Governance & Accountability

Our Board provides strategic direction and oversight of Childhood Matters, with a focus on safe services, responsible use of resources and the long-term interests of children and families.

John Minihan

Chairperson

Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors

  • Helen Finucance
    Director
  • Billy Shanahan
    Director
  • Andrew McCarthy
    Director
  • Tony McKeown
    Director

How our Board works

The Board meets six times each year: four quarterly Board meetings, an Annual General Meeting, and an annual review bringing the Board and Executive Team together to assess performance, reflect on learning and agree priorities for the year ahead.

Board subcommittees provide detailed scrutiny of quality, risk, finance and governance matters ahead of Board meetings, bringing recommendations and key issues to the Board for consideration and decision.

How we ensure quality across our services

At Childhood Matters, we are committed to providing safe, high-quality support to every child, young person and family. Childhood Matters complies with the Charities Governance Code, published by the Charities Regulator, across all six principles. These principles guide our charitable purpose, integrity, leadership, oversight, effectiveness and accountability.

Our Board is committed to strong governance, transparency and responsible stewardship of our resources.

Our services meet different needs, but all are guided by the same commitment to professional standards, safeguarding and continuous improvement.

Our approach to quality includes:

Clinical and professional governance

Ensuring our services are guided by experienced professionals and evidence-informed practice.

Safeguarding and accountability

Protecting the safety and wellbeing of those we support.

Quality assurance

Maintaining clear standards and consistent practice across our services.

Staff development and supervision

Supporting our teams through professional development, ongoing supervision and reflective practice.

Children's and young people's participation

Listening to their views and involving them in decisions that affect them.

Research and evaluation

Measuring outcomes, learning from experience and continually improving our services.

How we are governed

Our Board and leadership team oversee quality and governance, while our professional and service teams put these standards into practice every day.