This year’s Diocesan Safeguarding Conference will be taking place on Monday, February 23 at St Erme Community Centre in Trispen. Improving the victim survivor journey: What must the church do? will run from 10am and 2.30pm.

We are delighted to welcome Julian Whiting as the keynote speaker for this event. Julian is a freelance business development specialist focused on construction projects for schools, colleges, and community buildings. A retired police officer, he brings deep legal knowledge and over twenty years of experience in business development.

As a survivor of abuse in both boarding school and church settings, Julian speaks with honesty and compassion about safeguarding, justice, and cultural change. He helps faith communities and organisations become safer, more transparent, and better equipped to support those who have been harmed.

Joining Julian will be Revd Will Harwood, Priest in Charge of the St John, Truro Benefice, member of General Synod, the Archbishops’ Council, and the National Safeguarding Strategy Group (NSSG), who will share his response, as a survivor, to the Church of England debate of safeguarding structure and policies.

There will be an opportunity to ask questions of both Julian and Will during a panel session before those attending can join in some learning with scenarios from a survivors’ perspective.

This should be a great opportunity to hear what we as parish, diocese and the national church can do to improve the victim – survivor’s journey when they are brave enough to make a disclosure.

Book a place here