’relationship ’protocol’ is being developed across agencies, with a target date for implementation of October this year.

But the report also highlights where initial targets were not met.

For instance, under the section calling for ’stronger collaborative leadership’ across departments, a ’training competency framework’ was first due to be introduced in September last year. However, that was only launched in February this year.

The report does suggest that senior officers and politicians should also engage in training, ’not only front line colleagues’.

A joint strategic needs assessment for children with disabilities was recommended. But the report says one is ’not scheduled at present’. It does commit to ’determine a timeframe’ for a JSNA in the ’further action’ section, however.

Work has begun on an ’integrated pathway for families and children with disabilities’.

In response to a recommendation for current complaints procedures to be reviewed and strengthened, the report says the procedures will be ’reviewed and updated’ when the National Health and Care Service Act comes into effect, expected to be this October.

It also acknowledges: ’Complaints need to be better managed and due process consistently applied when members of Tynwald or advocates are supporting complainants.’

The report also notes that Tynwald supports the establishment of an independent body to inspector services and departments that work together to safeguard children. A framework is due to be in place by April next year.