Roger Singleton
Encyclopedia
Sir Roger Singleton CBE
is chair of the Independent Safeguarding Authority
and the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund
.
He was Chief Executive of Barnardos for 21 years and was awarded a knighthood for his services to children in 2005. He has served on public inquiries into child abuse
in children’s homes and is involved in the governance and management of various charities. Sir Roger is also an accredited mediator
. Roger Singleton was universally seen as a balanced and liberal spokesman for children's rights. Indeed the only significant public criticisms made of him as a professional for the bulk of his career, prior to 2009, were accusations in 2003 that as chief executive of Barnardo's
he had supported emotionally manipulative advertising campaigns used to raise the charity's profile. In this case the UK advertising standards authority found decisively in Singleton's and Barnardo's favour.
Singleton has been chairing the ISA since 2007. The ISA was set up to deliver its responsibilities under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006) and as part of the Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS). It makes barring decisions on those people referred to it (usually from employers) following harm or the risk of harm to a child or vulnerable adult. It has the legal powers to place or remove people from both of its barred lists (for Children and Adults). In March 2009 the Government appointed Singleton Chief Adviser on the Safety of Children, where his responsibilities included advising the Government on strategic priorities and reporting annually to Parliament on safeguarding progress. He stood down from the role in June 2010.
In Autumn 2009 anger erupted in the press against the VBS, which was at the time due to require a phased introduction of all people working or volunteering with children and vulnerable adults to become ISA-Registered. The most vociferous articles opposing the VBS, in 2009, were in the Daily Telegraph, although these were then expanded upon by the Today (BBC Radio 4), programme. Singleton responded to these by pointing out that many of the parliamentarians who were criticising the scheme had actually voted for it.
In his role as Chief Advisor, Sir Roger was asked by Ed Balls the then Children’s Minister to undertake a ‘check’ on the Government’s definition of ‘regulated activity’ – the guidance which would define whether someone needed to be registered under the Scheme. His recommendations were published in December 2009 – “Drawing the line” and were accepted by the Government. His proposals were projected to reduce the number of people due to be ISA-Registered by approximately 2million. In 2010, the Coalition Government initially announced a delay to registration and then undertook a review of the VBS, which proposed a series of amendments to the Scheme including the abolition of the need to register. The proposals are currently going through Parliament in The Protection of Freedoms Bill – to which Singleton was asked to give evidence.
Sir Roger was awarded an Honorary Degree (LLD) from the University of Bath
in 2011.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
is chair of the Independent Safeguarding Authority
Independent Safeguarding Authority
The Independent Safeguarding Authority is a British non-departmental public body created by the Labour Government 2007-2010. The tabloid media campaign and the decision to set up the ISA followed an inquiry headed by Sir Michael Bichard that was set up in the wake of the Soham Murders...
and the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund
Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund
The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund is an independent grant-giving foundation established in September 1997 after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, to continue her humanitarian work in the United Kingdom and overseas...
.
He was Chief Executive of Barnardos for 21 years and was awarded a knighthood for his services to children in 2005. He has served on public inquiries into child abuse
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
in children’s homes and is involved in the governance and management of various charities. Sir Roger is also an accredited mediator
Mediation
Mediation, as used in law, is a form of alternative dispute resolution , a way of resolving disputes between two or more parties. A third party, the mediator, assists the parties to negotiate their own settlement...
. Roger Singleton was universally seen as a balanced and liberal spokesman for children's rights. Indeed the only significant public criticisms made of him as a professional for the bulk of his career, prior to 2009, were accusations in 2003 that as chief executive of Barnardo's
Barnardo's
Barnardo's is a British charity founded by Thomas John Barnardo in 1866, to care for vulnerable children and young people. As of 2010, it spends over £190 million each year on more than 400 local services aimed at helping these same groups...
he had supported emotionally manipulative advertising campaigns used to raise the charity's profile. In this case the UK advertising standards authority found decisively in Singleton's and Barnardo's favour.
Singleton has been chairing the ISA since 2007. The ISA was set up to deliver its responsibilities under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006) and as part of the Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS). It makes barring decisions on those people referred to it (usually from employers) following harm or the risk of harm to a child or vulnerable adult. It has the legal powers to place or remove people from both of its barred lists (for Children and Adults). In March 2009 the Government appointed Singleton Chief Adviser on the Safety of Children, where his responsibilities included advising the Government on strategic priorities and reporting annually to Parliament on safeguarding progress. He stood down from the role in June 2010.
In Autumn 2009 anger erupted in the press against the VBS, which was at the time due to require a phased introduction of all people working or volunteering with children and vulnerable adults to become ISA-Registered. The most vociferous articles opposing the VBS, in 2009, were in the Daily Telegraph, although these were then expanded upon by the Today (BBC Radio 4), programme. Singleton responded to these by pointing out that many of the parliamentarians who were criticising the scheme had actually voted for it.
In his role as Chief Advisor, Sir Roger was asked by Ed Balls the then Children’s Minister to undertake a ‘check’ on the Government’s definition of ‘regulated activity’ – the guidance which would define whether someone needed to be registered under the Scheme. His recommendations were published in December 2009 – “Drawing the line” and were accepted by the Government. His proposals were projected to reduce the number of people due to be ISA-Registered by approximately 2million. In 2010, the Coalition Government initially announced a delay to registration and then undertook a review of the VBS, which proposed a series of amendments to the Scheme including the abolition of the need to register. The proposals are currently going through Parliament in The Protection of Freedoms Bill – to which Singleton was asked to give evidence.
Sir Roger was awarded an Honorary Degree (LLD) from the University of Bath
University of Bath
The University of Bath is a campus university located in Bath, United Kingdom. It received its Royal Charter in 1966....
in 2011.
Sources
- http://www.isa-gov.org/Default.aspx?page=9
- http://www.theworkcontinues.org/page.asp?id=30
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/6192009/Paedophile-vetting-ISA-chairman-Sir-Roger-Singleton-criticises-MPs.html