SAFEGUARDING arrangements at Blackburn Cathedral are “inadequate” and require immediate action, an independent audit has concluded. “There is a view that safeguarding is not being driven or influenced by a safeguarding professional but by the opinion of senior leadership,” the audit states. Interviews and a review of other material revealed that neither the part-time Cathedral Safeguarding Advisor nor the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer appears able to effectively challenge the Dean on safeguarding matters. It also recommends that consideration be given to establishing a dedicated safeguarding directorate responsible for the delivery of safeguarding across both the diocese and the cathedral. Its audit of the diocese is largely positive, identifying a “strong commitment to safeguarding” and a “genuine willingness to listen and learn”.
