Advisory Board

As TASP is in its infancy, we needed to create an advisory body to help build the vision and strategy on an ongoing basis. We asked our Advisory Group to provide a brief bio and tell us why they wanted to be in the Advisory Group and what their hopes for TASP were in the next two years.

Alan Caton OBE

Alan is currently the independent chair for Islington, Luton and Central Bedfordshire Safeguarding Children Boards’. Alan was a police officer for over 30 years before retiring as a detective superintendent in 2013. Alan has a passion for safeguarding, protecting vulnerable people and working in a multi-agency environment.

Why did you want to be in the Advisory Group?

I see TASP as being the voice of safeguarding partnerships and I wanted to be able to assist in shaping and influencing policy.

What would you wish for TASP in the next two years?

I want TASP to be THE forum where effective safeguarding practice is shared and discussed. I see it as a vital network for all statutory partners, chairs, scrutineers and business managers and I would love to see membership grow, so that it is not just beneficial to its members but it can influence the wider safeguarding arena.

Julia Caldwell

Julia Caldwell is Business Manager for the Calderdale Safeguarding Children Partnership and the Calderdale Safeguarding Adult Board.

Why did you want to be in the advisory group?

I am an experienced manager working across both children and adult safeguarding partnerships; I bring this experience and knowledge to help shape the direction, focus and outputs of the national body who are there to support people in roles like mine.

What would you wish for TASP in the next two years?

I envisage TASP to be leading innovation and best practice both in terms of improved outcomes for children, and in how we seek assurance that children are safeguarded across the country.  

Kevin Crompton

Kevin Crompton is an Independent scrutineer for Gloucestershire and adviser to Devon Children’s Scrutiny Committee.

Why did you want to be in the Advisory Group?

Following a career as a Chief Executive and Director of Children’s and Adult services I have always benefitted through networking and learning from others. I wanted to join the advisory group for TASP to see if I could contribute to the development of a network for shared learning and the ability to contribute to policy making around safeguarding children and young people.

What would you wish for TASP in the next two years?

An Association is only as good as its members. I really hope that TASP can recruit as many Safeguarding Partnerships as possible so that all the innovative working arrangements that are operating nationally can be talking to each other to share learning and best practice.

Alison Cutler

Alison is Partnership Development Manager for the Surrey Safeguarding Children Partnership and Chair of Trustees at TASP. She is one of the longest serving Partnership Business Managers in the country, having worked in leadership roles across four different Safeguarding Boards since 2010, and supported them on their improvement journeys to Good or Outstanding. Alison's proven track record in delivering improvement and change through collaboration means she understands the challenges facing partnerships and how TASP may best support them. She has been an active member of TASP since its inception, participating as an Advisory Group Member, Business Manager Network facilitator, Trustee and Chair.

Why did you want to be in the Advisory Group?

I wanted to be in the advisory group because I wanted to be able to help support and shape the future of TASP. I have received so much support and help from the previous Association and its members and I wanted to give something back.

What would you wish for TASP in the next two years?

I feel so passionate about Safeguarding. I see TASP as a vital network for sharing and learning and that by all joining together we will be able to support Partnerships going forward.

Chris Miller

Chris is the Treasurer for TASP and is the chair of Harrow Safeguarding Partnership. He was police officer for 32 years before retiring as an Assistant Chief Constable in Hertfordshire in 2011. Since leaving the police he has worked in the fields of domestic violence, information technology, and offender rehabilitation. He is the treasurer for the association and leads on the associations links with the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice.

As a Trustee, he works on the Advisory board too.

Jenny Pearce

Jenny Pearce is a Trustee of TASP and the Independent Scrutineer and chair of the joint LSCP: London boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham, Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Her work focuses on child protection and she is Professor of Young People and Public Policy at Bedfordshire University and visiting professor with Goldsmiths College, London.

 Why did you want to be in the Advisory Group?
 
I want to be on the advisory group because I am keen to work with others to develop a collective voice about safeguarding concerns. I want to be part of sharing resources, experiences and expertise to advance, promote and raise the profile of the range of issues related to safeguarding across a variety of settings.

What would you wish for TASP in the next two years?
 
I would like TASP to be a body representing those working on safeguarding issues across a range of UK geographical areas and professional disciplines and expertise. Holding in mind the best interest of those impacted by safeguarding concerns, I’d like TASP to be a location for sharing knowledge and resources pertaining to safeguarding; to be a body identifying new and emerging safeguarding concerns; and to advocate for agreed advancement of safeguarding policy and practice.