Staff disciplinary procedureN.I.
17.—(1) The registered provider and the manager shall 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 any children placed for adoption by the agency;
(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 may be or has been placed for adoption by the agency, is a ground on which disciplinary proceedings may be instituted.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1) (b), an appropriate person is—
(a)the registered provider or the manager;
(b)an officer of the RQIA;
(c)a police officer;
(d)an officer of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children;
(e)an officer of a HSC Trust in whose area the agency is situated; or
(f)an officer of a HSC Trust in whose area the child placed for adoption is living.