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.
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, please speak to a safeguarding professional about your concern as soon as possible. If you have significant concerns please report to children's social service or adult's social services without delay. 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 0303 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
- Dorchester – Erica Hegg: 07341 866832
- Berkshire – Charlotte Wilmshurst: 07443 700159
- Oxford - Sophie Harrold: 07350 359809
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 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 in the management and risk assessments of people who have sexually harmed. She also has experience of investigating domestic abuse cases, where she was awarded a commendation for her outstanding work with survivors. Charlie has gained a wealth of experience working with several teams within Thames Valley Police including the Multi Agency Safeguarding Team, 999 Operator - Control Room. Charlie has also managed two Extra Care Housing facilities supporting vulnerable residents and leading the care teams.
Sophie Harrold
Area Advisor for Oxford
07350 359809
Melody Stack
Safeguarding Training & Policy Adviser
01865 587041
Melody joined the team in January 2024. Melody has joined us from the civil service in Australia, where she managed programme design and delivery for the NSW Department for Education and Department for Communities and Justice.
Melody brings experience in policy and sector development in both child protection and early education. This includes supporting non-government agencies to respond to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Australia. Melody is also a qualified teacher.
Helen Walker
Safeguarding Training & Policy Adviser
01865 587041
Helen originally joined the team on secondment from the HR team in April 2022 to cover maternity leave and returned again part-time in January 2024.
Helen has worked for the Diocese for over 10 years and brings experience of administration, training and HR to the role, having been an Archdeacon’s PA and most recently HR Adviser (Resourcing and Development). Helen also brings experience of training and working with volunteers to the role along with an understanding of parish ministry as a Licensed Lay Minister.
Rebecca Norris-Bulpitt
Safeguarding Training & Policy Adviser
Rebecca is currently on maternity leave
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.
Charlotte Dover
Team Administrator (HR & Safeguarding)
01865 208278
Charlotte joined the team in July 2023, and has a background in archives and data administration. She works across both the HR and the Safeguarding teams, giving administrative support to colleagues as well as leading on data collection and systems maintenance.
Charlotte is involved in the User Groups for the National Safeguarding Casework Management System and the Parish Safeguarding Dashboards, and provides PSOs with access to and support for the Dashboard.
Charnelle Stylianides
Director of People and Safeguarding
01865 208 770
Charnelle leads the development and implementation of the diocesan People and Safeguarding strategy for both clergy and employees. Charnelle previously held the role of Interim Chief People Officer at the global children’s charity World Vision. She also has experience as Chief People Officer for Picker Institute, a healthcare charity, and delivering consultancy work for Oriel College.
If you are not satisfied with the service you have received as a result of the diocese handling a safeguarding concern or allegation, you should follow the Safeguarding Complaints Policy and Procedure and/or refer to the When Things Go Wrong leaflet summarising the process.
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.
We offer advice, support and guidance to anyone in the diocese about all aspects of safeguarding.
This may include:
- Advice, support, and signposting: telephone, email and face-to-face consultation about a range of issues, and advice on where to get help.
- 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.
- Supporting parishes in preventative safeguarding and culture change.
We have:
- Grown our safeguarding team to 5.8 full-time equivalent staff.
- A structure in place for independent scrutiny and accountability through the Diocesan Advisory Safeguarding Panel.
- Systematically trained clergy and church officers in safeguarding, including training for the senior team.
- In 2022, the team trained 7,673 participants, through the delivery of 101 training modules and the completion of online training, supported 20 volunteer trainers and provided guidance to 461 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 and build upon recommendations from our learning reviews and PCR2.
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.
- September 2024
- May 2024
- February 2024
- September 2023
- May 2023
- January 2023
- September 2022
- June 2022
- March 2022
Safeguarding Sunday 2024
We encourage al
l PSOs to get involved with Safeguarding Sunday at your church on Sunday 17 November.
Protecting vulnerable people from harm and speaking up for their rights is an integral part of our scriptural mandate as Christians (Proverbs 31:8). Sadly, the church hasn’t always done this well. In headlines and newsfeeds we read many examples of the hurt and harm that has happened and is continuing to happen in our churches and across society. But we have a chance to stop it.
That’s why the theme for Safeguarding Sunday this year is "Let’s talk about it".
Find out more about this year’s theme on thirtyone:eight and make sure to visit Safeguarding Sunday, where you can register and download your FREE digital church resource pack to make your event a success.
INEQE Safeguarding Group independent audit
In June 2024 the Diocese of Oxford underwent an independent audit of our safeguarding work, undertaken by the INEQE Safeguarding Group. The audit is part of a national programme, commissioned by the Archbishop’s Council, to conduct an intensive and comprehensive review of safeguarding at each diocese and cathedral in the Church of England.
The report’s authors found the Diocese of Oxford to have ‘a solid safeguarding foundation delivered by its exceptionally well-led and blended Safeguarding Team’. The report commended what it described as a ‘safeguarding first’ philosophy and congratulated our parishes for the sense of optimism it found on the frontline ‘where talented Parish Safeguarding Officers (PSOs) lead by example’ and ‘collaboration is strong’.
Read the full report and watch Bishop Steven's response here.
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.
You can find more information, resources and support on our dedicated page for Support for Survivors.
Safeguarding drop-in sessions and training
There will be more information on upcoming drop-ins for the Berkshire area posted here shortly
Oxford & Dorchester Drop-in Session – Managing the Risk of people who have Sexually Harmed
29/10/24
12:00 Daytime drop-in - register here
Take this opportunity to join a discussion about how we work with people who have committed sexual offences.
Buckingham Drop-in Session – Managing the Risk of people who have Sexually Harmed.
20/10/2024
18:00 Evening session - register here
Take this opportunity to join a discussion about how we work with people who have committed sexual offences.
If I Told You, What Would You Do?
Check out this excellent survivor-led resource on the responding well to victims and survivors page.
Further safeguarding resources and information...
Safeguarding in parishes
Information and resources for PSOs, help responding to survivors and encouraging culture change.
Support for survivors
Sources of support for anyone who has experienced abuse.
Safeguarding adults
Guidance on caring for adults.
Safeguarding children
Guidance on caring for children and young people.
Spiritual abuse
Information and resources on abuse in a religious context.
Safeguarding training
Training programmes for every level.
Safer recruitment & DBS
Recruitment guidelines and resources.
Safeguarding panel
Details on our independent panel.
Policies & guidance
Policies, forms and further guidance.
Complaints & whistleblowing
Steps to take when things go wrong.
Audits & reviews
Audits and learning reviews from the diocese.
Safeguarding strategy & annual reports
The diocesan strategy agreed by Bishop's Council.
National Safeguarding Standards
Details on the Church of England framework.