Government has also held out the prospect of more jobs being created.

And it believes much of the plan can be met from existing cash in its coffers.

Yesterday details of Government's major overhaul of Bermuda's social services were unveiled.

Centrepiece of the plan is the new Department of Child and Family Services.

It will be formed from the Department of Social Services, and focus on families where there is risk of child abuse.

And it will act as an umbrella for Government and private agencies to combine to provide family help.

They will link up to achieve common goals, declared Health & Social Services Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness.

"This Government is giving children the highest priority.'' The Department of Financial Assistance will also be created from reorganising the Department of Social Services. It will administer Government's delivery of cash help to the needy.

Other changes include: Moving responsibility for helping the aged and handicapped from the Department of Social Services to the Health Department.

Making Probation Services provide leadership in developing a "community-based correctional service'' in Bermuda.

Mr. Edness announced the shake-up in the House of Assembly yesterday.

He said changing social and economic forces had created extra demands on Bermuda's services.

"Government, the private sector, the community at large and all members of the House have recognised the serious issues faced by the Department of Social Services and I am grateful to their advice, support and cooperation that was provided as we coped with an unprecedented demand on services and formulated a study for the future.'' He added Cabinet approved a major overhaul of social services in April 1993.

Mr. Edness revealed at a Press conference yesterday Government had been working on a plan for 18 months.

He said the new Department of Child and Family Services will form a "single centre'' of responsibility for helping the needy.

It will be headed by a director who will report to the Health Ministry's Permanent Secretary.

And it was expected to lead to several new jobs.

Said Mr. Edness: "The office will be responsible for the planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of all child and family services.

"A key ingredient in the creation of this office is the requirement that all agencies, whether they be Government or private, will be able to participate in the planning process for the delivery of services, and will be required to provide services to meet real community needs in a manner which has been agreed with the Government...all reading from the same song sheet, so to speak.

"This will serve to focus all efforts on agreed-upon targets, and avoid the problems experienced in other jurisdictions, where services have been piecemeal, and without overall direction.'' Mr. Edness said residential care services were in the process of being "revitalised''.

The resources of the Reachout Rehabilitation Community will be redirected to focus on needy children and adolescents.

"These resources, combined with others, will allow us to provide a secure environment for children who are experiencing behavioural difficulties.'' Mr. Edness said services offered by the Happy Valley Day Care Centre would also come under the new department.

"This is a preschool programme designed primarily to help single-parent families with child-rearing and other family skills.'' The services of the child and adolescent programmes sponsored by St. Brendan's Hospital will be brought closer to the other child and family services.

Mr. Carl Musson, Permanent Secretary to the Health Ministry, said it was hoped the overhaul could be completed by March 1994.

He was unable to say how many new jobs would be created.

Mr. Edness added new legislation was being drafted for amending the Protection of Children Act 1943.

The aim was to make the legislation function for children like the Human Rights Act works to guarantee Bermudians' rights.