Source: Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) published on this website Wednesday 19 November 2025 by Jill Powell

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is supporting Ann Craft Trust during National Safeguarding Adults Week to help organisations prevent abuse and create safer cultures through this year’s theme: ‘Prevention: Act Before Abuse’. 

DBS supports employers to make safer recruitment decisions by processing and issuing criminal record checks and by maintaining the Adults’ and Children’s Barred Lists. Barred Lists are records of people not permitted to work in a regulated activity with children and/or vulnerable adults. 

The Ann Craft Trust – which is hosting Safeguarding Adults Week from 17 to 21 November – is a leading UK authority supporting organisations to safeguard adults and young people at risk. 

DBS’ focus during Safeguarding Adults Week is to help organisations understand when DBS checks are required, what ‘regulated activity’ is, how to access free checks for eligible volunteers, and the application process. Throughout the week, DBS will be sharing guidance and resources on: 

• different levels of DBS checks (Basic, Standard, Enhanced, and Enhanced with Barred List(s) checks) 
• which roles require DBS checks and what regulated activity with adults at risk means 
• how volunteers can access free DBS checks and what counts as voluntary work 
• how to use the DBS Update Service to keep certificates current 

Activities provided by Ann Craft Trust include free online seminars and an in-person Safeguarding Adults Conference on Wednesday 19 November. Throughout the week, the Ann Craft Trust will explore a different safeguarding theme each day:   

Monday – Change the Conversation: focusing on proactive intervention and creating safer environments that actively work to prevent abuse 

Tuesday – Prevention in Practice: examining the role of leadership, good governance, values-based recruitment and meaningful training 

Wednesday – Creating Empowering Environments: exploring trauma-informed approaches through empathy, co-production and positive risk-taking 

Thursday – Trust Your Instincts: building courage and resilience to speak out, with tools to develop supportive safeguarding cultures 

Friday – Celebrate the Safer Cultures: showcasing examples of good practice and success stories 

DBS is also hosting a series of free online workshops across England during Safeguarding Adults Week. DBS Outreach Advisers will explain the role of DBS, including understanding DBS checks and role eligibility, what regulated activity means, the legal duty to refer, and the process for making a barring referral. Find out more. 

Susie Blamire, Associate Director Strategic Lead for Safeguarding for the Disclosure and Barring Service, said: 

"DBS performs a critical role in helping protect the most vulnerable. We support employers to make safer recruitment decisions informed by our different levels of DBS checks and by barring individuals who pose a risk to vulnerable groups from working in certain roles.  

Prevention must be at the heart of safeguarding, and safer recruitment is a key part of that. We are pleased to support the Ann Craft Trust’s Safeguarding Adults Week and encourage organisations to understand DBS check eligibility. Knowing when and which checks are required, and how volunteers can access free checks are all essential steps in preventing harm.” 

Stuart Sale, CEO of the Ann Craft Trust, said: 

The DBS is a crucial organisation when it comes to safeguarding, and particularly when we think about prevention. The Ann Craft Trust is proud of the longstanding relationship we have had with the DBS, over a number of years, and are delighted that they have once again prioritised Safeguarding Adults Week in their calendar with a number of fantastic events. We look forward to continuing working with DBS to ensure that safeguarding remains a priority for any organisation that comes into contact with adults.” 

DBS Regional Outreach Advisers provide year-round free support to organisations across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The team can help organisations understand DBS check eligibility and the legal duty to refer. They also provide tailored training and workshops. For more information, visit the DBS Regional Outreach service or contact dbsregionaloutreach@dbs.gov.uk.

Source: Home Office published on this website Monday 17 November 2025 by Jill Powell

Lord Macdonald of River Glaven KC has been appointed to lead an independent review of laws on public order and hate crime. 

Following the terrorist attack in Manchester on 2 October, the Home Secretary announced an independent review of existing public order and hate crime legislation. 

This resulted from concerns around community tensions and the impact of disruptive and intimidating protests and hate crime on the cohesion and safety of society. 

The government will always protect the right to lawful protest and free speech, but we will not tolerate individuals or groups who intimidate others, incite hatred, or create disorder. 

The review will therefore look at the powers police have to manage protests and the current hate crime laws, including offences for aggravated behaviour and “stirring up” hatred.  

It will examine whether existing legislation is effective and proportionate, and whether it protects communities from hate and intimidation.  

It will also consider if the law protects free speech and peaceful protest, while also preventing disorder and keeping people safe.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said:  

“The terrorist attack in Manchester on 2 October shocked the nation and showed how hatred and division can fuel violence. It happened at a time of growing concern about protests and hate crime in this country.  

“Our laws must protect the public, while upholding the right to protest and free speech. That is why we have asked Lord Macdonald to lead this review. His experience will ensure it is thorough and independent.  

2Lawful protest and free speech are fundamental rights, but we cannot allow them to be abused to spread hate or cause disorder. The law must be fit for purpose and consistently applied.”

This review follows recent changes to the Crime and Policing Bill, which will require police to consider the overall impact of protests in one place before setting conditions on future demonstrations. 

Lord Macdonald is the former Director of Public Prosecutions and brings extensive legal expertise and independence to this work.  

He will be supported by Owen Weatherill, a senior policing expert who brings operational experience from his role as the National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Civil Contingencies and National Mobilisation. 

The terms of reference for the review will be confirmed in the coming weeks with the review expected to commence imminently and conclude by February 2026.

Source: The Charity Commission published on this website Tuesday 18 November 2025 by Jill Powell

The Matt 6.3 Charitable Trust was registered with the Commission in 1998 and has purposes of advancing and promoting the Christian faith.  

In October 2024, the regulator became aware of serious concerns about governance failings and unauthorised payments at the charity. 

The charity’s advisors told the trustees they must cease all unauthorised payments to connected parties and appoint an independent board of trustees. However, some payments continued to be made and the charity has so far not recruited any independent trustees.  

The charity’s latest accounts were submitted 123 days late and qualified, as the auditor had concerns over the charity’s governance.  

The regulator has now escalated its engagement with the charity to a statutory inquiry. This will examine the extent to which the trustees are complying with their legal duties in respect to the administration, governance and management of the charity, and in particular: 

• management of conflicts of interest and private benefit 
• whether the charity has appropriate policies and procedures in place 
• the extent to which the trustees have complied with previously issued professional advice. 

The Commission may extend the scope of the inquiry if additional regulatory issues emerge.   

It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing the issues examined, any action taken, and the inquiry’s outcomes.  

Source: The Charity Commission published on this site Friday 14 November 2025 by Jill Powell

The Charity Commission has set an expectation that the Archbishops’ Council should implement independent safeguarding structures as endorsed by the Church’s General Synod in February 2025 within 18 months from now – a year sooner than current plans indicate – and in the meantime, put robust interim measures in place to keep people safe.

The expectation is part of a Regulatory Action Plan issued to the Archbishops’ Council, a registered charity whose objects are to co-ordinate, promote, aid and further the work and mission of the Church of England. It follows the Commission engaging with the charity over whether its trustees are taking sufficient steps to address the safeguarding concerns and implement recommended changes raised in a number of safeguarding reviews.

Background

The Commission’s engagement with the Archbishops’ Council began towards the end of 2024, following the publication of an ‘Independent Learning Lessons Review’ into the case of John Smyth (the “Makin Review”). This followed other independent reviews in recent years, including the report by Sarah Wilkinson into the Church’s Independent Safeguarding Board, and the ‘Future of Church Safeguarding’ report by Professor Alexis Jay.

Public debate about the Church’s approach to safeguarding following publication of the Makin Review – and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s resignation over the issue – exacerbated regulatory concerns that progress towards safeguarding improvements identified in the various independent reports was not happening with sufficient pace.

The regulatory compliance case was informed by information provided by bishops and Diocesan Boards of Finance, as well as the Archbishops’ Council, at the Commission’s request.

While the Commission does not investigate individual allegations of abuse, it does have a responsibility to assess concerns about the extent to which trustees are taking necessary action and ensuring their charity has appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures in place. The Church of England’s National Safeguarding Team is a department of the Archbishops’ Council and develops proposals for safeguarding guidance, processes and procedures for consideration by the General Synod which the trustees of other Church charities are required to follow.

Findings

In summary, the Commission has found that:

• there is insufficient urgency and pace in implementing responses to past safeguarding reviews, and the current approach to doing so is fragmented and overly complex. For example, the Council’s current timescale of 2028 to pass the necessary legislation to implement independent safeguarding is too slow, representing a four year gap since the publication of the Jay Review
• currently the Church does not treat allegations of abuse from an adult not assessed to be “vulnerable” as a safeguarding allegation. The Commission’s guidance is clear that trustees must take reasonable steps to protect from harm all people who come into contact with their charity

Conclusions

The Commission found no evidence of mismanagement or misconduct by the trustees of the Archbishops’ Council, and recognises that the charity has made progress and delivered some improvements to the Church’s safeguarding in recent years. However, the Commission has made it clear that it expects the Archbishops’ Council to take all steps within its powers to implement outstanding safeguarding reforms at a much faster pace.

Where legislative changes will not address safeguarding risks quickly, the charity’s trustees should facilitate interim arrangements sufficient to address identified safeguarding risks until the legislative changes are in place. These should reflect the Commission’s guidance to trustees as well as Church policy and procedure.

Next steps

The Commission has issued a Regulatory Action Plan setting out steps the trustees need to take to address the Commission’s concerns. These include closing the gap on how allegations made by a non-vulnerable adult should be handled in different circumstances, and quicker delivery of the new structures for independent safeguarding which the General Synod “endorsed as the way forward in the short term” in February 2025.

The Commission notes the recent appointment of Dame Christine Ryan as executive chair of the Church’s Safeguarding Structures Programme Board to lead work on the structural changes agreed by the Synod.

The Commission now expects the Archbishops’ Council to identify any safeguarding risks that may require interim non-legislative measures to keep people safe and to put suitable measures in place. Reflecting this approach, the Archbishops’ Council has told the Commission it plans to establish an interim independent scrutiny body for Church safeguarding ahead of legislation.

The Commission understands the risks associated with acting in undue haste, and notes that the Archbishops’ Council’s trustees need to consider how to plan for future engagement with victims and survivors in a meaningful, sensitive and structured way so that it supports the timely delivery of change needed to keep people safe in the future.

The regulator is monitoring the Archbishops’ Council’s progress against the Regulatory Action Plan. Should it receive evidence that raises new regulatory concerns, it will assess this in line with its usual process.