Children and Families Department of the Velocity Interoperability Network Established

The Children and Families Department of the Velocity Interoperability Network has been formally established. The Department is responsible for the safeguarding of children across the Network, for the registration and inspection of early years providers, for adoption and fostering, and for support to families of the staff of member organisations and of citizens of the Network.

With its establishment complete, the Department today launches its official website at children.gov.vin. The site carries press releases and official statements, guidance for parents and carers, the register of early years providers, the procedure for raising a safeguarding concern, and the steps to becoming an adopter or a foster carer.

Before the Department existed, each member organisation of the Network made its own arrangements for the children of its staff. During the transition period from 10 August to 5 September 2026 those arrangements, together with the records that supported them, were transferred to the Department. At establishment 11,240 children under the age of eighteen are registered as resident in the Network, of whom 3,780 are under the age of five.

The opening of the safeguarding duty desk, the publication of the register of early years providers and the Department's first statistical release are the subject of separate announcements published today. General enquiries may be sent to contact@children.gov.vin.