Child, Youth and Family has taken on 120 new caregivers from its first ever national recruitment campaign launched in November last year. Another 60 potential caregivers are being assessed meaning that if the majority of them are approved, almost 200 new much-needed caregivers will have joined the Department by the end of the year.

It is difficult to find suitable caregivers and they must undergo a screening process that can take up to two months.

Programme Manager Care, Wendy Penhearow, said: "We think the efforts of our sites have been tremendous and really made the difference in finding such a high number of new caregivers. The amount of work this requires in the midst of so many demands has to be understood and acknowledged."

The campaign ran across just about every media using a series of print and radio ads, posters, leaflets, a video, media interviews and the internet to attract new caregivers.

Ms Penhearow continued: "The dual priority now will be to welcome our new caregivers into the Department, roll out induction training and also to focus even more highly on the retention of existing caregivers. The campaign has really thrown a spotlight on caregiving in a positive way and our caregivers have appreciated this and feel more valued as a result."

It is still to be decided whether a national campaign will be repeated and if so, what form that would take. Available resources for a repeat campaign still need to be assessed.

Additional recommendations for any future campaigns include the possibility of:

• a change in campaign timing
• a wider range of methods to reach specific ethnic groups
• ensuring there is a long-term integrated national and local caregiver recruitment strategy in place.