Gwynedd Council says children in the county are safer today following the publication a year ago of an independent report.

The ‘Our Bravery Brought Justice’ report was published following the shocking case of former Gwynedd headteacher Neil Foden, jailed for the sexual abuse of four girls over a four year period.

The council marks the report’s anniversary by pointing out improvements made to safeguarding arrangements since its publication, including working with the NSPCC to develop specialist training that did not previously exist in Wales, and investing to create a specialist team of officers who support schools with child safeguarding matters.    

The report made 27 important recommendations, with Welsh Councils being asked to deliver nine of these. Gwynedd has delivered eight of those, and the final recommendation will be completed before the end of the year. 

The other 17 recommendations in the report are regional and national matters, but Gwynedd says it has also addressed those recommendations and delivered 12 of them.

Council leader Nia Jeffreys said: “As we mark one year since the publication of Our Bravery Brought Justice, and share the progress made in implementing the report's recommendations, I once again stress that what drives us to improve is the courage of the survivors. Their voices led to justice through the courts and have now triggered change.  

“The best tribute we could pay to the courage of the young people was to deliver the changes as quickly as possible. We've looked at our failures honestly, put all our energy into learning the lessons and done everything we can to prevent a similar situation from happening again. But it's also important that the change continues in the long term and that we ensure that this makes a real impact to protect our children. 

“Safeguarding children is an ongoing responsibility. Despite the progress over the past year, this journey will not end. We will continue to challenge ourselves to stay on this path.” 

Council Chief Executive Dafydd Gibbard said: “We have prioritised this important work above all else to deliver a host of changes to our safeguarding arrangements and I am pleased that we have made good progress. We can never become complacent of course. Robust safeguarding structures depend on culture and mindset as well as good arrangements, and that must be ongoing work in any organisation. 

“Safeguarding is also a responsibility on us all and we must all be prepared to speak up if we see something that is not right.  

“We have put a great deal of effort into ensuring that Cyngor Gwynedd staff across all departments, and in all settings, receive the right training so that they are confident in recognising the signs, know how to raise their voices and are prepared to always listen to a vulnerable person.”  

The council’s plan to respond to the report is scrutinised by a Response Plan Board.

The Board is chaired by Professor Sally Holland, an authority on safeguarding children and former Children's Commissioner for Wales, and made up of leading safeguarding representatives including Welsh Government, Estyn, the Office of the Children's Commissioner for Wales and Care Inspectorate Wales.