The Churches’ Child Protection Advisory Service (CCPAS) today announced a major expansion of their safeguarding services with the appointment of two new Safeguarding and Policy Advisors. The new advisors are Justin Humphreys and Claudia Bell.

The tasks involved in these wide ranging senior management roles include policy development and providing safeguarding support, training, advice and counselling to the various individuals and organisations that are referred to CCPAS.

Justin has spent the last 15 years working in children’s services, in both the public and the voluntary sectors. He is highly experienced in front line social work and has also occupied a number of senior managerial positions having attended the National School of Government at the Sunningdale Institute.

Justin was responsible for the recently published Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) guidance in relation to safe recruitment. He has also acted as Safeguarding Advisor to the Assemblies of God movement in the UK and is on the leadership team of the Riverside AOG Church in Exeter.

Claudia was previously Review Manager at a leading independent fostering agency. She is a qualified social worker and has worked in a busy London Borough Child Protection team.

Claudia has an extensive background in fostering and has specialised in working with children who have complex needs that result from abuse. She is also the Safeguarding Co-ordinator at the New Life (NFI) church in Milton Keynes South, which she attends.

David Pearson, Executive Director of CCPAS, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Justin and Claudia have accepted our invitations to join us. They both come with many years’ experience of, and an outstanding record of achievement in, a wide variety of safeguarding functions, both in a hands-on capacity and in a variety of senior management positions.

"I am sure they will both be great additions to our already strong team as we continue to do everything possible to protect vulnerable children, both in churches and in other contexts."