Canadian Network of Palliative Care for Children Executive Committee Terms of Reference

Purpose:

To develop, coordinate and maintain a Canadian network for pediatric hospice palliative care.
To collaborate on national and international activities and initiatives in the field of pediatric hospice palliative care and to seek opportunities for partnerships.
To assume a role of leadership in pediatric hospice palliative care and to advocate for the needs of children with life-threatening illness and their families.

Functions:

To function as a reference group for government, policy makers, associations, and health care practitioners on issues related to pediatric hospice palliative care.
To respond on national matters related to pediatric hospice palliative care.
To collaborate on advancing research and education at a national level.
To coordinate the development of national standards for pediatric hospice palliative care.
To advance pediatric hospice palliative care practice through communication of new advances in the field.
To participate in any new initiatives that require a national perspective.
To offer and maintain a website which outlines the role of the executive, provides current information and highlights national initiatives (http://cnpcc.ca)
Based on appropriate and current information, to recommend updates to the Executive Director of the CHPCA for discussion/decision making.

Members:

The Executive Committee of the CNPCC will be made up of a maximum of 10 people. Members will be solicited from a variety of disciplines and care settings (for example, hospital based programs, hospice and home care) and will include parent(s) of children who have received hospice palliative care services. Membership should reflect the regional diversity of Canada.
The committee will elect/acclaim a Chair or Co-Chairs.
The CHPCA Executive Director is to be declared a member of the Executive Committee.

Length of Term:

The usual length of term for members of the committee is 2 years.
Committee members can be invited to remain a member of the committee for an additional 2 terms (4 years).
The maximum length of term for all committee members is 6 years (3 - 2 year terms).
The retiring of current members of the committee and the recruitment of new members of the committee will be done in such as way as to maintain continuity on the committee.

Quorum for decision making:

Frequency of Meetings:

The committee will meet by teleconference every two months or at the call of the Chair(s).

Reporting Responsibility:

The Chair(s) of the CNPCC Executive Committee are responsible to the Executive Director of the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) by providing updates on the activities of the Canadian Network of Palliative Care for Children (CNPCC) and/or by updating on any issues arising in the area of pediatric hospice palliative care.
All meetings shall be documented, with minutes circulated and preserved.