An Independent Chair is sought for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel (DSAP) of the Diocese of Chester who will work with the Diocesan Bishop, the senior staff team, The Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser and members of the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel to ensure that the DSAP’s advisory and scrutiny functions are carried out effectively.

They will be able to demonstrate current or recent experience of managing safeguarding services and hold a relevant professional qualification (or equivalent) at degree level (for example; social work, health, teaching, law, police etc.).

In order to demonstrate independence from the Diocese of Chester, it would be preferable for the DSAP Chair not to be a worshipping member of a Church of England church in the Diocese of Chester.

The time commitment is expected to be in the region of 4 to 6 days per year. A day rate of £350 will be paid to assist with the expenses incurred in the role. The post will be offered for a term of 3 years.

PLEASE NOTE: Applications should be made via the Diocesan website using the diocesan application form.

The role description, person specification, background paper and application form can be downloaded from the Diocesan website: https://www.chester.anglican.org/support-services/job-vacancies/other-vacancies/

Completed application forms should be returned to Mrs E A Geddes, Diocesan Director of Human Resources, preferably by email to liz.geddes@chester.anglican.org

Or by post to Church House, 5500 Daresbury Park, Warrington, WA4 4GE or

Closing date: Sunday 15^th October 2023

Interviews: Wednesday 25^th October 2023

Overall Purpose of the Post

To work with the Diocesan Bishop, the senior staff team, The Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser and members of the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel (DSAP) to ensure that the DSAP’s advisory and scrutiny functions are carried out effectively.

Principal Duties

1. To chair meetings of the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel (DSAP), including, where appropriate any additional DSAP meetings convened as a response to specific circumstances.
2. To provide effective leadership to DSAP, including agreeing the agenda with the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (DSA), agreeing and signing off minutes/action plans, chairing the meetings and monitoring the follow-up actions.
3. To ensure the DSAP discharges it role and functions in line with the terms of reference.
4. To ensure that there are clear safeguarding arrangements in place (and where appropriate a Service level agreement) between the diocese and those parts of the Church in the Diocese with their own decision-making bodies e.g. the Cathedral and advise on any necessary action.
5. To work with the DSA and senior staff to ensure the panel has a strategic overview of safeguarding practice across the diocese in line with the House of Bishops’ policy and practice guidance, together with appropriate quality assurance and risk management processes. This will include ensuring that an up to date safeguarding strategy is in place and is regularly reviewed.
6. To ensure that DSAP considers the needs and views of victims/survivors and there is a suitable professional member who is familiar with these needs and views, who can be the voice of survivor panels.
7. To ensure that DSAP considers the needs and views of children, young people and vulnerable adults in its work and that all these panels are appropriately represented on the DSAP.
8. To work with the DSA and senior staff involved in the recruitment of DSAP members and of paid staff in the Diocesan Safeguarding Team to ensure that there are adequate resources; that there is sufficient capacity and diversity of skills set and experience/background of members to provide a high-quality safeguarding service to the Diocese.
9. To be willing to be available for regular meetings with the DSA in line with Practice Guidance requirements of the role.
10. To advise, where necessary, the Diocesan Bishop, and/or Diocesan Secretary on specific concerns/issues relating to the Diocesan Safeguarding Team and or the DSAP. Where appropriate to raise and report any concerns/issues as part of whistle blowing arrangements, including to the National Safeguarding Team if necessary.
11. To engage in the Independent Chairs’ national and regional network meetings, as required.
12. To respond to correspondence sent to the Independent Chair, with support where appropriate from officers of the Diocese.
13. To produce with the assistance of the DSA an annual report for Bishop’s Council, Cathedral Chapter and Diocesan Synod on the work of the DSAP, advising and making recommendations on the development and effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements.
14. To ensure that the DSAP receives and discusses information and themes from Quality Assurance processes, self-assessments, lessons learnt reviews, independent audits and file audits to make recommendations for improving safeguarding arrangements as needed.

September 2023

The work of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF) is operated from within Church House and is located at Daresbury Park, Warrington.

The DBF is the body which oversees the central financial and administrative work of the Diocese of Chester, provides support, teaching and trained personnel to advance the mission and ministry of the parishes within the Church of England Diocese of Chester, and the mission and ministries of the bishops of the Diocese.

The DBF is part of the Church of England, the established Church of the land, which proclaims Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, and aims to proclaim the Kingdom of God in an open way to all people, of all races, cultures and backgrounds.

For many posts within the Diocese those who are not members of the Church of England are welcome to apply. We respect their right to express different religious and philosophical opinions but require them, as employees of the Diocese, to respect our ethos as an Anglican Christian organisation and not to undermine it. These posts will require the post-holders to be in sympathy with the aims and objectives of the Church of England.

Some posts may include an Occupational Requirement for the post holder to be a practising Christian in accordance with the Equality Act, 2010. Where this applies the recruitment documentation will state this.

The Diocese of Chester is in the province of York in the Church of England, part of the global Anglican Communion. For more information about our life, ministry and work please visit our website www.chester.anglican.org We are linked with the Anglican Church of Melanesia in the Solomon Islands and the Dioceses of Aru and Boga in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Diocese covers an area of 1025 square miles, approximately the old Victorian County of Chester, including parts which subsequently became absorbed into Merseyside and Greater Manchester. The Rivers Mersey and Tame approximately delineate the boundary with Liverpool and Manchester. There are areas of dense urban population, mainly in the north, stretching from Birkenhead to East Manchester. There are prosperous suburban regions of West and South Wirral, Chester and south of Manchester, with a mainly rural heartland, bounded by the Derbyshire Pennines and the Welsh Border. The overall population is around 1.6 million.

The diocesan bishop is Mark Tanner. He is supported by two suffragan bishops: the Bishop of Birkenhead, Julie Conalty and the of Bishop of Stockport, Sam Corley.

The Cathedral for the Diocese is in Chester.

The Diocese is divided into two archdeaconries: Chester covering the western half and Macclesfield the eastern, each with nine deaneries. There are 273 parishes, about 100 of which can be described as rural. Compared with many dioceses, there are few teams, and few multi-parish benefices. There are approximately 231 stipendiary clergy. The ministry of Readers and Pastoral Workers is important, with over 400 licensed. The role of self-supporting ministers is increasing, with over 80 in post at present.

Roughly speaking, the Archdeaconry of Macclesfield covers that part of the diocese to the east of the M6, plus the area around Crewe and Nantwich. The Archdeaconry of Chester covers the rest of the diocese to the west of the M6. Each archdeaconry has a broad mix of urban and rural parishes. The Archdeacon of Chester lives in Chester, and the Archdeacon of Macclesfield lives in Congleton. Both now work from Church House, Daresbury.