Coronavirus Update – Statement from Board of Directors

27th Apr, 2020

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic Family Care Adoption Services like other charities was obliged to close its offices on 24^th March 2020.

While the Agency has therefore not been directly accessible to the public, staff have been very committed in continuing to engage with service users remotely and have endeavoured to continue to provide services as far and as normally as possible in this unique and very challenging situation.

As the pandemic situation has developed however and Government guidance has made it clear that we will not be able to re-open our offices in the immediate future, the Board of Directors has had to consider its responsibilities to conserve the resources and secure the longer term future of the Agency.

It is with great regret therefore that the Board of Directors has made the decision to furlough Social Work and Project staff beginning on 4^th May 2020. This is initially for the month of May and will be for as short a period as possible.

In order to ensure that this is kept under close review, the Board will meet to consider the unfolding situation every three weeks. Limited management and administration personnel will continue to be in place within the Agency in the meantime and will provide a point for urgent contact.

The Board and Staff of Family Care Adoption Services are motivated by the desire to provide a comprehensive range of professional and appropriate Adoption services across Northern Ireland and we very much regret the need to take this decision at this time.  

We appreciate your support and would like to thank you for your understanding during this very difficult period.

Marie Frawley

Chair

Board of Directors