Welcome
We are committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults to worship and grow in Christ safely. We value and respect everyone we work with and our safeguarding team endeavours to be as relational, transparent and proportionate as possible.
You'll find links to safer recruitment, DBS guidance and safeguarding training in the navigation links of this page. Scroll down to meet the team and find out when and how to call them.
Recent updates
Past Case Review 2
A summary of the diocesan PCR2 report was published on 5 October.
Survivor leaflet
This leaflet aims to explain how the diocesan safeguarding team will respond to those who come forward to report abuse and explains the support that is available. Download a copy of Support for survivors here.
Safeguarding drop in sessions and training
A series of safeguarding 'drop in sessions' are taking place to support parishes with safeguarding queries. Click [+] below to find out more and to book your slot.
Drop-in for Parish Dashboards/DBS/Training/Safer Recruitment enquiries
Tuesday 28 March, 1pm - 2pm on Zoom
Register in advance for this meeting here (After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.)
Thursday 27 April, 10.30am - 11.30am on Zoom
Register in advance for this meeting here (After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.)
Berkshire drop-in session – Risk Assessments & Safeguarding Agreements
29/03/2023
13:00 Daytime drop-in - register here
19:00 Evening drop-in - register here
Take this opportunity to join a discussion about Risk Assessments & Safeguarding Agreements to understand why they are a critical step in protecting children and vulnerable people from harm.
Berkshire drop-in session – Working safely with people who have sexually harmed in the Church
28/06/2023
13:00 Daytime drop-in - register here
19:00 Evening drop-in - register here
Take this opportunity to join a discussion about how we work with people who have committed sexual offences.
Berkshire drop-in session – Working with the Parish Dashboard System
26/09/2023
13:00 Daytime drop-in - register here
19:00 Evening drop-in - register here
Take this opportunity to join a discussion about how to best use the Dashboard system to ensure good safeguarding practice in your church.
Oxford & Dorchester Drop-in session – Risk Assessments & Safeguarding Agreements
28/03/2023
12:00 Daytime drop-in - register here
Take this opportunity to join a discussion about Risk Assessments & Safeguarding Agreements to understand why they are a critical step in protecting children and vulnerable people from harm.
Oxford & Dorchester Drop-in Session – Working safely with people who have sexually harmed in the Church
27/06/23
18:00 Evening drop-in - register here
Take this opportunity to join a discussion about how we work with people who have committed sexual offences.
Oxford & Dorchester Drop-in Session – Working with the Parish Dashboard System
26/09/23
1200 Daytime drop-in - register here
Take this opportunity to join a discussion about how to best use the Dashboard system to ensure good safeguarding practice in your church.
Buckingham Drop-in session – Risk Assessments & Safeguarding Agreements
30/03/2023
12:30 Daytime session - register here
Take this opportunity to join a discussion about Risk Assessments & Safeguarding Agreements to understand why they are a critical step in protecting children and vulnerable people from harm.
Buckingham Drop-in Session – Working safely with people who have sexually harmed in the Church.
04/07/2023
17:30 Evening session - register here
Take this opportunity to join a discussion about how we work with people who have committed sexual offences.
Buckingham Drop-in Session – Working with the Parish Dashboard
02/10/2023
12:30 Daytime session - register here
Take this opportunity to join a discussion about how to best use the Dashboard system to ensure good safeguarding practice in your church.
If I Told You, What Would You Do?
Check out this excellent survivor-led resource. You'll find the links on the templates and resources page.
What to do if you have a safeguarding concern
If someone is in immediate danger
If you have information about a safeguarding situation where a child or adult is in immediate danger, or requires immediate medical attention, call emergency services on 999.
If there is no risk of immediate harm
If you do not think there is a risk of immediate harm, you must speak to an official about your concern as soon as possible. When first reporting a concern, please be sure to make contact using the information shown below.
Outside office hours
For urgent safeguarding enquiries outside of office hours (see below), please call our partners Thirtyone:eight on +44 (0) 303 003 1111 for confidential advice, guidance and support.
During office hours
Call 01865 208 295 or email safeguardingreferrals@oxford.anglican.org for urgent safeguarding concerns Monday to Thursday 9am – 5pm and Friday 9am – 4.30pm.
You can also contact your area safeguarding adviser directly if you prefer:
Buckingham – Tsungai Muchegwa: 07435 550 685
Oxford and Dorchester – Erica Hegg: 07341 866832
Berkshire – Charlotte Wilmshurst: 07443 700159
Don't forget
All phone or email referrals to the safeguarding team must be followed up by completing the Safeguarding referral form.
Complete the referral form online
If you have any problems with the online form, you can download a copy (for Microsoft Word or as a PDF) and return it to safeguardingreferrals@oxford.anglican.org.
Your Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO)
Your Parish Safeguarding Officer is also a local first point of contact for reporting safeguarding concerns. If you are concerned that a child or vulnerable adult is at risk of harm, you should approach your local Children's Social Care or Adult's Social Care department.
If you have a non-urgent enquiry
We can give you advise on non-urgent matters too - send us an email at safeguarding@oxford.anglican.org.
A referral to the diocesan safeguarding team must be made about any case where a child or vulnerable adult appears to be at risk or where an adult appears to present a risk.
The diocesan safeguarding team must also be informed straight away of any safeguarding concerns involving a church officer. A church officer is anyone appointed/elected by or on behalf of the Church to a post or role, whether they are ordained or lay, paid or unpaid.
The diocesan safeguarding team are committed to responding to safeguarding concerns, providing advice if you are not sure what to do, and supporting survivors in an efficient and effective way. We are not able to offer an emergency or 24-hour response.
The team aim to acknowledge receipt of all referrals within 48 hours. A team member will contact the referrer, in accordance with case prioritisation, to discuss the referral further.
Louise Whitehead
Head of Safeguarding
07391 868 478
Louise joined the diocese in 2022 and brings experience and expertise from working in children and young people’s social work practice and management for Oxfordshire County Council. Louise qualified as a social worker in 2014. She has been involved in management, training and promoting best practice within the local authority.
Prior to this, Louise worked in international development and completed doctoral research at Oxford Brookes while living in Cambodia.
Erica Hegg
Area Advisor for Oxford and Dorchester
07341 866 832
Erica has been employed by the diocese since April 2021. Erica served with Wiltshire Police as a detective constable, specialising in child sexual exploitation.
Erica has experience of investigating serious and complex crime, skilled in public protection (child sexual exploitation, domestic abuse, vulnerable adults and management of people who have sexually harmed). She worked in a multi-agency environment with children services, probation, education, NHS and HM prison.
Tsungai Muchegwa
Area Advisor for Buckinghamshire
07435 550 685
Tsungai joined the safeguarding team in August 2022. Tsungai has joined us from Buckinghamshire Council where she was working in Commissioning for Adults Services. Tsungai is a Qualified Social Worker with experience in Child Protection and as an Advanced Practitioner in Adult Services. Tsungai has experience of leading complex safeguarding investigations and supporting people in a number of multi-agency teams.
Tsungai also has experience of working in partnership with Bedfordshire Police in a Sexual Assault Referral Centre supporting people who would have experienced sexual violence or sexual abuse.
Charlotte Wilmshurst
Area Advisor for Berkshire
07443 700 159
Charlotte (also known as Charlie) joined the team in May 2022. Charlie worked as a Civilian Investigator with Thames Valley Police in the Violent and Sex Offender Register and Domestic Abuse teams.
Charlie has experience of investigating medium and high risk domestic abuse cases, where she was awarded a commendation for her outstanding work with survivors. She also has experience in the management and risk assessments of people who have sexually harmed. She has gained a wealth of experience working with several teams within Thames Valley Police including the Multi Agency Safeguarding Team, Monitoring Oxford City CCTV, 999 Call Taker - Control Room. Charlie has also managed two Extra Case Housing facilities supporting vulnerable residents and leading the care teams.
Helen Walker
Safeguarding Training & Policy Adviser
01865 587041
Linda Carpenter
Safeguarding Training & DBS Administrator
01865 208 267
Linda joined the team in January 2018, previously working as a classroom assistant supporting pupils with additional needs and later as the Business Manager of a primary school.
Linda has a good understanding of the need for robust safeguarding procedures and training, central to protecting children and supporting those working in this environment. Linda has also been appointed as parish representative to the Deanery Synod.
Rowan Lake
HR and Safeguarding Administrator
01865 208 295
Rowan joined the HR and Safeguarding team in March 2021. Rowan worked as a brokerage officer for Oxfordshire County Council’s Children’s Service, negotiating placements for Oxfordshire’s looked-after children. Rowan also worked for Oxfordshire County Council, providing administrative support to senior management within the Children’s Service.
Rowan has worked within the NHS as a GP administrator and has also worked for Thames Valley Police as a 999/101 call taker.
Poli Shajko
Director of Human Resources and Safeguarding
01865 208 770
Poli leads the development and implementation of the diocesan HR and Safeguarding strategy for both clergy and employees. Poli is a Chartered Fellow of CIPD, supported by an MA in Human Resource Management.
We offer advice, support and guidance to anyone in the diocese about all aspects of safeguarding.
This may include:
- Advice and support: telephone, email and face-to-face consultation about a range of issues.
- Policy and practice: signposting to national and local policies and practice guidance.
- Training: safeguarding training to clergy and other leaders, including on-site training and online.
- Casework: management of complex cases, joint-working with statutory agencies, consultation and advice.
- Support for survivors: direct support and advice, provision of Authorised Listeners.
We have:
- Grown our safeguarding team to 5.8 full-time equivalent staff.
- Ensured the independent chair of the safeguarding panel can, and does, hold the diocese to account.
- Systematically trained clergy and church officers in safeguarding, including training for the senior team.
- In 2021, the team trained 4,901 participants, through the delivery of 96 training modules and the completion of online training, supported 20 volunteer trainers and provided guidance to 423 parish safeguarding officers.
- Delivered a culture change in the handling of safeguarding disclosures.
- Increased our corporate understanding of the nature of abuse and increased awareness of those who are isolated or lonely being at risk of abuse.
There is always more to be done. We see learning as central to the culture of a safe church. Find out more about the work of our independent safeguarding panel.
Our newsletter brings together the latest safeguarding information from across the diocese so we can better protect children and vulnerable adults involved in the life of the Church. Read past editions and sign up to receive the quarterly news.
If you wish to report any safeguarding concerns directly to the National Safeguarding Team at Church House Westminster, please email safeguarding@churchofengland.org.
Further safeguarding resources and information...
Finding support
Support options available across the Thames Valley.
Parish safeguarding
Safeguarding information for parishes, including the parish dashboard and local parish officer list.
Safeguarding training
Safeguarding training dates and booking information.
Complaints & whistleblowing
Guidance on complaints and whistleblowing procedures.
Safer recruitment & DBS
Resources and information relating to Safer Recruitment and DBS.
Safeguarding panel
Information on the diocesan safeguarding panel and their work.
Templates & resources
Templates and resources for parish safeguarding.
Learning reviews
The use and purpose of safeguarding learning reviews in the Diocese of Oxford.
Past cases review 2
An independent review of over 3,000 parish and diocesan files has been concluded with each of the 609 parishes in the Diocese of Oxford completing a return.