Graham Tilby
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| name = Graham Tilby
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| nationality = British
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| occupation = National Advisor
| years_active = 2014 - current
| employer = Church of England
| known_for = Safeguarding
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Graham Tilby is the National Advisor on Safeguarding for the Church of England. He was appointed by Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham, in November 2014.{{cite web|title=Church of England announces new full-time National Safeguarding Adviser|url=https://www.churchofengland.org/more/safeguarding/safeguarding-news-and-statements/church-england-announces-new-full-time-national|website=Church of England|date=17 November 2014 |accessdate=14 May 2018}}{{cite news|title=New safeguarding adviser for Church of England|url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2014/21-november/news/uk/uk-news-in-brief|accessdate=14 May 2018|agency=Church Times|date=21 November 2014}}{{cite web|title=Church of England announces new full-time National Safeguarding Adviser|url=https://www.fulcrum-anglican.org.uk/newswatch/church-of-england-announces-new-full-time-national-safeguarding-adviser/|website=Fulcrum|date=19 November 2014 |accessdate=14 May 2018}}
Dudley Safeguarding
Tilby worked in Dudley as Quality Development Manager in children's services before becoming Divisional Lead for Safeguarding.{{cite news|title=Vulnerable people to become more visible|url=http://www.dudleynews.co.uk/news/4745672.Vulnerable_people_to_become_more_visible/|accessdate=17 May 2018|agency=Dudley News|date=18 November 2009}} An Ofsted inspection in April 2016 identified "serious and widespread failures" in services for children and young people in Dudley. The report said: {{blockquote |The long period of inaction means that many services have deteriorated since the last inspection.{{cite news|title=Dudley children's services: 'Serious failings' identified by Ofsted|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-35966202|accessdate=17 May 2018|agency=BBC|date=5 April 2016}}}}
Mike Wood, Conservative MP for Dudley South, said of the Ofsted conclusions: {{blockquote |Obviously what it highlights is quite how little has been done to improve the care of vulnerable children over the last four years, and that's of huge concern to everyone living in Dudley.{{cite news|title=DfE troubleshooter to assess whether to outsource Dudley children's services|url=http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2016/04/05/dfe-troubleshooter-assess-whether-outsource-dudley-childrens-services/|accessdate=17 May 2018|agency=Community Care|date=April 5, 2016}}}}
Tilby also worked as a Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO){{cite web|title=What is a Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)?|url=http://www.childrensworkforcematters.org.uk/news/what-local-authority-designated-officer-lado|website=Children’s Workforce Matters|accessdate=17 May 2018}} before becoming an Ofsted HM Inspector for 11 months.{{cite web|title=Church of England announces new full-time National Safeguarding Adviser|url=https://www.churchofengland.org/more/safeguarding/safeguarding-news-and-statements/church-england-announces-new-full-time-national|website=Church of England|date=17 November 2014 |accessdate=17 May 2018}}
Church of England National Advisor
In April 2016 a survivor of abuse by convicted bishop Peter Ball objected to treatment received from senior church officials. He declined to take part in the [https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2017-11/report-of-the-peter-ball-review-210617.pdf Independent Peter Ball Review] led by Dame Moira Gibb, because "bullying and silencing" were not included in the terms of reference. He reportedly rejected the offer of a meeting with Tilby because he was dissatisfied with the church's response to his complaints.{{cite news|title=Bishop Peter Ball victim withdraws from church abuse review|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-36092227|accessdate=17 May 2018|agency=BBC|date=20 April 2016}}{{cite news|title=Bishop's sex attack victim refuses to give evidence|url=http://www.theargus.co.uk/NEWS/14442342.Bishop___s_sex_attack_victim_refuses_to_give_evidence/|accessdate=17 May 2018|agency=The Argus|date=20 April 2016}}{{cite news|title=Church review into abusive Bishop refuses to explicitly consider bullying of victims in its Terms of Reference|url=https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2016/04/church-review-into-abusive-bishop-refuses-to-explicitly-consider-bullying-of-victims-in-its-terms-of-reference|accessdate=17 May 2018|agency=National Secular Society|date=28 April 2016}}{{cite news|title=Bishop Peter Ball victim steps away from Church investigation into clergy sex abuse|url=https://www.christiantoday.com/article/bishop-peter-ball-victim-steps-away-from-church-investigation-into-clergy-sex-abuse/84496.htm|accessdate=18 May 2018|agency=Christian Today|date=21 April 2016}}
Tilby faced questioning in the Chichester hearings from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) panel in 2018, following a comprehensive and critical [http://mandatenow.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/CofE-Safeguarding-policy-analysis-270218.pdf review] by [http://mandatenow.org.uk/ Mandate Now] of the Church of England's safeguarding policy which the campaigning group termed a “thicket of inconsistent discretionary advice” with any clear procedures on reporting and compliance “hidden like needles in a haystack”.{{cite web|title=Church of England Safeguarding is Dysfunctional and Can Have No Reliance Placed Upon It, A Review by Mandate Now|url=http://mandatenow.org.uk/church-of-england-safeguarding-is-dysfunctional-and-can-have-no-reliance-placed-upon-it-a-review-by-mandate-now/|website=Mandate Now|accessdate=17 May 2018}}{{cite web|title=Extract from opening statement of Richard Scorer during @inquiryCSA investigation into @c_of_e in which he quotes from a Mandate Now review of current CofE child protection policy|url=https://audioboom.com/posts/6832236-extract-from-opening-statement-of-richard-scorer-during-inquirycsa-investigation-into-c_of_e-in-which-he-quotes-from-a-mandate-now-review-of-current-cofe-child-protection-policy|website=AudioBoom|accessdate=17 May 2018}} Richard Scorer, one of the solicitors for survivors at IICSA, later criticised Tilby for his reluctance to change the church's “fundamentally unsound structure”.{{cite news|title=Bishops must be accountable – and not just to themselves|url=https://www.secularism.org.uk/opinion/2018/03/bishops-must-be-accountable-and-not-just-to-themselves|accessdate=17 May 2018|agency=National Secular Society|date=23 March 2018}}
Tilby came under criticism from Dr Martyn Percy, Dean of Christchurch Oxford, for his treatment of Bishop George Bell’s niece and family. Tilby had assigned them an advocate without their consultation. Tilby’s choice of representative had previously been part of a Church of England process, discredited in the [https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2017-12/Bishop%20George%20Bell%20-%20The%20Independent%20Review.pdf Carlile Review] which had exposed "embarrassing levels of incompetence" in the National Safeguarding Team ‘Core Group’. Bishop Bell's niece and family had made it clear that they wanted their interests and the memory of Bishop Bell to be represented by Desmond Browne QC. Dr Percy also criticised the church's apologies which he said were a “disingenuous public relations exercise, designed to cover-up institutional mistakes and flaws.”{{cite web|title='Sorry' seems to be the hardest word: apologetics and apologies in the Bishop Bell case|url=http://archbishopcranmer.com/sorry-seems-hardest-word-apologetics-apologies-bishop-bell-case/|website=Archbishop Cranmer|date=16 February 2018|accessdate=18 May 2018|archive-date=19 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180519034439/http://archbishopcranmer.com/sorry-seems-hardest-word-apologetics-apologies-bishop-bell-case/|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|title=Martyn Percy: Why the Church's response to the George Bell inquiry is so shocking|url=https://www.christiantoday.com/article/martyn-percy-why-the-churchs-response-to-the-george-bell-inquiry-is-so-shocking/121818.htm|accessdate=18 May 2018|agency=Christian Today|date=19 Dec 2017}}
In December 2018, William Nye, the Secretary General of the Church of England Synod, announced a new appointment of Director of Safeguarding. This new role will be senior to that of the National Advisor and will report directly to William Nye. Sir Roger Singleton was announced as interim director of the National Safeguarding Team from the beginning of January 2019 whilst recruitment is in process.{{cite news |title=New post advertised to 'strengthen' C of E's restructured safeguarding |url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2018/7-december/news/uk/new-post-advertised-to-strengthen-c-of-e-s-restructured-safeguarding |accessdate=6 December 2018 |agency=Church Times |date=5 December 2018}}{{cite web |title=Statement on structure of National Safeguarding Team |url=https://www.churchofengland.org/more/safeguarding/safeguarding-news-statements/statement-structure-national-safeguarding-team |website=Church of England |date=5 December 2018 |accessdate=6 December 2018}}