The National Review Protocol

The Cumberlege Commission Report 2007, “Safeguarding with Confidence”, noted that after an investigation by a Diocesan/Religious Safeguarding Commission into an allegation concerning an office-holder, employee, volunteer, deacon, priest or religious, recommendations are made to the Bishop/Congregational Leader who then often makes a decision with consequences in canon law. The Cumberlege Commission recommended that there should be an opportunity for a review of this process. This proposal was encapsulated in Recommendations 47-51.

The NCSC has now approved a Protocol for this Review process and has appointed a number of people to be available to sit on such a review panel.

The Review Protocol can be found at www.csasprocedures.uk.net. To set up a review panel the Diocesan or Religious Safeguarding Commissions should contact CSAS via their website at www.csas.uk.net

The names of the available panel members are set out below.

• Sarah Baker. With over 20 years' experience in children and family social work, both in local authorities and as a diocesan child protection officer, I now work as a Children's Guardian for the Child and Family Court Advisory and Support Service.

• Kate Burke

• Mgr John Conneely JCL is the Judicial Vicar for the Archdiocese of Westminster and is a past President of the Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Ordained for the Westminster Diocese in 1988, he studied Canon Law at the Gregorian University in Rome. In addition to his work as a Judge with the Westminster and Plymouth Diocesan Marriage Tribunals, he has taught Canon Law at the Missionary Institute London, Allen Hall Seminary and Heythrop College, London. Throughout he has continued to be involved in Parish life serving in Hackney, Finchley, and recently acting as Administrator in Camden Town.

• Mgr David Cousins, Priest of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, ordained 12th March 1960. Awarded Licence in Canon Law by the Angelicum University, Rome, 1967-1969. Parish Priest of the Sacred Heart, Sutton Coldfield since 1978. A judge of the Birmingham Diocesan Tribunal, 1970 to present day. Judicial Vicar on the Tribunal, 1978-2008.

• Philip Dand, I am a qualified Social Worker with 38 years experience in the field. Specialising in work with adults with learning disability for much of that time with experience in managing social work services for people with a physical disability or sensory loss. I have also managed Occupational Therapy Services offering equipment and adaptations to disabled people. I have held joint appointments with health and local authority with respect to services for people with a learning difficulty. For the last 4 years I have been the Adult Safeguarding Manager for an inner city metropolitan borough. I have been the Chair of the North West Commission for Safeguarding in Religious Orders for the last 2 years

• John Donnelly - John was a police officer for 39 years in Sheffield. He retired in 2005 at the rank of chief superintendent. He is a Non-Executive Director of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (NHS) Foundation Trust and a chair of the General Medical Council Fitness to Practice Panel. John has degrees in law and theology. He is a practising Catholic.

• Monsignor David Hogan is the President of the Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland and has worked in the area of Canon Law in his own diocese of Middlesbrough and nationally for the last thirty five years.

• Azora Hurd is a Nursery Nurse and a Social Worker by professional heritage. She has practiced in the Probation Service and Local Authority Social Services Department's before specialising in Children, Young people and Family Services. Her experiences include working as the Panel Manager for GALRO and as Service Manager for CAFCASS prior managing the SureStart Children’s Centre in Birmingham as well as providing independent moderators assessment role for the Care Council in Wales, the General Social Care Council and a number of Universities. Azora is a registered Social Worker and her qualifications include, the Advanced Award in Social Work, LLB(Hons), MSc in Public Sector Management and an MPA. Currently, Azora is undertaking a Doctoral programme at the University of Birmingham.

• Vicki Lawson-Brown Vicki Lawson-Brown is a qualified social worker, family therapist, educator, linguist, mediator and is studying law. She has experience in local authority social services, child and adolescent psychiatry, universities, social care regulators and high-profile public sector organisations. She recently retired from the GSCC where she was a regional inspector and now acts as a consultant specialising in administrative justice, training, mediation, complaints, safeguarding and conduct investigation. She has held a Ministerial Appointment with the Home Office and is the former Chair of the national charity Witness. She is currently a Trustee of the Centre for Public Scrutiny and a spokesperson for the College of Social Work. She continues her academic career with the Open University where she teaches health and social care and is the academic reviewer for Ruskin College Oxford and the University of Baden-Würrtemburg in Stuttgart.

• Daniel Mahony: Solicitor and Notary Public, with many years experience in all aspects of childcare law and practice. Chairs independent panels hearing exclusion appeals for a local authority, and is chair of governors of a primary school

• Alasdair Munro: a retired Prison Governor with experience of management of sexual offenders, and treatment programmes, and also of investigative and disciplinary procedures , including instructing legal representatives in tribunal and other proceedings.

• Mgr Gordon Read, born in Southend on Sea in 1948; first degree in Litterae Humaniores at Oxford (Exeter College); studies for priesthood at St Edmund’s College, Ware and Heythrop College London (B.D.); ordained priest for the Diocese of Brentwood 1976; further studies in Canon Law (J.C.L.) at Gregorian University in Rome. Subsequently various positions in parish ministry. Chancellor of the Diocese of Brentwood since 1983 and Judicial Vicar since 1985. Author of numerous articles on canon law.

• Jane Robinson: I am a member of RC Church and a Social worker by profession. My work experience has mainly involved working with children and adults with learning disabilities. I currently work as the safeguarding co ordinator in my local authority and assist all agencies with the development and implementation of procedures that safeguard vulnerable adults.

• Georgie Stone Worked for Birmingham Social Services Inspectorate; inspecting care, support, and respite services in the local authority, voluntary, and independent sector. In addition, undertook Formal investigations of Complaints regarding Vulnerable Adults. Achieved Master of Science (MS.c) in Public Sector Management at the University of Aston Business School. Has published worked in the area of Organisational Culture/Behaviour. Worked for six years as Senior Manager in the Charitable/Not-for-Profit Sector. Held Visiting Lectureship for ten years, lecturing to, and delivering workshops, to final year social work students. Organised, and Chaired, a National Conference on a feature of the Government White Paper, 'Valuing People'.

• James Todd has spent over 25 years with the Probation Service in Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire. He is also a former director of a small voluntary agency in the alcoholism field and since 2002 has been a (non-contracted, part-time) Family Court Adviser with CAFCASS. His main areas of experience cover interviewing, report-writing, substance abuse, domestic violence, safeguarding and risk assessment.

• John Warren. A solicitor admitted in 1970 who was appointed as a Chairman of Employment Tribunal in 1994 retiring in 2008 as a Regional Employment Judge. He sits part time as an Employment Judge.