Building a culture of listening, learning and trust across the diocese
Source: Diocese of Nottingham
Around 36 Parish Safeguarding Representatives (PSR) came together for this year’s Safeguarding Networking Day on Tuesday 24th February in Nottingham. This event offered updates on diocesan safeguarding activity and national developments.
Director of Safeguarding, Rachel Campion, opened the session with an overview of the national safeguarding landscape. She outlined the ongoing work of the Catholic Strategic Safeguarding Council (CSSC), which plans to establish a national safeguarding support body. This body will provide consistent safeguarding policies and guidance for dioceses across England and Wales.
She also updated the attendees on diocesan safeguarding including the safe recruitment numbers and the current levels of outstanding DBS checks. She also emphasised the importance of maintaining safer recruitment standards. In 2024, the diocese recorded 4,073 registered volunteers, increasing to 4,486 in 2025. DBS checks totalled 863 in 2023, 825 in 2024, and 870 in 2025.
PSRs were given the opportunity to ask questions, raise concerns, and propose improvements to current safeguarding processes.
Looking ahead, the Director of Safeguarding confirmed that the next CSSA (Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency) audit is scheduled for 2027, expressing hope that the diocese will achieve results as strong as, or stronger than, those recorded in the 2024 audit.
Bishop Patrick McKinney joined the PSRs for a dedicated question‑and‑answer session. During this time, attendees provided feedback on the level of support they receive from clergy within their parishes. The Bishop assured representatives that their comments would be taken seriously and used to strengthen collaboration and support for parish safeguarding work across the diocese.
The event also provided valuable time for representatives to network and exchange experiences from their parish contexts. Discussions covered a wide range of safeguarding themes, including training, safer recruitment, audits, quality assurance, and effective communication of safeguarding messages within parish communities.
Dr Pat Jones of Durham University presented a concise overview of her research into the Church's handling of the abuse crisis. Her five‑year study drew on 82 interviews, four focus groups, and more than 30 key informants, offering a wide range of perspectives on how the crisis has been experienced and understood.
She mentioned the key themes from the research, including the Church's historic culture of silence and secrecy, and the ongoing need to prioritise listening to survivors. Quoting Pope Francis, she emphasised the Church's responsibility “to repair the damage to previous generations and to those who continue to suffer.”
Dr Jones highlighted the call to pursue a path of healing and redemption: “Safeguarding is ultimately not about numbers or audits but about the Church's commitment to learning, accountability and transformation.”
Christa Wardle, HR Officer, talk about what support to provide to volunteers from the recruitment point of view. To close the day, Catherine Scholes, Health and Safety Property Officer, provided information about procedures regarding personal safety, GDPR, and risk assessments for activities and events. She advised the attendees on how to manage and action on these topics in their parishes.
Latest news from
Safeguarding
