Two new members with professional safeguarding expertise have been appointed to the Church’s National Safeguarding Panel (NSP), chaired by Meg Munn.
Kashmir Garton brings expertise in working with offenders as a senior manager within the Probation Service. She has extensive safeguarding experience from working with people convicted of serious crimes and managing their risk of harm in the community. In her current role as National Faith Lead for the Probation Service, she works with all faith groups to support the safe rehabilitation of those who have offended. Her work was recognised by the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Awards in 2019 where she was a finalist. Kashmir is also a lay member of the Church of England General Synod (Worcester Diocese) and has just been re-elected for a second term of five years. She takes over from Donald Findlater on the NSP, who had come to the end of his term of office.
Lindsey Bampton brings expertise in working in safeguarding adults; originally as a probation officer for 13 years working with individuals assessed as high risk of serious harm including sex offenders, as well as prolific and priority offenders. She is currently manager of the Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) and Safeguarding Children Partnership (SCP) in Leicester and member of the National SAB Manager Network, and The Association of Safeguarding Partners (TASP). Lindsey is also a reference group member for a national workstream on safeguarding adults and homelessness within the Care and Health Improvement Programme (CHIP) and contributed towards Adult safeguarding and homelessness: a briefing on positive practice | Local Government Association. She will be graduating from Keele University School of Law in January 2022 with a distinction in MA Safeguarding Adults: Law, Policy and Practice. Lindsey takes over from over from Jasvinder Sanghera, who has been appointed the survivor advocate on the Church’s independent safeguarding board, ISB.
Welcoming the two new Panel members Meg Munn, independent chair of the NSP, said:
"I am delighted to welcome both Kashmir and Lindsey to the Panel. Kashmir brings the perspective and understanding of working with those who have committed serious crimes alongside both personal and professional experience of faith issues. Lindsey has a wide range of expertise and brings in depth knowledge through her role as manager of an Adults Safeguarding Board and has recently completed studying for a Masters degree in adult safeguarding. The Panel is committed to providing independent scrutiny and challenge to the Church of England in its safeguarding work and I have no doubt that our two new members will make a significant contribution to our important work."