Policies and Procedures Committee
The Committee develops and revises policies and procedures for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in order to guide professional practice and interagency/interdisciplinary working.
Aim
To enhance the safety and welfare of children and young people by developing and revising Child Protection and Safeguarding Policies and Procedures, on a multi-agency basis.
Objectives
- Develop Policy & Procedures which will contribute to the objectives set in the SBNI’s 4-year Strategic Plan;
- Fulfil the policy and procedural requirements contained in the Departmental Guidance relating to the creation of the SBNI;
- Review individual policy and procedures identified by professional staff as being ambiguous or unhelpful;
- Following the conclusion of the current Departmental review of policies, produce a revised Regional Policy and Procedures, which reflects the changes in thinking and practice contained in the Department’s revision of Cooperating to Safeguard Children;
- Agree with the Member Agencies a dissemination process for the revised document; and
- To provide a forum for committee members to reflect the views and experience of front-line staff, with the aim of this contributing to stronger policy development and effective implementation.
Membership
The group is chaired by a Director of Women & Children's Services, NHSCT. Membership comprises representatives from
- 5 Health and Social Care Trusts (to include Adult Services (Mental Health/Addictions)
- Allied Health Professionals Services
- General Practitioner Services
- Education Authority Northern Ireland (EANI)
- Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI)
- Probation Board Northern Ireland (PBNI)
- Public Health Agency (PHA)
- Safeguarding Board Northern Ireland (SBNI)
- Strategic Planning and Performance Group of the Department of Health (SPPG)
- Youth Justice Agency (YJA)