Focus on children recognises that to achieve the objective of ensuring that all children secure the physical, social and economic rights articulated in the United Nations Convention, will require building on the best and learning from the worst of past and present practice.

The collaboration and goodwill of all involved in planning, resourcing and delivering services to children must be harnessed.

To conceive and implement an action programme that can radically improve the life chances of Irelands children cannot be viewed as the sole concern of individual government departments or individual service providers. Nor can it be pursued in the absence of a vision of that which it seeks to achieve. The fragmented, inconsistent and piecemeal development of provision for children in both jurisdictions bears testimony to the relatively low level of priority accorded them over many years.

There is now both an opportunity and a need to address the situation of children in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in an integrated and co-ordinated manner which both articulates a long term vision and identifies the interim actions necessary for its achievement.

There is a need for European and other international institutions to review the effectiveness of their current contribution to the welfare of children and young people. Obstacles to their full and effective participation in addressing the rights and needs of our younger citizens must be identified and overcome. It is unacceptable, for example, that the Maastricht Treaty, which gives the European Community its legal competence, made no reference to children. Yet children represent 120 million of its citizens - its future.

Both Irish and UK governments in recognising the actual circumstances of children on the island must make all aspects of the development of children a much higher political priority. We acknowledge that progress has been made in recent years, but to often it has been reactive rather than as a positive approach in valuing the future of our societies.
There is a need for greater openness, co-operation and co-ordination between the various Government departments and statutory bodies to address the current fragmentation in provision. This extends to the need for more integrated planning of developments and greater openness to the contributions of the voluntary sector and of the consumers. Structures to facilitate this are essential for its success. The developing cross-border co-operation between a number of statutory bodies is welcome and should be extended.

We believe the Focus on Children initiative demonstrates the capacity of the voluntary sectors in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to contribute to future planning