Extension to the term of appointment of the Chair of the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland
Date published:
Health Minster, Mike Nesbitt has announced an extension to the term of appointment of the Chair of the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland (SBNI).
Bernie McNally’s extension will commence on 3 July 2025 and will end on a date not later than 2 July 2026.
The SBNI’s Chair position attracts an annual remuneration of £40,808 with a time commitment of 3 days per week.
This extension is made in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland.
The SBNI is a partnership organisation consisting of all of the key statutory bodies, the major voluntary agencies and appointed independent persons that manage, operate and resource the safeguarding and child protection system in Northern Ireland.
It was established in 2012 under the Safeguarding Board Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 and is the statutory body responsible for coordinating and ensuring the effectiveness of its member bodies, for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in Northern Ireland.
The primary responsibility of the SBNI membership is to protect children and young people from risk and harm and ensure that effective work to protect children and young people is properly coordinated and conducted.
Notes to editors:
- Bernie McNally BSc, MSW, CQSW, MBA, graduated from Queen’s University Belfast in 1985 as a professional social worker having previously completed a BSc in Psychology at University of Ulster. Since then, she has worked in the Northern Ireland Health & Social Care sector in a variety of practice and management positions, spanning both adult and children’s social services. In 2012, Bernie was seconded to Northern Ireland Cooperation Overseas to work in Croatia with the national government administrations on a number of childcare projects. Since her return to Northern Ireland she has been the chair of the SBNI. Bernie also chaired (2016-2023) the National Independent Review Panel in the Republic of Ireland reviewing social care cases when things go wrong. She is a member of the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) and is a registered social worker with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC). In 2011 Bernie was awarded the OBE for her services to public service.
- Appointments to SBNI are made with the approval of the Health Minister.
- All public appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires the political activity of appointees to be published. The appointee has declared that she has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
- The appointee has advised that she does not currently hold any other public appointments.
- Learn more about the SBNI at: Safeguarding is everyone's business
- For media enquiries please contact DOH Press Office by email pressoffice@health-ni.gov.uk.
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