25 June 2002
ANNUAL REPORT ON DECISION MAKING IN THE NORTHERN IRELAND CHILD SUPPORT AGENCY FOR 2001/2002
The Department for Social Development published the Annual Report on Decision-Making in the Northern Ireland Child Support Agency for 2001/2002 today. The report gives an analysis of the quality of decision-making by the Agency and its impact upon the accuracy of maintenance assessments and operational accounts.
Commenting on the report’s findings Gerry Keenan, the Chief Executive of the Agency said:
"I share both the Committee’s pleasure in the marked improvement in standards this year and also their concern that nearly one in five decisions is still wrong. But I am satisfied that the sound foundations which we have laid will continue to support good results and that we will be able to minimise the impact on standards which will undoubtedly flow from the introduction of the Child Support Reforms. We look to those Reforms for the break through in child support which will deliver long term fundamental improvements in customer service and decision-making."
To help achieve and maintain good standards of decision-making, the Agency has the assistance of the Joint Standards Committee under the direction of an independent chairperson.
The Chairman of the Standards Committee, Les Allamby said: "The Committee is pleased to see a marked improvement in decision making standards this year. However, there is no room for complacency with almost one in five child support decisions still containing an error leading to the wrong amount of maintenance being calculated.
"Moreover, we are concerned at the wisdom of running the existing child support arrangements and new reforms in tandem. This places an onerous burden on the Child Support Agency and the quality of decision-making may suffer in the short term.
"We note the government has already delayed the new reforms for several months due to concerns about the information technology being sufficiently robust to implement the reforms. A second false start to child support arrangements is unthinkable."
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- The Annual Report on decision-making in the Northern Ireland Child Support Agency 2001/2002 has been prepared by the Joint Standards Committee which has been established by the Chief Executive to assist him in maintaining and improving standards of decision-making.
- The Committee examines regular reports from the Agency’s Case Monitoring Team established by the Chief Executive to conduct a systematic examination of decisions and report on standards.
The main findings of the report are:
Maintenance Assessments: Cash Value Accuracy
based on the accuracy of the decision
82% accurate
18% inaccurate
Operational Accounts: Financial Accuracy
i.e. financial accuracy of accounts
88% accurate
12% inaccurate
- Copies of the Annual Report on Decision Making in the Northern Ireland Child Support Agency for 2001/02 is available from the Agency Tel: 028 9027 7904. Copies are also available on the web at www.dsdni.gov.uk.
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