The Department of Health (Northern Ireland) is committed to promoting public well-being through policies and services in Health and Social Care, Public Health, and Public Safety. They develop and oversee legislation for healthcare services, public health initiatives, and fire and rescue services to protect and support our communities.

Main Areas of Work

• Children and young people
• Children at risk of social exclusion
• Homeless
• Elderly
• People with addiction
• People with physical disabilities
• People with mental disabilities
• Mental health
• Social justice
• People who are socially vulnerable
• People in situations of difficulty or precarity
• Victims of domestic abuse
• Counteracting and supporting victims of gender-based violence
• Social Integration
• Poverty
• Recipients of care
• Foster care

Responsibilities/ Services

• Transformation of care models
• Promotion of systemic change
• Role of the social worker
• Integration of technological tools
• Issuing of guidelines and policies for the district’s councils
• Research and development
• Maintaining networks for managers and social workers
• Research/ identifying and monitoring of social problems