20 March 2025| Watford, UK [Catherine Anthony Boldeau]
“Safeguarding is not just a responsibility – it is a reflection of our values and our faith in action.” These words of welcome from Pastor Eglan Brooks, President of the British Union Conference (BUC), set the tone for the next seven days of meaningful dialogue, sharing of best practices, and strengthening of the collective approach to safeguarding through the United Kingdom and Ireland.
From 21-27 February, over 130 participants and speakers gathered at Newbold College of Higher Education (NCHE) to pray, discuss, debate, listen to, and reflect on the challenging issues surrounding safeguarding in faith-based spaces.
The Safeguarding Summit was for the benefit of the trustees (Friday to Sunday), field leaders (Monday and Tuesday), and departmental directors and sponsors (Tuesday to Thursday) throughout the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the United Kingdom and Ireland. This is the first time that those governing the church and those strategically and operationally managing the organisation have collaborated in this way.
The Theology of Safeguarding
Lee Carmichael kicked off the week with the topic ‘The Theology of Safeguarding: A Call to Protect the Vulnerable’. Carmichael, a part-time Helpline Practitioner for Thirtyone:eight, an independent Christian charity that seeks to protect vulnerable people, presented a compelling theological case for safeguarding within the church.
Rooted in biblical teaching, safeguarding is not merely a legal or procedural obligation but a divine mandate reflecting God’s heart for the most vulnerable members of society.
Anette Williams, Safeguarding Advisor at the same organisation, followed this thread in her presentations during the week.
Hot on her heels was Dr Philip Baptiste, departmental Director for Adventist-Laymen Services and Industries (ASI) for the North American Division (NAD), whose opening topic was, ‘Somebody’s got to do something and that somebody is you’.
Throughout the week, Baptiste gave several easy acronyms to help participants remember their safeguarding responsibilities. For example, there was ‘S.T.E.P I.N.’ – See the crisis; Take action; Embrace the wounded; Proclaim life & hope; Involve the community; Nurture healing.
There was also the acronym ‘C.L.E.A.R’ – Confront the issues with courage; Listen to the victims; Empathise with the wounded; Act to protect and prevent; Restore trust and bring healing.
Challenges to Leaders
“…protecting an institution at the expense of people it serves is not protection – it’s corruption!”
This hard-hitting statement was given by Dr David DeFoe, Founder of Imara Counselling Services and Relationship Ministries Director of the Allegheny East Conference. His presentation, ‘Power, Protection and the Price of Silence’, provided a platform to tackle the challenging topics that would be presented for the remainder of the conference.
Colleagues from DRD Partnership, a strategic communications consultancy, provoked thought and discussion through their presentations – ‘Trustees in Crisis’, ‘Accountability’, Duty and Leadership’ – and delivered an engaging morning real-life safeguarding activity centred around leadership, crisis and obligations.
Dr Val Bernard Allan invited the participants to reflect on Gender and Intersectionality concerning safeguarding. David Anthony, from UNICEF Innocenti, spoke about the necessity for Ethical Leadership especially in a faith context.
Several key organisations in the UK also provided speakers. These included Hourglass (the only UK-wide charity dedicated to ending the harm, abuse and exploitation of older people), AFRUCA (protecting children and families from ethnic community backgrounds), and Social Care Institute for Excellence.
Academics and practitioners included Dr Brenda Brown from Buckinghamshire New University, Diana Downer, and Wilma King. Counselling support was provided not only by directors and managers from the BUC, but also by pastor and psychologist, Nestor Bruno, who is the board chair for PsySon, the world’s largest Christian online psychology platform and the director of MinistryCare, an organisation that provides support for over 4,800 families in 20 English-speaking countries.
Several panel discussions were held throughout the week. The first was led by Joanna Daniels, a counsellor, international speaker and author. The second, was hosted by Leslie Ackie, with the input of the BUC Possibility Ministries, Family Life, Children’s Ministries, and Safeguarding departments. Reflecting on these discussions, Ackie said, ‘This summit has further emphasised the enormous challenge and opportunity we have to take our safeguarding provisions to another level to fulfil our biblical mandate to reflect the vulnerable.”
Voices of the Survivors
The act of listening to the ‘voiceless’ is central to the theme of safeguarding. There were several occasions when the stories of victims and survivors were heard, all pre-recorded. These stories were heart-wrenching, and the stark reality of these narratives brought silence to the room and tears to the eyes.
Branding
“Say it. Hear it. Say it. Stop it! Safeguarding, is my responsibility, your responsibility, our responsibility.” This is the new branding around the safeguarding campaign which will be rolled out over the coming months throughout the BUC.
Feature image: British Union Conference Field Leaders: From left to right, Kirk Thomas (South England Conference), Steve Palmer (North England Conference), Eglan Brooks (British Union Conference), James Botha (Scottish Mission), Graham Allcock (Welsh Mission) and Adam Keough (Irish Mission).
Photos: Nicholas Blackburn, Jimmy Botha, and Cathy Boldeau.
