The Diocese of Newcastle has appointed a new Director of Safeguarding in line with recommendations made in the recent independent INEQE safeguarding audit.
Sharon Devlin takes up her role on 28th April and joins the Diocese after several years in senior leadership positions, most recently heading up the Children's Safeguarding Team within County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust.
Sharon’s appointment completes the enhanced diocesan safeguarding team which consists of Jill Thirlaway, Caseworker, John Hulse, Training and Learning Advisor, and Matthew Kelley, Safeguarding Administrator. The team will be working alongside Maggi Creese, Lead Officer, Chaplaincy to Survivors.
Commenting on Sharon’s appointment to lead the team, the Bishop of Newcastle, The Right Reverend Dr Helen-Ann Hartley said: “I am delighted to welcome Sharon, Jill, John and Matthew to the diocese as our new team for safeguarding. Following our INEQE safeguarding audit we have moved swiftly to implement its recommendations, and I am pleased that the DBF have sought to enable this so efficiently and enthusiastically.
“The Diocese already has an excellent reputation for our work with victims and survivors of church-related abuse and our new and increased resourcing in safeguarding is a timely reflection of the vital need to ensure parishes and ministry units are supported and equipped to continue our work engaging in God’s mission in the communities we seek to serve.
“I pay tribute to the many Parish Safeguarding Officers across our diocese and express my gratitude to them and to senior colleagues for all the work that they do in this vital area. I look forward to Sharon being part of my senior team and for her leadership in this new season.”
The independent audit by INEQE praised the Bishop of Newcastle, together with the Dean of Newcastle for driving the improvement journey and strengthening safeguarding arrangements across the diocese, at the cathedral and at parish level. The audit, being carried out in every diocese, was commissioned by the Archbishops’ Council and overseen by the Church of England’s National Safeguarding Team (NST). One of the key recommendations was to appoint a dedicated Director of Safeguarding to “strengthen the strategic lens on safeguarding at a local level, as well as ensuring greater regional and national engagement.”
Looking forward to joining the Diocese, Sharon said: “I am proud to have worked in the NHS for 37 years and have most recently been leading the Children's Safeguarding Team in County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust. I am delighted to have been appointed to lead the safeguarding team in the diocese and I look forward to working with my skilled colleagues to create a service that is visible and helpful to all. I am particularly excited to meet and support the PSOs in parishes who are doing a fabulous job to make safeguarding a priority.”
Diocesan Secretary for the Diocese of Newcastle Chris Elder said: “The establishment of our new safeguarding team enhances our capability to properly serve the diocese and help ensure our parishes feel valued and supported in the important safeguarding work that they do. I am delighted that Sharon has agreed to join us, bringing valued leadership as we continue to build a strong culture of safeguarding across the whole diocese.”
The diocesan safeguarding team can be contacted at:
Sharon Devlin, Director of Safeguarding (from 28 April): s.devlin@newcastle.anglican.org
Jill Thirlaway, Safeguarding Caseworker: j.thirlaway@newcastle.anglican.org
John Hulse, Training & Learning Advisor (from 28 April): safeguardingtrainer@newcastle.anglican.org
Maggi Creese, Lead Officer, Chaplaincy to Survivors: m.creese@newcastle.anglican.org
Matthew Kelley, Safeguarding Administrator (from 28 April): safeguardingadmin@newcastle.anglican.org
General safeguarding enquiries to safeguarding@newcastle.anglican.org
Please visit the ‘safeguarding’ page on our website: www.newcastle.anglican.org/safeguarding