Following the completion of the Criminal Justice process into the offending of Neil Foden ex-headteacher Ysgol Friars a Child Practice Review was commissioned. The Child Practice Review aims to identify any steps that can be taken by the Safeguarding Board partners (Police, Local Authority, Health or other bodies) to achieve improvements in multi-agency child protection practice. The Child Practice Review process commenced in August 2024.
Learning from this review relates to:
- Perpetrator behaviour and the culture in the school that enabled his offending.
- The Perpetrator professional conduct and behaviour and his management and leadership of the schools at which he worked.
- Governance arrangements.
- Disclosure and decision making.
- The impact of sexual abuse on children and the wider school community.
- Improving systems and arrangements for the protection of children from sexual abuse and exploitation.
The Review Team
The Child Practice Review team consists of Jan Pickles OBE as Chair and two reviewers. Jan is an experienced reviewer having completed many similar reviews where children and young people have been sexually abused by those in positions of trust. Jan works alongside two reviewers who both have significant experience in education and child protection. The Review Team are independent and have no local connection professionally or personally and have not previously worked for any of the agencies involved.
How to contact the Review Team
In the initial stages of the Child Practice Review, we have been collecting information from many sources, spending time in the school and interviewing those that worked with Neil Foden.
We would welcome your involvement if you or family members has been impacted by the actions of Neil Foden.
As we have a fluent Welsh speaker on the team, please do contact us in your language of choice. If you feel you could contribute to the Child Practice Review or have other information to share, please contact the review team at reviews@denbighshire.gov.uk.
We wish to assure you that your information will be treated in the strictest confidence we will only breach this confidence if we believe a child or adult with care and support needs is currently at risk of harm.
Within the review you will not be identified, this is to ensure all feel able to speak up.
Current Updates
April 2025
The Gwynedd Child Practice Review led by Jan Pickles OBE is continuing to make progress in relation to formalising the final report before it’s presentation to the North Wales Safeguarding Board. The draft report will be presented to the North Wales Safeguarding Board before being shared with the Safeguarding and Advocacy team in Welsh Government. During the summer period, the review team will be making arrangements to meet with the victims and families to discuss the contents of the report.
The North Wales Safeguarding Board now expect that the report will be published in September 2025.
February 2025
The Gwynedd Child Practice Review led by Jan Pickles OBE is continuing to meet with professionals and members of the general public who have information that they feel will inform the review process.
We have recently published the terms of reference for the review and provided a further update to Welsh Government in January 2025.
As part of the process, we would again encourage anyone with information that is relevant to the review to refer to the terms of reference to contact the review team.
We wish to assure you that your information will be treated in the strictest confidence. The only instance where there may be a breach of this confidence is if we believe a child or adult with care and support needs is currently at risk of harm.
Please contact the review team at reviews@denbighshire.gov.uk
Press Release Jan 2025
Terms of reference extended child practice review into the abuse by Neil Foden
Press Release Nov 24
The Gwynedd Child Practice Review led by Jan Pickles OBE is continuing to meet with professionals and members of the general public who have information that they feel will inform the review process.
The North Wales Safeguarding Board provides regular updates to the Welsh Government Safeguarding and Advocacy Unit regarding the review’s progress although at this stage the Board does not expect the review report to be completed until the late spring of 2025.
The Child Practice Review Panel continues to review the time period that the review covers and also the Terms of Reference to reflect any new concerns that the review has identified.
The Review Panel have focused on key issues such as perpetrator behaviour and professional conduct. Governance arrangements and management of disclosures are also considered in the review.
Jenny Williams in her role as Chair of the North Wales Children’s Safeguarding Board, “Learning from the review”, will help identify improvements that need to be made to safeguarding systems and arrangements for the protection of children from sexual abuse and exploitation.”
Any information relevant to the review can be sent directly to the North Wales Safeguarding Board via the regional email address reviews@denbighshire.gov.uk
Press Release July 24
Following the conclusion of the criminal court case in respect of Neil Foden on 15 May 2024, the North Wales Safeguarding Board have started a Child Practice Review.
The North Wales Safeguarding Board have commissioned Jan Pickles OBE to be the Independent Chair for the Child Practice Review. Jan Pickles is a registered social worker who has worked with the Probation Service, the Police, the NSPCC and has been a National Independent Safeguarding Board Wales member.
Alongside Jan Pickles the Board has also commissioned two independent reviewers from outside the region who have experience of safeguarding in schools.
Press queries should be directed to public.relations@denbighshire.gov.uk
