STRUCTURE

CSAS is the national agency for driving and supporting improvements in safeguarding practice within the Catholic Church in England & Wales.

CSAS currently comprises:

• Director – Adrian Child, appointed July 2008
• National Learning & Development Adviser – Carol Parry, appointed April 2009 
• National Safeguarding Systems Adviser – Sally Robinson, appointed July 2008
• PA to Director – Claire Saltmarshe (formerly Johnson), appointed July 2008
• Team Secretary (part time) – Sophie Robbins, appointed July 2008
• Team Secretary (part time) – Angela Byrne, appointed December 2008

CSAS is based in Birmingham at

CSAS
Queensway House
57 Livery Street
Birmingham
B3 1HA

CSAS is an agency of the Department of Christian Responsibility and Citizenship.

This Department’s priorities are –

• Marriage and Family Life;
• The support of marginalised and vulnerable people;
• “Life” issues and the dignity of the person.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales, through the Catholic Trust for England and Wales (CaTEW), formally employs all CSAS staff.  CaTEW are located at 39 Eccleston Square, near Victoria Station.

CSAS also reports to the National Catholic Safeguarding Commission which is chaired by a lay person, Bill Kilgallon OBE.  Vice Chairs are Sr Jane Bertelsen of the Conference of Religious and Bishop Declan Lang of Clifton. 

Its other members are:

Bishops Conference of England and Wales

Bishop Peter Doyle                 

Bishop John Arnold      

Conference of Religious

Fr Matthew Blake                 

Sr Ann Cunningham                

Diocesan & Religious Safeguarding Commission Chairs

Philip Dand

Kevin Caffrey                    

Roger Bird                      

Priest/ Canon Lawyer            

Fr Kristian Paver            

Lay Members                   

Valerie Brasse    

Susie Hayward             

2 lay members have stepped down and recruitment for replacements is currently underway.  The new lay members should be confirmed in August 2010.

ROLE & TASKS OF CSAS

• Providing advice to members of the Church about safeguarding issues.
• Overseeing and co-ordinating safeguarding training within the Church.
• In the shorter term completing the development of policies that Lord Nolan recommended and others that are outstanding, including policies on vulnerable adults, whistleblowing, information sharing and the national database.
• Ensuring the Church’s policies on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults are kept up to date with good secular practice and are accessible to people at all levels in the Church, with an emphasis on people in parishes.
• To develop a parish pack to support the work of Parish and Religious Safeguarding Representatives.
• Identifying, disseminating and celebrating good safeguarding practice in the Church.
• Being the point of liaison with other national stakeholders - both safeguarding units in other Churches and secular organisations concerned with safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, including Government.
• Co-ordinating the work of the Review Panels and maintaining up to date lists of appropriately trained investigators and risk assessors
• Producing an annual business report for the public and wider Church community which reviews the work of the CSAS as a whole and reflects on the achievements of the Diocesan and Religious Commissions.
• Acting as the Registered Body for CRB Disclosures and in the future Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) registration.

To access and view the national Safeguarding policies and procedures of the Catholic Church of England & Wales please go to www.csasprocedures.uk.net