Director of Safeguarding

As set out in the Canons and Regulations of the Church of England, the Director of Safeguarding (as the designated Diocesan Safeguarding Officer) has responsibility in the Diocese for the professional leadership and management of matters relating to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. The Director of Safeguarding provides single, professional line management for all specialist safeguarding resources across the Diocese.

They are directly accountable for the safeguarding strategy of the DBF, Cathedral and parishes and compliance with the national Church of England Safeguarding Principles, Policies and Practice Guidance. They work with the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel (DSAP) and its Independent Chair, who provide independent scrutiny of practice and outcomes, oversee the Diocesan safeguarding strategy, and connect the Diocesan Safeguarding Team (DST) to partner agencies in both the statutory and voluntary sectors.

The Director of Safeguarding leads and champions our commitment to pursing the highest standards of safeguarding across the Diocese, bringing significant experience as a professional safeguarding practitioner at a strategic level, and owning a key role in all our diocesan organisation-wide senior leadership structures and decision making. They embed a trauma informed culture where safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and where the voices of survivors can be heard and continue to shape our safeguarding practice.