Encouraging more 'Miriam moments'

Since then, he has worked in social work, churches, pastoral care, criminal justice and charitable sector settings. With Safeguarding Sunday approaching, we asked Stuart a few questions about the importance of safeguarding. 

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your journey from crime to where you are today? 

Over the last 30 years, I have seen the very worst of criminality in the UK. As a teenager who had already gone through trauma and faced many vulnerabilities myself, I was groomed and coerced into a world that I had had no desire to move into. I ended up in a dark world of drugs, violence and organised crime. 

I’ve talked to lots of victims of modern slavery as well as perpetrators and nearly every time, trauma, vulnerability and difficulty are present at the beginning of their stories. The cycle often begins with the breakdown of family and there is a complex web of trouble.  

When I became a Christian and realised how I had been groomed and drawn into a life of crime, I wanted to devote my life to supporting other vulnerable people and preventing others from going down the same route. Day to day, I work for Safe Families Home for Good, alongside running my own consultancy business and partnering in the development of a CIC (Sequoia CIC), which offers counselling, training and education to individuals, churches and community groups.

Over the past 10 years I have developed multiple projects which have impacted tens of thousands of people in communities, churches, schools, prisons and hospitals about the risks of getting involved with the wrong people and how to find safety and recover from trauma. 

Why are you passionate about safeguarding? 

We need to understand how sophisticated our enemy is: the lengths that organised crime will go to, to further their work, are unbelievable. We must be just as sophisticated and smart as them if we are to disrupt them. We must be more prepared than the criminals we seek to thwart. 

I believe the church is a key player in the fight against organised crime. Many churches are doing a wonderful job, reaching out to vulnerable young people but sometimes they are ill-prepared for the complexities of working with vulnerable and traumatised individuals. There are many willing, well-meaning volunteers filled with a heart of compassion, but many are often ill equipped or lack the knowledge or skills required. The church needs people who are well trained, upskilled and educated and this is where robust safeguarding comes in. With good and regular safeguarding training, church leaders and volunteers are empowered to do their work, knowing when to call in professionals, and when and how to make referrals.  

I am also passionate about safeguarding from the perspective of pastoral care. I often ask church leaders “what lens are you looking at this situation through?” You can’t pray every harm or trauma away –you often need specialists and to bring in professionals.  

Where do you get your inspiration to keep fighting for strong safeguarding? 

I think one of the first examples of safeguarding in the Bible is the story of Moses and Miriam in Exodus 2. Baby Moses is placed, in a basket, all alone, in the River Nile. But his sister, Miriam, stands “at a distance to see what would happen to him.” She sees where he is taken and then takes action to ensure he is cared for properly by his mother. This is safeguarding – observation, carefulness and action.  

I often draw on this passage when I’m visiting churches or events. Sometimes I watch as an outsider and notice something that doesn’t look quite right within a church setting. This is my Miriam moment.  I am then able to offer feedback as a critical friend about how a church might improve their policies or approaches from a safeguarding perspective. 

What do you wish people in churches knew about safeguarding? 

I wish people realised that safeguarding is a corporate responsibility – no one is alone in it. It is something we do together.  

We all have a duty and responsibility – both in law and as a worshipper who cares about the dignity and value of every human being. 

If we get our safeguarding right then we ensure that the church, Christ’s bride, is treated with respect and excellence. When the church gets it wrong, it is disastrous and we see examples of this across so many church denominations. We need to understand the consequences if we don’t do the right thing. If we don’t act because we are nervous or scared to speak out, people get hurt and the trauma can last a lifetime.  

Safeguarding often feels ‘heavy’ and something difficult. But I believe the more we embrace safeguarding, the less difficult it becomes. And there are many wonderful organisations such as thirtyone:eight that exist to help us.