BM12-10.14M
12th Meeting of the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland
To be held on
20th October at 5.30pm,
Mossley Mill, Newtownabbey
M I N U T E S - R E CO R D O F AT T E N DA N C E
Name
Title & Organisation
Hugh Connor
Neil Anderson
Dr John Devaney
Paul Douglas
Kieran Downey
Dr Martin Cunningham
Chair Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland
National Head of Service for N. Ireland NSPCC
CMR Panel Chair
Lay Member
Executive Director WHSCT
GP Partner, Queen’s Health Centre
Liam Hannaway
Dr Carolyn Harper
Pat Cullen
ACC Mark Hamilton
Chief Executive Banbridge District Council
Director of Public Health
Director of Nursing and Allied Health Professions
PSNI
Declan McGeown
Paddy Kelly
Cheryl Lamont
Pauline Leeson
Dr Clare Mangan
James Marshall
Dr Cathy MacPherson
Fionnuala McAndrew
Carmel McKinney
Paul Morgan
Brian McCaughey
Dawn Shaw
Ian Sutherland
Marie Roulston
Una Turbitt
Lynda Wilson
Cecil Worthington
Koulla Yiasouma
Chief Executive Youth Justice Agency
Director Children’s Law Centre
Acting Director, PBNI
Chief Executive Children in N. Ireland
Chief Executive BELB
Lay Member
Designated Paediatrician
Director of Social Care and Children HSCB
Lay Member
Dir. Children & Young People’s Services SHSCT
Northern Ireland Prison Service
Operational Director Action for Children NI
Director of Children’s Services SEHSCT
Director of Children’s Services NHSCT
Safeguarding Nurse Consultant PHA
Director Barnardo’s NI
Director of Child Care BHSCT
Director Include Youth
Present Apology
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In Attendance
Margaret Burke
Helen McKenzie
Margery Magee
Bridie Pilkington
John Toner
Lisa Sloan
Professional Officer SBNI
Professional Officer SBNI
Communications SBNI
Independent Safeguarding Panel Chair
Independent Safeguarding Panel Chair
Minute Taker
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BM12-10.14M
Summary of Actions
Action No.
Page No.
Action:
To be completed by:
1
5
The Chair to write to Ms Jack to acknowledge and thank her for her
The Chair
commitment to the SBNI.
2
6
The Chair to circulate the Board’s response to the Department in
The Chair
relation to quorarcy.
3
7
Ms Beattie to share the governance proposal and options once
received from CIPFA and circulate to Board members.
Ms Beattie
4
7
The Development Day to be postponed on the 4th December.
The Chair
5
8
NIGALA Board representation to be deferred to the next Board
The Chair
meeting were criteria for members joining the Board would be
created.
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BM12-10.14M
i.
Welcome and Apologies
The Chair welcomed Board Members to the Public Section of the meeting. A warm
welcome was given to Mr McGeown who has taken over from Ms Jack as the Chief
Executive of the Youth Justice Agency.
The Chair noted apologies from 5 of the Board members these were from Ms Cullen,
Dr Mangan, Dr Harper, Mr Hannaway and Ms Wilson. The Chair advised that both
ACC Hamilton and Dr Cunningham had joined the meeting through telephone
conferencing facilities. The Chair advised that the meeting was therefore quorate.
ii.
Minutes
The Board was content with the previous minutes from both the 19th June and 23rd
September.
Three matters were outstanding from the meeting on the 19th June. These were
quorate regulations, e-safety and the CMR regulatory changes
iii
Matters Arising
Matters arising from the 23rd September
The Chair asked Ms Beattie to update the Board in relation to e-Safety. Ms Beattie
advised that at the Board meeting on the 19th June members were supportive of the
SBNI taking forward the e-Safety strategy which had been confirmed back to the
Department. There had been no confirmation back from them and at this stage SBNI
are not taking the strategy forward.
The Chair attended a meeting of the Health Committee last Wednesday were the
issue of quoracy was discussed.
He advised that the Department were now
recommending the option of deputisation for Board members. This will mean a
regulatory change but was the option favoured by the SBNI. The Health Committee
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BM12-10.14M
appeared sympathetic to this but are to meet to consider this regulation change and
other issues in relation to the Thematic Review in the near future.
iv. Declaration of Interest
There were none raised
v. Complaints
There were none raised
vi. Chairman’s Business
Update in relation to the appointment of a new Chair
The Chair advised that the Department have indicated their intention to have an
interim Chair to replace him when he leaves on the 30th November. A name had
been identified but he was unaware of who this was. He invited Ms McKinney and
Ms Beattie who had recently met with the Department Officer to comment. The
Chair advised that the Board will not know the details of the new Chair until the
Minister has approved this person for the position.
Ms McKinney advised that the Department stated that the new Chair would come
into post on the 1st December and they will be in post for a year. She noted that the
new Chair would need time to settle into their new role. Ms McKinney stressed that
ideally the new Chair should shadow Mr Connor for the remainder of his time in the
SBNI if possible. She also advised that the new Chair would be appointed on the
same working arrangements as the present Chair which is three days per week.
Ms Beattie stated that the new Chair is from a Social Services background. Mr
Worthington raised the potential conflict of interest in relation to the Thematic
Review. The Chair advised that this concern be expressed to the Department. Mr
Devaney asked was the new Chair taking up appointment for a year to ensure time
for the appointment process to take place or was it to allow time to look at the
configuration of the role. Ms Beattie stated she and Ms Kinney were informed that
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the interim Chair would be in place until a review is undertaken by the Department of
the Safeguarding Board after the Thematic Review.
Dr Devaney expressed his
concern about the Department wanting to link the review of the Board with the
findings of the Thematic Review.
SBNI New Premises
The Chair advised that the SBNI have now taken up accommodation in the Beeches
that the move had been positive and the issue on the risk register about the changes
caused in the management of information were no longer applicable.
Ashley Boreland
The Chair advised the Board that the resignation of Mr Boreland had been received.
The Chair wished to thank him for all the work in the early stages of the SBNI Board
in relation to the link with councils and the work undertaken with SOLACE. The
Chair stated that he has written to Mr Flanagan who is currently acting as the Chair
of SOLACE and is anticipating a response from them on who will be replacing Mr
Boreland. The Deputy Chair advised that Ms Jack has now left us and has been
replaced by Mr McGeown and would like to thank Ms Jack for all the work she has
undertaken for the Board to which the Board members agreed.
The telephone conferencing connection failed at this point in the meeting and
Mr Hamilton and Dr Cunningham got cut off.
Action 1:
The Chair to write to Ms Jack to acknowledge and thank her for her commitment to
the SBNI
Action by: The Chair
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Health Committee
The Chair advised that he had been before the Health Committee twice in the last
four weeks in relation to the Thematic Review and the issue of quoracy. The Chair
advised that there has been a discussion at the Health Committee in relation to how
best to proceed with the Thematic Review. The discussion ended around 5pm in
which the Health Committee had to discuss other business. The Chair revealed that
the matter was deferred as the Committee was running late.
Mr Marshall stressed that he had listened to the Health Committee’s deliberations
and was concerned that the Department had presented a reduction to a third in
relation to quoracy as the professional solution. The Chair stressed that he doesn’t
know how this occurred as the Chair wrote to the Department as part of the
consultation exercise setting out the Board’s recommendation that SBNI wanted a
strong attendance and therefore favouring deputisation and keeping the quorum
level high.
Ms McAndrew asked was there any more that the Board could share in regard to the
work of the Thematic Review and asked did the Health Committee have the full
facts. The Chair advised that both Ms Beattie and himself had prepared a paper
which went to the Department and to the Health Committee. Ms Beattie stressed
that this information was taken from the MoU that Ms McKenzie and Ms Carson
presented at the last meeting.
Action 2:
The Chair to circulate the Board’s response to the Department in relation to quoracy
Action by: The Chair
SBNI Business Case in relation to Thematic Review
The Chair advised that Minister Wells has signed of the SBNI Business Case.
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Governance
The Chair noted that there have been two governance workshops over the summer.
He advised that the workshops have been attended by 10-12 people and that both
were helpful experiences. At the second workshop it was recommended that the
Board should seek to conduct its own internal review of the governance
arrangements of SBNI. Ms McKinney advised that CIPFA are available to do short,
sharp, training needs analysis. The Chair raised the issue of the Board conducting its
own review, in advance of the Departments proposed review. The Board supported
this recommendation. Ms Beattie will draw up a Terms of Reference and will share
the proposal and options once received from CIPFA with the Board.
Action 3:
Ms Beattie to share the governance proposal and options once received from CIPFA
and circulate to Board members.
Action by: Ms Beattie
In light of this there was an agreement that it would be premature to have a
development day on the 4th December. Ms Yiasouma advised that two half days is
ample for a self-assessment. She wondered whether that these two half days for the
self-assessment could be carried out at the January and February meeting.
Action 4:
The Development Day to be postponed on the 4th December.
Action by: Chair
NIGALA Board Representation
The Chair advised that there has been a request from the Chief Executive of
NIGALA to become a member of the SBNI Board. The Chief Executive is aware that
a review is to be undertaken by the Department. The Chair asked the Board did they
have any views on this matter. Mr Anderson stated that with the review the timing
would not be right to add additional members to the Board. Ms McAndrew advised
that she is unaware of the process for adding members to the Board and asked is
there a provision in the Regulations to which the Chair advised that that there was
such a provision. Dr Devaney stated that there may be other organisations which
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may want to join the SBNI Board and suggested that officers should consider the
criteria that the Board might use for bringing on additional membership.
It was
agreed at present to defer a decision on this matter until further thought could be
given to the issue of criteria. The Chair to advise the Chief Executive of NIGALA of
this effect.
The Chair advised that he will go back to the Chief Executive of NIGALA and advise
the situation at present and defer this discussion to the next meeting where criteria
will be used.
Action 5:
NIGALA Board representation to be deferred to the next Board meeting were criteria
for members joining the Board would be created.
Action by: The Chair
1.1 SBNI Panel Update
Mr Toner conducted a presentation and updated the Board on the work of the
panels. Information was provided to Board Members in advance outlining this work.
1.2 Front-line Practitioner Workshops
Dr Pilkington conducted a presentation and updated the Board on the outcome of the
front-line practitioner workshops. An analysis report was provided in advance of the
Board meeting.
Following the presentation on the work of the Safeguarding Panels there was a
discussion of the work of the panels and Board itself.
2. Learning and Development Strategy
Mr Marshall advised that the Learning and Development framework was presented
for discussion and approval by the Board before going out for targeted consultation.
Mr Marshall talked through the Education and Training strategy, to which the Board
members had been provided in advance. Mr Marshall advised that there was a
mistake on page 1 regarding training hours and that this would be amended. Mr
Sutherland commended Mr Marshall and the Committee for the work that had been
undertaken. He advised that he would like there to be a reference to appraisal for
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employees. Ms Yiasouma asked how the Board would ensure that the minimum
standards were met. Section 12 duties is one mechanism for ensuring this.
The Board were content with the paper.
Decision:
The Board approved the Learning & Development Strategy and it
will go out for targeted consultation.
6. AOB
There was no other business.
7. Date, Time and Venue of Next Meeting:
Friday 9th January 2015,
Mossley Mill
Carnmoney Road North
Newtownabbey
BT36 5QA
Signed by Chair:
Date:
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