Independent safeguarding audit of Bradford Cathedral
29
to the ‘airing’ of strategic and cultural barriers to safeguarding in this forum. In one example, pervading disagreements about safeguarding by senior leaders in the Cathedral – well understood by several spoken with individually – have not been identified or addressed despite posing a barrier and risk to ongoing safeguarding leadership. The meetings of the safeguarding team have, in turn, further confused this picture meaning that many operational decisions and actions are taken at a level in which operational heads of department do not have input or involvement. The auditors reflected that reviews of terms of reference, including membership in different groups, regularity of meeting and clear delineation in the focus of the committee and safeguarding team meetings may enable a more effective line of governance and reporting, and the clearer carving out of a strategic forum in which transparent discussion and oversight of risks and progress can be held. Questions for the Cathedral to consider • Who is best placed to review the terms of reference of the Safeguarding Committee, and function of the safeguarding team meetings, such that the strategic and operational aspects of safeguarding are more clearly delineated? • Which group would be best placed to hold the Cathedral’s safeguarding action plan, and what would membership of this group look like?
Safeguarding leadership takes various forms – strategic, operational and theological – with different people taking different roles. How these roles are understood, and how they fit together, can be determinative in how well led the safeguarding function is. Theological leadership Description As the leader of every aspect of the Cathedral’s life, the Dean of Bradford has overall theological responsibility for promoting safeguarding. The auditors heard of some limited examples in which safeguarding was included in sermons, preaching or prayer, including promotion of the annual national church initiative of ‘Safeguarding Sunday’. However, whilst it was clear that the current Dean has a clear understanding about the importance of safeguarding, they recognise that its integration into public messaging about both the mission of the Cathedral, and the foundations of Christianity is as yet relatively undeveloped. Analysis The auditors judged that the theological leadership of safeguarding is not yet a wellestablished facet of the wider Cathedral’s approach to its messaging on the topic. This is perhaps particularly true of the messaging around the Cathedral as a safe and welcoming space for survivors to be part of. Despite some attempts to engage with safeguarding more explicitly through sermon and prayer, several of those spoken with recognised that there is more that can be done to root it in the wider mission and values of both the Cathedral and its faith. This was reflected in the findings of the survey of adults involved with the Cathedral,
