The Rt Revd Robert Springett (the Bishop of Tewkesbury in the Diocese of Gloucester) is taking up his role as the Lead Safeguarding Bishop in the Church of England.
He assumes the role from the Rt Revd Dr Joanne Grenfell (Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich), whose three-year term ended at the end of March 2026.
Bishop Robert will work closely with the National Safeguarding Team, which provides specialist expertise on casework, policy development, training, evaluation and survivor participation.
Bishop Joanne Grenfell will now serve as a Deputy Safeguarding Bishop. She will have responsibility for the ongoing work on Safeguarding Structures, which is a programme of work strengthening Church safeguarding.
The Church of England is continuing to strengthen its safeguarding practices by committing to independent scrutiny and improving delivery. This includes implementing recommendations from the Makin review, the Charity Commission, and insights gained from independent safeguarding audits.
At the Church of England’s Synod in February 2026, new safeguarding measures were announced in Motion GS2429. At the core of the reforms set out is the creation of a new national safeguarding organisation, which will operate independently of Church hierarchy, governed by a majority-independent Board.
A Church of England news item about this in February described it as ‘a move to ensure greater independence of professional safeguarding decisions,' stating that the organisation's 'lead safeguarding professional will oversee "protected" operational powers. This will ensure that day-to-day safeguarding decisions remain entirely independent of Church leadership.’
The reforms are being driven by the Safeguarding Structures Programme Board, led by independent Executive Chair, Dame Christine Ryan. Dame Christine, a specialist in regulation and governance, was appointed in October 2025 to provide the external rigour necessary to deliver the changes.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, in her first Synod address in February, affirmed the motion and the importance of safeguarding, saying: ‘For me, seeking to meet our aspiration on safeguarding is an integral part of my call to be a shepherd to the flock. Synod, I am voting for this motion because it is a positive step forward. This proposal enhances our ability to care for those who are vulnerable—and for those who are victims and survivors.’
When Bishop Robert’s appointment was announced in November last year, he said, ‘Safeguarding should not be seen as a burden, but embraced with joy for the opportunity it offers to serve others. I have found the role of Deputy Safeguarding Bishop deeply rewarding, and I accept this invitation with a profound sense of calling to contribute to the development of healthy cultures across all areas of Church life. Through my involvement in the Scolding and Makin reviews, I have learned a great deal from victims and survivors—wisdom that will continue to shape and inform all that I seek to do in this new role.’
In an article he wrote for the Church Times on April 10, 2026, Bishop Robert said ‘I take on this responsibility with a deep sense of call, rooted in the conviction that safeguarding is a fundamental expression of our vocation to serve the nation, and to ensure that every person, whatever their age or gender, whether they consider themselves part of the Church or not, can be confident that the Church is a place they will be safe, valued and protected.’
At the start of his new role, he described himself as ‘excited, daunted and, yes, a little nervous. I do so rooted in my ministry as a bishop connected to the parishes and communities that I serve, using this experience to help ensure that what happens nationally is lived well locally.’
Bishop Robert’s article also notes thanks to his predecessor, Bishop Joanne, ‘for her dedication and commitment to safeguarding during the past three years, in a position that has been important but also immensely challenging.’ He shares that his ‘hope for the next three years is that we will go deeper in our commitment to caring for and safeguarding all, as an expression of the very essence of who we are called to be as God’s Church.’