Single safeguarding board for N Ireland

A single safeguarding children board for Northern Ireland is to be set up to co-ordinate efforts to protect children.

It will replace the country’s four existing area child protection committees and will have an independent chair, said health and social services minister Shaun Woodward  this week. He also announced that he would shortly consult on a statutory duty for agencies to co-operate to improve the well-being of children.

And he said the vetting and barring scheme for people working with children being introduced in England by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill, would apply in Northern Ireland. A common assesment framework for children will be piloted from April.