JESUITS IN BRITAIN

TRUSTEES’ MEETING SATURDAY 9 MAY 2026.

Summary Report: Trustees’ Safeguarding Committee 14 April 2026

1.    Introduction:

This summary report covers the meeting of the Committee held on 14 April 2026. Those present were: Mrs Fiona Bateman, Mr Jim Gallagher, Mr James Reilly (Chair), Fr Paul O’Reilly SJ, Fr David Smolira SJ, Fr Peter Gallagher SJ (Provincial). There were no members absent. In attendance were Mrs Nadra Gadeed and Mrs Julie Ashby-Ellis, and Ms Angie Palmer was present to produce minutes of the meeting.

Approval was given to minutes of the meeting on 17 February 2026 and the action log reviewed with future actions recorded.

2. Work with Victim/Survivors and Safety Management Plans:

Mrs Nadra Gadeed reported on her ongoing engagement with five victims/survivors. All the complaints are historical and the perpetrators are deceased. The most recent complainant has met with Fr Provincial and has begun receiving therapeutic support.

Given the difficulties some victims/survivors experience inbeing able to seek support from family and friends, Nadra Gadeed will continue to explore a recent offer from a victim/survivor to assist with peer support work, if and when it is established, drawing on their experience of developing and leading such work in other settings.

The Committee received and approved the proposed standard communications to victims/survivors regarding applications for compensation, which seek to explain the process, expected timescales and how they will be kept informed.

3. Various Updates.

The Committee approved the Province’s Safeguarding Communication Plan, which will now be published on the Province’s website. The Committee agreed to review the plan annually.

No safeguarding training was delivered by Mrs Julie Ashby-Ellis since the last Committee meeting, due to a combination of annual leave, the Easter holidays and other work commitments.

Mrs Julie Ashby-Ellis and Ms Angie Palmer updated the Committee on their work ensure that compliance with DBS/PVG checks is comprehensive and remains up to date. Ms Angie Palmer has developed a system to monitor checks and proactively alert individuals when their DBS/PVG checks are due for renewal. In a small number of cases, she also liaises with relevant community superiors to ensure timely responses. The Committee was assured of the robustness of these processes and thanked Ms Angie Palmer for her work.

The Committee supported the ongoing efforts of Mrs Nadra Gadeed and Ms Angie Palmer to ensure positive and empathetic communication with victims/survivors as they pursue compensation claims coordinated by the Province Treasurer, who liaises with the Province’s insurers or establishes contact with Jesuit school insurers.

4.  Final CSSA Baseline Audit Report

The CSSA’s Baseline Audit Report assessing the Province’s safeguarding practice against the eight national standards was published at the end of March and was also published on the Province’s website. The overall conclusion was ‘Results being Achieved’, the second highest of five possible ratings.

The Committee reviewed the action plan responding to the 19recommendations. These are divided into actions to be completed within three, six and twelve months. The first set of actions is on track to be completed within the three-month deadline, while the remaining actions are progressing. Progress will continue to be reviewed at future Committee meetings.

Following her visit to the Archdiocese of Liverpool’s safeguarding service to examine their use of CPOMS (the electronic recording system), Mrs Julie Ashby-Ellis is progressing work with the contractor to refine the reporting functions of the Province’s CPOMS system and arrange suitable training. This work responds to one of the more significant findings of the CSSA Baseline Audit Report.

5. Draft Protocol: Public Statements by JIB Province related to Associated Schools and Works

At its meeting on 6 December 2025, the Board of Trustees tasked the Safeguarding Committee with developing this protocol. A draft of the protocol was discussed by the committee. The Committee discussed a draft, and the amended version will be reviewed by Fr Provincial and Fr David Smolira SJ, and discussed with the Delegate for Education, with a view to agreeing a final version for approval by the Trustees.

The Committee’s next meeting will be in person on Tuesday, 2 June 2026.