Appointment of Chair of Jersey Child Protection Committee.

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A decision made (03/09/2007) regarding: Appointment of Chair of Jersey Child Protection Committee.

Decision Reference: MD-H SS-2007-0055
Decision Summary Title :	Appointment of Chair of Jersey Child Protection Committee		Date of Decision Summary:	4 September 2007
Decision Summary Author:	Mike Pollard		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:
Written Report Title :	Appointment of Chair of Jersey Child Protection Committee		Date of Written Report:	3 September 2007
Written Report Author:	Senator Stuart Syvret		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Appointment of Chair of Jersey Child Protection Committee
Decision(s): The Minister appointed Professor June Thoburn as chair of Jersey Child Protection Committee (subject to Bichard compliant vetting)
Reason(s) for Decision: Following the dismissal of Mrs Iris le Feuvre a new Chair needs to be appointed.
Resource Implications: £8,000
Action required: The Chief Executive Officer to prepare written terms of appointment and agree an implementation date.
Signature:		Position: Minister Health and Social Services Department
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Appointment of Chair of Jersey Child Protection Committee.

Report on Appointment of Chair of Jersey Child Protection Committee

__________________________________________________________

Professor June Thoburn CBE, BA (Hons), MSW, LittD, AcSS, RSW

Emeritus Professor of Social Work

I have been in communication with Professor Thoburn concerning the appointment, and she has agreed to take on the role of Chair of the Jersey Child Protection Committee. Professor Thoburn has a range of experiences and professional interests which make her ideally suited for this task. I will not repeat her CV, as I reproduce some of the relevant material below. Suffice it to say she is an outstanding and internationally renowned professional who will bring independence, a fresh perspective and a degree of expert rigour to the task of chairing the JCPC.

Her task will involve Chairing the JCPC, facilitating that body in the course of its general child protection responsibilities, and in so doing, bring her expertise to bear on whatever issues she considers necessary to ensure a high-quality and rigorous system of child protection in Jersey. This will involve examining past and present child protection practices in the island, and, as she sees fit, taking forward proposals for the re-structuring of the JCPC.

Professor Thoburn will be completely independent in this post, at liberty to use her professional knowledge and experience as she sees fit for the protection and welfare of children in Jersey. Being an independent professional, she will not be under political direction.

In addition to Charing the Jersey Child Protection Committee, Professor Thoburn would also be an independent expert, fulfilling a consultancy role, and be able to contribute as she sees fit to any general examination of the social care and child protection field in the island and any public debate.

In the course of her work, Professor Thoburn would undertake any research she considers necessary. She would also produce occasional reports and recommendations for improvements in the Jersey child protection and welfare system.

Professor Thoburn would be at liberty to publish reports, comments, recommendations and papers as she sees fit.

Professor Thoburn is contracted for an initial period of 12 months. Should she consider it necessary to be involved for a longer period, she will make such a recommendation to the Minister for Health & Social Services after 10 months.

At the conclusion of the initial 12 months, Professor Thoburn would publish a report and any recommendations she felt necessary for improved child protection in Jersey.

Professor Thoburn may, at her discretion, publish interim reports and recommendations.

Professor Thoburn would expect to make an initial, familiarisation visit to the island, during which she would meet the present members of the JCPC, Chair a meeting of that body, speak to any other relevant professionals, clients, and other stakeholders in the child welfare and protection environment in Jersey, and generally undertake whatever inquiries she felt necessary.

Following this, Professor Thoburn would, as a minimum, expect to come to the island for about 2 to 3 days each month. Should she consider it to be necessary in connection with her work, such visits may need to be for longer periods.

For undertaking the above work for 12 months, Professor Thoburn will be paid, in advance, a basic contract fee of £7800.

In addition to this fee, should any additional time and work be necessary, such time will be paid at £100 per day.

The Health & Socials Services Department will arrange and meet all Professor Thoburn’s travel and accommodation costs associated with her work in Jersey.

The Department will also meet any reasonable expenses incurred by Professor Thoburn in connection with her work in Jersey.

The Department will also provide such facilities as Professor Thoburn may need in the course of her work; for example, the use of meeting rooms, the office facilities, telephone, computer, photocopying, printing etc.

The island is fortunate to have secured the services of a person of Professor Thoburn’s calibre to fulfil this very important role, and I would like to thank her for agreeing to help us improve child protection standards in Jersey.

Senator Stuart Syvret

Minister, Health & Social Services

States of Jersey.

3 September 2007