Independent Safeguarding: A Conversation with the Diocesan Head of Safeguarding

The Church of England’s poor record of responding to concerns about safeguarding has been very much in the news in the course of the last twelve months. In response, the Parochial Church Council has affirmed its commitment to ensuring that safeguarding is conducted with transparency, accountability, and independence. It recognises the importance of addressing historical safeguarding failures with a survivor-centred approach, ensuring their voices shape future decisions. In this session, Dr Louise Whitehead, the Head of Safeguarding in the Diocese of Oxford, will speak about the developments which have taken place to improve safeguarding within the Diocese and outline the work which still needs to happen in order to advance safeguarding reforms nationally.