THE assertion by the Bishop of Portsmouth, the Rt Revd Jonathan Frost, that “If we don’t have our safeguarding house in order, then we should simply close the doors,” has been praised in an audit of his diocese which identifies a “transformation” in safeguarding culture.

The audit, published last week, was carried out by the INEQE Safeguarding Group as part of a rolling programme across the Church, which is due to be completed by 2028. It praises “a substantial and positive transformation in the safeguarding culture across the Diocese, directly attributable to concerted efforts to embed safeguarding principles as a core cultural tenet”.

Bishop Frost was installed in 2022. The audit says that “significant advances” in safeguarding are “largely attributable to the Bishop’s clear and committed leadership, which has strategically positioned safeguarding as both a gospel imperative and a central theological concern . . . his unwavering commitment, explicit prioritisation of, and tangible investment in safeguarding have played a crucial role in integrating safeguarding principles throughout the Diocese’s operational and spiritual fabric.

“He leads by example and pushes beyond well-intentioned rhetoric to deliver demonstrable acts of support and investment. The Audit has found him to be an exemplar in this regard.” He is praised for having made safeguarding “the priority, not one amongst many”.

The quote about getting the diocese’s house in order was supplied by one of his team members. The audit recommends that a suffragan bishop be appointed to support his work and “help to mitigate potential capacity issues and consolidate progress”. In January, the Dioceses Commission reported that it had decided that there was not a “sufficient case” for a revival of the suffragan see of the Isle of Wight, as requested by Bishop Frost.

Recommendations include introducing a robust system for tracking who accesses Blue Files, and establishing a “consolidated Safeguarding Directorate” led by an “operationally independent Director of Safeguarding, serving as the ultimate authoritative voice on all safeguarding matters; thus, ensuring decisions are not influenced by clergy”.

Data show an increase in contacts with the diocesan safeguarding team from 116 in 2023, to 227 in 2024.

The audit also looked at Portsmouth Cathedral, concluding that it had made “considerable advancements in its safeguarding arrangements, enabling a more embedded safeguarding culture that is largely recognised by both its workforce (staff and volunteers) and worshipping community”.

It praises both the Dean and the Canon Chancellor. The latter had led informal safeguarding sessions for chorister groups, “helping them understand who to speak to, what a worry might feel like, and how the Cathedral will respond”.

It recommends the provision of a cathedral safeguarding adviser, and that “appropriate and professional line of sight” of unofficial chorister social-media accounts linked informally to the cathedral should be maintained. The cathedral is also encouraged to expand CCTV coverage across the site, including “specific sensitive locations”, such as the choristers’ practice room.