The Safeguarding Office
Diocese of Down and Connor
The Safeguarding Office was formally established in 2008 to coordinate and build upon the existing good work of safeguarding that had already taken place throughout the diocese.
Andy Thomson: Vetting and Barring Coordinator for the Northern Dioceses (also provides advice in a consultative capacity to Down and Connor)
Andy is a retired senior civil service officer with experience in the field of managing and sharing information and risk assessment. He was a founding member of the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults vetting system for Northern Ireland and subsequently General Manager of the National Vetting Agency. Given his skills and background, his role is to manage the vetting and barring arrangements for the six Northern Dioceses, and in this area, he is accountable to the Northern Bishops. He works closely with the Diocesan Representatives from the other five Northern Dioceses. Andy acts as an adviser for the diocese and a liaison with statutory agencies.
Susan Gordon: Training and Parish Development Officer
Susan is a qualified social worker with over 20 years’ experience in the field. She has worked in Family and Child Care Services in both the statutory and voluntary sector. Susan is also a qualified mediator.
Susan is employed part time and is taking lead responsibility for developing some new awareness-raising training in the areas of domestic violence and abuse. Susan will be developing the Diocese Pastoral Outreach project to victims.
Philip O’Hara: Interim Director and Designated Liaison Person (DLP) for the Diocese.
On 11 April 2016, Philip O’Hara joined the staff at the Safeguarding Office as a new full time team member. As part of his duties, Philip undertakes the role of Interim Director and Designated Liaison Person for child protection and the “Champion Role” for adult safeguarding.
Philip, whom we are also delighted to have as a team member, is a professionally qualified social worker with 30 years’ experience. Philip has worked across a number of social work specialities, including child protection, children and disabilities, residential work and as an Inspector with RQIA (The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority).
Given his previous experience as a PSC (Parish Safeguarding Committee) Chair, Philip will also work alongside Susan Gordon in the Safeguarding Office, assisting her in the role of supporting Parish Safeguarding Committees.
Fr Peter Owens: Delegate for Safeguarding
Fr Peter was ordained a priest of Down and Connor in 1990. After two years of postgraduate studies in Rome, he returned to the Diocese and has served in the parishes of St Paul’s, Larne and St Agnes’, and is presently Parish Priest of Carrickfergus and Whitehead. In June 2009, he graduated from the University of Ulster with a Diploma of Higher Education in counselling, and after working with the Safeguarding Office for several years, was appointed by Bishop Treanor in August 2013 as Episcopal Vicar for Safeguarding. In this role, he represents the Bishop in the area of safeguarding and is a member of the diocesan safeguarding staff, with particular responsibility for liaising with priests in all fields of child protection and safeguarding. He sits on the Diocesan Safeguarding Committee and the Advisory Panel.
Administration
Marion Adams: Administrator and Personal Assistant
Marion joined the Safeguarding Office in November 2018. She began her career working as a Bank Official in First Trust Bank, progressing to a Service Manager in one of the Bank’s Subsidiary Companies. Marion took voluntary redundancy from the bank in 2009 and began working for the Diocese as a parish secretary in 2010. She worked in Corpus Christi Parish and Sacred Heart Parish before joining the Safeguarding Office.
Lorraine Moreland: Vetting Officer
Lorraine joined the Diocese of Down and Connor as a Vetting Officer in March 2015. She began her career working for an enterprise agency as a property and finance manager, giving advice and assistance to individuals who wanted to start up and run a small business. She continued her career working for small to medium-sized private consultancy companies as a senior administrator and finance manager.
Parish Safeguarding Support Officer
The Safeguarding Office currently has one Safeguarding Support Officer (SSO). The SSO chairs the Pastoral Community Safeguarding Support Meetings previously known as Joint Vicariate Meetings, delivers training to Parish Safeguarding Committees and coordinates safeguarding training for volunteers.
Shauneen Doran
Shauneen recently joined the Safeguarding team in February 2023. Shauneen previously worked in the Health Sector and in more recent years has been working in various parishes delivering music faith ministry.
Shauneen will be engaging with Parish Safeguarding Committees (PSC’s) and their Pastoral Communities across the Diocese, to support and work alongside them in relation to Creating and Maintaining Safe Environments.
DIOCESAN SAFEGUARDING COMMITTEE
Amanda Stewart – Chairperson of the Diocesan Safeguarding Committee and Chief Executive of the Probation Board NI
Caroline Brogan – Social Worker and Statutory Trainer
Paul McNeill – Business Support Manager in the SBNI
Very Rev Peter Owens – Episcopal Vicar for Safeguarding and Parish Priest
Philip O’Hara – Social Worker
Susan Gordon – Social Worker/Training and Parish Development Officer
Very Rev Eugene O’Hagan – Chancellor of the Diocese
Very Rev Michael McGinnity – Vice-Chair and Parish Priest
Role and Function of the Safeguarding Committee
The Diocesan Safeguarding Committee is established by the Bishop, comprising members of the laity and clergy with relevant backgrounds and knowledge and experience of safeguarding of children. The committee is responsible for:
1. Developing a comprehensive three-year Safeguarding Strategic Plan and communicating and overseeing its implementation;
2. Ensuring local safeguarding policy and procedures are in place and are adhered to;
3. Ensuring Parish Safeguarding Committees are established, and coordinating and supporting their local responsibilities;
4. Developing a training needs analysis and training programme for all clergy, paid staff and volunteers within the Diocese;
5. Ensuring the completion of the annual parish safeguarding audit;
6. Ensuring the maintenance of appropriate records in respect of all safeguarding activity including records on recruitment, vetting and training;
7. Ensuring with the Bishop that the appropriate child safeguarding personnel are in place.
DIOCESAN ADVISORY PANEL
Declan Magee – Chair of the Advisory Panel and Solicitor
Clare Joudeh – Family and Child Care Senior Social Worker
Dr Paul Quinn – Consultant Clinical Psychologist (Retired)
George Hamilton – Senior Civil Service Officer
Very Rev Eugene O’Hagan – Chancellor of the Diocese
Fr Joseph Rooney – Canon Lawyer (Co-opted)
Fr Peter Owens – Episcopal Vicar for Safeguarding
Philip O’Hara – Social Worker/Designated Liaison Person
Liz Arthur – Probation Board
Role and Function of the Advisory Panel
The Panel advises the Bishop at all stages of the investigative process into specific cases where allegations of abuse, current or historical, have been made and the associated risk management process. The Panel is responsible for maintaining records of all its recommendations to the Bishop and providing advice and support to other church personnel involved in case management. The Panel members have specific experience, expertise and responsibilities in the management of risk.
Diocesan Support Person
In line with the Standards and Guidance Document of the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI), the diocese provides an additional service to those individuals who make allegations of child abuse by offering access to a Support Person. The role of the Support Person is to assist and advise the individual of the process as an enquiry progresses. The Support Person also may assist the individual to make contact with their GP (if they are agreeable) and to access appropriate community services.