The Agency was established by the Children’s Court Guardian Agency for Northern Ireland (Establishment and Constitution) Order (Northern Ireland) 2023.
The Order changed the name of the Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency (NIGALA) to the Children's Court Guardian Agency for Northern Ireland. It does so by revoking the Order that established NIGALA - the Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency (Establishment and Constitution) Order (Northern Ireland) 1995 - and restating its provisions in this Order but with any references to NIGALA in the title and provisions replaced with the Agency's new name.
The Children’s Court Guardian Agency for Northern Ireland has the status of Special Agency in Northern Ireland under powers contained in the Health and Personal Social Services (Special Agencies) (Northern Ireland) Order 1990.
The primary function of the Children’s Court Guardian Agency for Northern Ireland is to provide children’s court guardians, who are appointed by the court to safeguard the interests of children in family law proceedings, including care and adoption proceedings. The Functions of the Children’s Court Guardian Agency for Northern Ireland (No.1) Direction (Northern Ireland) 2024 came into operation on 6th February 2024. This Direction sets out the functions of the Children’s Court Guardian Agency including the requirement to employ or approve suitably qualified persons as children’s court guardians; to employ a sufficient number of guardians to ensure that in each case the Agency can provide a social work report which is based on the appointed guardian’s assessment of the best interests of the child, take account of the child’s wishes and feelings, and is independent of any other party to proceedings; and to establish and maintain liaison arrangements with the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service and with statutory or voluntary agencies as required.
The work of the Agency is underpinned by the Adoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022. The purpose of this Act is to reform adoption law in Northern Ireland, to implement the proposals in the Adopting the Future strategy that require primary legislation, and to make amendments to the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (“the Children Order”) to improve outcomes for looked after children and young people and young people who have left care. You can find out more about the Act at Adoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022.
You can find out more about the legislation which established the Agency itself at The Children’s Court Guardian Agency for Northern Ireland (Establishment and Constitution) Order (Northern Ireland) 2023.
The following Explanatory Note was also issued with the Establishment Order: