Regulation 18 Staff disciplinary procedure

(1)

Each local authority must operate a disciplinary procedure which, in particular—

(a)

provides for the suspension of an employee where necessary in the interests of the safety or welfare of children who may be or have been placed for adoption by the authority or who may receive or are receiving adoption support services from the authority;

(b)

provides that the failure on the part of an employee to report to an appropriate person an incident of abuse, or suspected abuse of a child who has been or may be placed for adoption by the authority or who may receive or is receiving adoption support services from the authority is a ground on which disciplinary proceedings may be instituted.

(2)

For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b), an appropriate person is—

(a)

the manager of the adoption service;

(b)

an officer of the National Assembly;

(c)

a police officer;

(d)

an officer of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children;

(e)

an officer of the local authority in whose area the child is placed for adoption where this is a different authority.