Committees and Panels

The SBNI undertakes its aims and objectives through a series of Committees and Panels on areas like Child Protection, Child Sexual Exploitation, Domestic Violence & Abuse, Mental Health and Online Safety.

The SBNI also has five local area safeguarding panels co-terminus with the five trust boundaries, and a Case Management Review Panel.

Case Management

  • Case Management Review Panel

    Andrew Thomson

    Independent Chair CMR

    The child protection and safeguarding system will be improved by hearing the views of children and young people, parents and carers through engagement with the SBNI Safeguarding Panels.

Safeguarding panels

Each Safeguarding Panel will be made up of the Core SBNI Membership agencies represented on the Board. In addition to the Independently Selected Chair there will be representatives from:

  • Local Health and Social Care Trust

    • An Assistant Director of Children’s Services;
    • A Named Doctor for Safeguarding Children;
    • A Named Nurse for Safeguarding Children;
    • An Assistant Director for Mental Health Services;

  • Statutory Agencies

    • Superintendent from the Police Service of Northern Ireland;
    • An Area Manager from the Probation Board for Northern Ireland;
    • An Assistant Director from the Youth Justice Agency;
    • A manager from an Education and Library Board;
    • At least one but no more than two managers from a District Council;

  • Other representatives

    • A manager from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children;
    • At least three but no more than five persons from voluntary and community organisations;
    • A member of a Local Medical Committee of the British Medical Association who practices within the area of Safeguarding.

  • Belfast, Southern and South Eastern Area Safeguarding Panels

    Yvonne Adair

    Independent Chair

    The membership of each Safeguarding Panel is reflective of SBNI. It is interagency and multi-disciplinary in nature with an Independent Chair and representatives from all organisations with statutory responsibility for, or a stake in safeguarding and child protection.

  • Northern and Western Area Safeguarding Panels

    Mary Rafferty

    Independent Chair

    The role of the safeguarding panels is to take forward collaborative work locally around to deliver the key strategic priorities set by the SBNI. The panels also identify new and emerging issues from the ground, thereby ensuring that the SBNI are fully informed of any concerns emerging from local communities, parents, children and other key stakeholders.

Committees

  • Child Protection Committee

    Tom Cassidy

    Western Health and Social Care Trust
    Director of Women & Children's Services

    The Child Protection Sub-Group was established in 2017 by SBNI following a recommendation in the Jay report.

  • Coercive Control Animation

    The Domestic Abuse & Civil Proceedings Act NI 2021 recognises coercive and controlling behavior as a criminal offence in order to explain coercive control the South Eastern Area Domestic & Sexual Violence and Abuse Partnership in conjunction with ARDS North Down Borough Council, Women’s Aid North Down  & ARDS, Policing and Community Safety Partnership and NEEP Pictures developed an animation to help raise awareness of its existence and how it may present. This animation was developed in partnership with service users. It is an important educational tool  especially for Young People to help

  • CSE Committee

    Anthony McNally

    Police Service Northern Ireland
    Chief Superintendent

    To work to ensure the safeguarding and welfare of children and young people who are being, or who are at risk of being exploited.

  • Domestic Violence & Abuse Committee

    Bronagh Muldoon

    NSPCC
    Assistant Director

    SBNI has adopted a strength-based, trauma-informed approach to safeguarding children and young people.

  • Governance Committee

    Gerry Guckian

    Independent Lay Member

    The purpose of the Governance Committee is to review the establishment and maintenance of an effective system for governance across the whole of the SBNI’s activities and to support the achievement of the SBNI’s objectives, minimising the exposure to risk.

  • Interfaith Committee

    Dr Jacqui Montgomery-Devlin

    Secretary to the Council for Social Witness

    The Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland (SBNI) created the ‘Interfaith’ Sub-Group in May 2015.

  • Mental Health Committee

    Ciara McKillop

    Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG)
    Interim Deputy Director

    The Mental Health Committee was built on activity undertaken by the SBNI during the COVID-19 pandemic.  This in turn was underpinned by the Mental Health Strategy 2021-2031, Mental Health Action Plan and COVID-19 Mental Health Response Plan. The committee placed a policy emphasis on providing a voice for children and young people affected by mental health issues.

  • Online safety Forum

    Kerry Brennan

    Police Service Northern Ireland
    Chief Inspector

    The SBNI Online-Safety Forum (formally e-safety) operates as a non-statutory committee of the Safeguarding Board.

  • Policy and Procedures Committee

    Maura Dargan

    Northern Health and Social Care Trust
    Divisional Director of Women, Children and Families Division Executive Director of Social Work

    The Committee works to ensure the safety and welfare of children and young people. This is undertaken through the ongoing revision of Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy and Procedures, on a multiagency basis. 

  • Trauma Informed Practice Committee

    Simon Rogers

    Independent Lay Member

    The SBNI Strategic Plan 2022-2026 sets the direction for the next 4 years in which the SBNI commits to building on its work and to drive forward and embed a trauma informed approach to underpin all of its work to safeguard children and young people. This work is being taken forward by a Trauma Informed Practice (TIP) Committee formed in 2022.  The TIP implementation managers will continue to support member and partner agencies to embed a sustainable transformation model of Trauma Informed Practice building on existing knowledge of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Trauma Informed Practice.