The Health Minister, , has announced the appointment
of an Independent Chair to the Safeguarding Board for Northern
Ireland (SBNI).
Mr. Gerard (Gerry) Guckian has been appointed as Independent
Chair. His appointment commenced on 3 July 2026 and will end on a
date not later than 2 July 2030.
The SBNI Independent Chair position attracts remuneration
of £40,808 per annum with a time commitment of 3 full
working days per week.
This appointment 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 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. The
statutory objective of the SBNI is to safeguard and promote the
welfare of children and young people in Northern Ireland by
coordinating the work and ensuring the effectiveness of each
person or body represented on the SBNI Board.
Notes to Editors:
- Gerard (Gerry) Guckian MBE DL is a partner in a firm of
solicitors in Derry/Londonderry, having qualified in 1985. As a
member of the Children's Order Panel of the Law Society of
Northern Ireland since its inception, Mr Guckian has represented
children in public law proceedings for over 25 years. He has one
other public appointment as a non-executive member (currently
acting Chair) of the Northern Ireland Social Care Council, which
requires a time commitment of 2 days per week and attracts
remuneration of £20,358 per annum and was previously a lay member
of SBNI. He was Chair of Altnagelvin Hospital Health and Social
Services Trust (2004-2006) and Chair of the Western Health and
Social Care Trust (2006-2016). Mr Guckian has a lengthy
experience of Health and Social Care leadership and governance in
Northern Ireland. Whilst Chair of the Western HSC Trust he served
on and chaired the representatives' group of the Northern Ireland
Confederation of Health and Social Care (NICON). In 2019 Mr
Guckian was awarded an MBE for services to Health & Social
Care in Northern Ireland. He was a Trustee of Foyle Hospice from
2018-2025.
- Appointments to the SBNI are made by the Minister of Health.
- All 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. Mr Guckian has declared that he has not engaged
in any political activity in the last five years.
