Chair of Diocesan and Cathedral Safeguarding Advisory Group

Chair of Diocesan and Cathedral Safeguarding Advisory Group Canterbury, Kent £325 per day plus excellent benefits Approx 8 days per year The Chair of the Diocesan and Cathedral Safeguarding Advisory Panel (DCSAP) is an extremely important and highly influential role at the Diocese, as you will independently guide, advise and challenge the Diocese and Canterbury Cathedral to ensure that their safeguarding policies, procedures and practices adhere to national and statutory safeguarding requirements. Acting with impartiality and independence, you will provide effective leadership to the panel by encouraging independent thought and supporting and challenging where necessary, to ensure effective safeguarding responsibilities for children and vulnerable adults are maintained within the Cathedral and throughout the Diocese. Regularly reviewing the progress of the DCSAP’s annual work programme, you will also contribute to the diocesan and cathedral safeguarding strategy and its annual progress review. Taking responsibility for scrutinising the Church's responses to safeguarding concerns, you will advise on the diocesan/cathedral response to case lessons learned reviews, proposing adjustments to policies and practices where necessary. Perhaps with a background in social services, a local authority, the police or in safeguarding children, you should have a strong understanding of the statutory requirements relating to safeguarding, including the Children Act, Care Act, Working Together to Safeguard Children, and relevant criminal justice frameworks. A natural leader with experience of chairing governance or multi-agency panels, you should have the ability to lead structured discussions and reach consensus, being able to act impartially and independently and offer objective advice and challenge. To ensure impartiality, you must not hold any other role within the diocese. With outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, you should be capable of presenting safeguarding issues clearly to senior leaders and stakeholders, whilst having the ability to influence safeguarding strategy and policy, implementing improvements based on case reviews and best practices. Previous experience in a faith-based or voluntary setting with safeguarding responsibilities or experience working with statutory safeguarding partners (perhaps local authorities or the police) would be desirable. Canterbury Diocese is the oldest diocese in England, stretching from Maidstone to Thanet, the Isle of Sheppey to the Romney Marsh. We have 350 miles of coastline with historic ports and seaside resorts, alongside rural communities, market towns and commuter-belt urban developments. Affluent areas often sit alongside pockets of major deprivation, offering an exciting and challenging mission context. At the heart of all we do is a vision of transformation for ourselves and our communities: no one can encounter God and remain unchanged. In the Diocese of Canterbury, we want to increasingly become a Christian community transformed through encounter with Christ, growing and overflowing to transform and bless the families, homes and communities we serve: Changed Lives, Changing Lives. Closing date: 24 February 2025. Interviews: 5 March 2025.

Location: Canterbury, GB

Posted Date: 1/30/2025