Meet the Safeguarding Team
Tim Carter
Director of Safeguarding
Tim Carter has over 30 years working across voluntary and public sectors specialising in community development, training, social enterprise, consultancy, statutory social work, setting up preventative services for children, young people and families, strategic planning and project management working with partner agencies from all sectors including national government departments.
Tim has worked in the field of church safeguarding since the mid-1990s and took up the post of Safeguarding Adviser in 2015 following the publication of the Past Cases Review. When a new team of Casework Supervisors was established in 2018, he became the Director of Safeguarding
Donald Urquhart
Safeguarding Policy Manager
Donald took over the Safeguarding Policy Manager role in March 2024. Donald joined the Connexional Safeguarding Team in September 2018, having previously been the District Safeguarding Officer for Scotland and Shetland and the National Safeguarding Adviser for the Scottish Episcopal Church. Donald is a retired police officer, having served more than thirty years in Lothian and Borders Police. He left the police to become Head of Antisocial Behaviour Services for the City of Edinburgh and, more recently, he was the Lead Officer for the Midlothian Child Protection Committee and the Independent Chair of the Glasgow Child Protection Committee.
Donald leads the development of safeguarding policies to assist the Methodist Church in all aspects of protecting of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
He is, of course, Scottish, and enjoys cycling, hill-walking and dog walking with Zirka (the cocker spaniel).
Contact Donald via email or call 020 7467 5239
Vacant
Safeguarding Casework Supervisor - North West & South East
This role shares the casework supervisor role for the North West Quadrant with Christine Kennedy and has specific responsibility for casework supervision for the DSOs in Scotland and Shetland, Cumbria and Lancashire, Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury and Nottingham and Derby Districts.
This role shares the casework supervisor role for the South East Quadrant with Kate Little and has specific responsibility for casework supervision for the DSOs in Beds Essex and Herts, East Anglia, London and Northampton Districts.
This role leads for the Safeguarding Team on safeguarding standing orders, relationships with Foreign Fellowships, liaison with Bevan Powell, the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Officer, and developing a Connexional Safeguarding Case Management System. This role leads for the Safeguarding Team on support for risk assessors.
Contact tbc via email or call tbc
Christine Kennedy
Safeguarding Casework Supervisor - North West
Christine has been a member of the Connexional Team since 2018; she works part time and shares the supervision of DSOs across the North West with Donald Urquhart. She has responsibility for casework supervision for the DSOs in Bolton & Rochdale, Chester & Stoke, Liverpool, Manchester & Stockport, Wales Synod, Synod Cymru and Isle of Man.
She was the DSO for Manchester & Stockport for 3 years and is now the lead on Safeguarding Training.
Christine began work as a social worker, eventually focussing on working with adults; and finished her career as the manager of an integrated health and social care service.
Christine volunteers at her local church where she is involved in children’s work and is the Safeguarding Officer. She has been a safeguarding trainer since the ‘Creating Safer Space’ training began in 2008.
Contact Christine via email or call 07817 424 504 / 0207 467 5235
Karen Allen,
Safeguarding Casework Supervisor - North East
Karen Allen is a Safeguarding Casework Worker Supervisor and covers the North East. She has responsibility for casework supervision for the DSOs in the Darlington, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Sheffield, Yorkshire West and Yorkshire North and East Methodist Districts.
She is the lead for children and young people and domestic abuse.
Contact Karen via email or call 07969 292581 / 0207 467 5229
Alison Corner
Safeguarding Casework Supervisor - South West
Alison Corner joined the team in September 2023 as a Safeguarding Casework Supervisor covering the South West and parts of the South East regions.
Following on from her Law Degree, she went on to train as a Probation Officer and qualified in 2010. During these years, Alison has spent time in not only probation work, but also held positions with homelessness charities, housing associations, and young person’s charities. Alison also volunteers as a Parish Councilor, and Local Schools Committee governor.
Alison has responsibility for casework supervision for the DSOs in the Bristol, Cornwall, Plymouth & Exeter, Southampton and Channel Islands and South East Districts.
Contact Alison by email or call 07792 345966 / 020 7467 5227
Kate Little
Safeguarding Casework Supervisor - South East
Kate has been a member of the Connexional Safeguarding Team since 2016; she works part time and shares the supervision of DSOs across the South East with Donald Urquhart. She currently has responsibility for casework supervision for the Lincolnshire DSO and also handles all blemished DBS cases for the South East quadrant.
Kate qualified as a social worker in 2006 and spent the next ten years working in various frontline statutory and charity roles with vulnerable adults.
Kate is now the Safeguarding Team lead for vulnerable adults including working on the Methodist Church’s response to survivors of abuse. Kate is a Methodist Church member and hopes to become more actively involved after her preschool children are a little more independent. In her spare time, Kate enjoys reading and going for long walks.
Contact Kate via email or call 07854 247546 / 020 7467 5289