Bishop Viv is pleased to announce the appointment of David Niven as the next Independent Chair of the Diocesan Safeguarding Steering Group (DSSG) from 1 April 2023.
The DSSG oversees the safeguarding work within the Diocese ensuring that safeguarding arrangements across the Diocese are effective, concerns identified and addressed and that there is effective collaboration with statutory partners.
David says, “Having worked with the Diocese on safeguarding matters, on and off, for some time, I came to understand the level of professionalism that now exists and their commitment to protecting the vulnerable. Challenges are, if anything, expanding with greater threats from exploitation and fraud online and county lines, to name some. I strongly believe in training, education and good clear communication to all parishes and beyond. I believe that we have to be realistic and acknowledge that there will always be abuse and that means there will always be survivors in need of support. I hope that I can bring some of the experience I’ve gained Chairing previous Boards and professional bodies and look forward to learning much more from DSSG members and the wider team.”