The Northern Ireland Social Care Council (the Social Care Council) is a non-departmental public body (NDPB). The Board’s Chair is directly accountable to the Minister of Health. The Board is made up of a Chair and 8 non-executive members. The members represent a wide range of interests in the field of social care.
Board Membership is split equally between:
Lay members – people who have direct experience as users of services, carers or voluntary workers.
Stakeholder members – people involved in service delivery/commissioning, trade unions, education/training, professional bodies, or allied professions.
Registrant members – people who are employed as social care practitioners.
Board meetings and papers
Board meetings are held four times a year and are open to the public. The meetings are usually held in the Social Care Council office at James House, Belfast. The Board meeting schedule is listed below.
The agenda for upcoming Board meetings and approved minutes for the previous 12 months are published here on the website. Agendas for Board meetings are available one week before the meeting is due to take place. Minutes from Board meetings are available one week after they are approved by the Board. Contact our Business Support Team if you require copies of earlier minutes/agendas email: businesssupport@niscc.hscni.net.
Upcoming board meetings:
| Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 8 October 2025 | 10:00 am | Social Care Council, James House |
| Wednesday 17 December 2025 | 10:00 am | Social Care Council, James House |
| Wednesday 25 March 2026 | 10:00 am | Social Care Council, James House |
| Wednesday 1 July 2026 | 10:00 am | Social Care Council, James House |
If you would like to attend a Board meeting please email: businesssupport@niscc.hscni.net at least three working days before the meeting and we will get in touch to make arrangements for your attendance.
Click here for the guidelines for members of the public attending social care council board meetings.
Northern Ireland Social Care Council Board Members
Gerry Guckian – Interim Chair
Non-executive board member
Gerard Guckian 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 20 years. He is a former Chairman of Altnagelvin Hospital Health and Social Services Trust (2004-2006) and former Chairman of the Western Health and Social Care Trust (2006-2016).
Within those roles he chaired the Trusts’ Governance and Remuneration and Terms of Service Committees. Having served as a Non-Executive Director before those appointments, Mr Guckian has a lengthy experience of leadership in Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland. He served on the representatives group of the Northern Ireland Confederation of Health and Social Care for 11 years, chairing that organisation for two terms. He is a Trustee of Foyle Hospice.
Denise Hunt
Non-executive (lay) board member
Denise Hunt BEM is a qualified barrister with over 25 years post qualification experience in Practice. In 2011 she assumed ownership and management of the Londonderry Arms Hotel in Carnlough until her retirement in 2024.
In the 2021 Queen’s Honours list she was awarded the BEM for services to the hospitality sector. Ms Hunt is a graduate of Queens University Belfast and obtained a Master’s in law from the London School of Economics. Ms Hunt holds another public appointment with the Department of Justice as a Board Member on the Probation Board for Northern Ireland.
Carol Diffin
Non-executive (stakeholder) board member
Carol Diffin has over 40 years’ experience working in the statutory Health and Social Care sector. She qualified as a social worker in 1984 and has worked primarily in statutory Children’s Services across Belfast HSC Trust (BHSCT), Southern HSC Trust (SHSCT) and in the Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency, now known as The Children’s Court Guardian Agency for Northern Ireland since March 2023.
Throughout her career she has held a number of senior management positions, including Director of Children’s Community Services/Executive Director of Social Work in the BHSCT from September 2018 until September 2022. Mrs Diffin holds another public appointment with the Department of Health as a Non-Executive Director with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT).
Bria Mongan
Non-executive (registrant) board member
Bria Mongan OBE has extensive experience working across the HSC, serving as an Executive Director of Social Work and Children’s Services and previously as Director of Mental Health, Learning Disability and Prisoner Healthcare. Ms Mongan holds a Master’s degree in Social Work and has held responsibility for all issues relating to Social Work policy, workforce, professional standards and Directed Statutory Functions.
Ms Mongan was awarded an OBE in recognition for services to Social Work and healthcare for prisoners. Currently, Ms Mongan is an Associate Consultant with the HSC Leadership Centre and undertakes work as an independent Social Work Consultant. She also holds another public appointment with the Department of Justice as a Board Member on the Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI).