Safeguarding Board Act (Northern Ireland) 2011

Committees and sub-committees

7.—(1) The Safeguarding Board shall establish in accordance with this section—

(a) a prescribed number of committees to be called “Safeguarding Panels”;

(b) a committee to be called “the Child Death Overview Panel”;

(c) a committee to be called “the Case Management Review Panel”.

(2) Without prejudice to subsection (1), the Safeguarding Board may establish in accordance with this section one or more other committees.

(3) The Safeguarding Board or a committee may establish in accordance with this section one or more sub-committees.

(4) Regulations may make provision as to—

(a) the appointment, tenure and vacation of office of Chairs and members of committees and sub-committees (including the circumstances in which they cease to hold office or may be removed or suspended from office);

(b) the procedure of committees and sub-committees;

(c) the functions of committees and sub-committees; and

(d) the staff, premises and expenses of committees and sub-committees (including provision as to which person or body provides the staff, premises or expenses).

(5) Regulations may provide that committees and sub-committees must include such representatives of such relevant persons or bodies as may be prescribed or such other persons as may be prescribed.

(6) The Department may pay the Chairs of committees and sub-committees such remuneration and allowances as the Department may, with the approval of the Department of Finance and Personnel, determine.

(7) Members of—

(a) committees may be persons who are not members of the Safeguarding Board;

(b) sub-committees may be persons who are not members of the Safeguarding Board or of a committee which established the sub-committee.

(8) Proceedings of committees or of sub-committees are not invalidated by any vacancy in membership or by any defect in a member’s qualifications or appointment.