Responding to Neil Foden's crimes
Since Neil Foden was found guilty and sentenced to prison for horrific crimes against children, Cyngor Gwynedd has published a Response Plan to investigate all the lessons to be learned from these horrendous events.
The Plan has seven main objectives:
- Acknowledge openly and publicly that such offences should never have happened, and that no child should suffer such experiences.
- Apologise sincerely to the victims and their families for what they have had to suffer.
- Support the victims, school and wider community to seek to recover their situations.
- Establish all the facts of the case, the history around the situation and the wider context.
- Learn all lessons identified as part of the findings and recommendations of all investigations.
- Improve by responding in full and at pace to all findings and recommendations with the aim of giving confidence to the public that we are doing everything possible to ensure that nobody will suffer in the same way ever again.
- Accountable by being open and transparent about our improvement progress and commit to measure the effect of the changes that we implement.
A Programme Board has been established to steer the work plan by advising, scrutinising and challenging Cyngor Gwynedd officers every step of the way. The Board is chaired by Professor Sally Holland, who is an authority on social care and teaches at Cardiff University. She was Children's Commissioner for Wales from 2015 to 2022.
The Board is made up of representatives from leading authorities and organisations in the field of child protection in Wales including: Children's Commissioner for Wales, Welsh Government, Estyn, Care Inspectorate Wales.
The Programme Board is responsible for implementing all work streams arising from all reviews and investigations into Cyngor Gwynedd's arrangements in the wake of this case.
Investigations into Cyngor Gwynedd's arrangements
Since Cyngor Gwynedd's Cabinet adopted the Response Plan, a number of independent investigations and reports have been carried out:
An independent barrister specialising in safeguarding investigations was commissioned to conduct an investigation into these specific events highlighted during Neil Foden's criminal trial. This rigorous work was completed by May 2025 and the recommendations were shared with elected members of Cyngor Gwynedd and other key partners.
As the report contains sensitive and confidential information – including information about children, details of employment matters and personal data about individuals – Cyngor Gwynedd is unable to publish the report in full.
This investigation has been completed, and Cyngor Gwynedd's Freedom of Information procedures have been updated.
An independent HR investigator was commissioned to assess whether the response of Ysgol Friars, the school Governors and the Council to the findings of the Complaints Panel Report carried out in 2019 was adequate and appropriate.
This investigation has been completed, and the findings have been shared with councillors and other key partners. The 2019 report did not relate to complaints about child safeguarding issues, but the more recent investigation concluded that a better response from the Governing Body and the Council to the Panel's recommendations, could have been ensured.
The Governing Body and the Council have welcomed the report's recommendations and are committed to ensuring that all recommendations receive a rigorous response to ensure that there is a better response in any such situation in the future.
The Council's Scrutiny Committee has set up an investigation. Good progress is being made with the work of the Investigation with the aim of completing before the end of 2025.
Child Practice Review
A Child Practice Review (CPR) is a statutory process that occurs when a child(ren) in Wales has suffered serious harm or has died, and there are concerns about how professionals or services have worked together to protect them.
The purpose of the Review is to learn lessons and improve the way organisations work together to keep children safe.
Following the conclusion of Neil Foden's criminal case, a Child Practice Review was commissioned by the North Wales Safeguarding Board: More information about North Wales Safeguarding Board.
The Child Practice Review process began in August 2024 and is chaired by Jan Pickles OBE.
Jan Pickles is independent of Cyngor Gwynedd and is an experienced social worker who has worked with the Probation Service, the Police, the Government and the NSPCC. She has been a member of the National Independent Safeguarding Board for Wales. She has worked as part of the team reviewing historical cases of abuse within football and the Church.
Alongside Jan Pickles, two independent reviewers were appointed from outside the area who are experienced in school safeguarding.
The CPR process is completely independent of Cyngor Gwynedd. Cyngor Gwynedd has shared all the relevant information it had with the Review's investigators. Further, all findings that have arisen from the Council's internal investigations through the activity of the Response Plan have been shared with the Child Practice Review immediately.
The Review is expected to be completed and the final Report published during September 2025.
Updates on this particular Review can be found on the Safeguarding Board's website: Gwynedd Child Practice Review – North Wales Safeguarding Board.
Links and further information
The Response to Offending Plan was adopted by Cyngor Gwynedd's Cabinet in January 2025.
The first quarterly progress report by Professor Sally Holland, Chair of the Board was presented to Cyngor Gwynedd's Cabinet on 8 July, 2025
News
Cyngor Gwynedd’s Cabinet has unanimously supported a plan that sets out the range of procedures and arrangements which are underway with the goal of identifying all the lessons to be learnt following Neil Foden's crimes.
Read full article: Plan approved in response to Neil Foden's crimes
Concern about a safeguarding issue in Gwynedd
Anyone with new information relating to potential child abuse should contact the Police or their local council's Social Services Department directly.
If the young person is in immediate danger, phone the Police immediately on 999.
If the child is not in imminent danger, phone Gwynedd Social Services as soon as possible to share your concerns: 01758 704455 (or 01248 353551 out of office hours). Information is available on our website: Child abuse
Other useful links:
North Wales Safeguarding Board
NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children)
Offers advice and support to anyone who is concerned about a child's welfare.
- Helpline: 0808 800 5000
(free, confidential, Mon-Fri 8am–10pm, Sat & Sun 9am–6pm)
- Website: nspcc.org.uk
- E-mail help@nspcc.org.uk
- Sign language video chat (BSL): Sign Video
(Mon-Fri 8am–8pm, Sat & Sun 9am–6pm).
Childline
A confidential service for children to talk about anything that's worrying them.
- Helpline: 0800 1111 (free, confidential, 24/7)
- Website: Childline.org.uk
- Live Chat: The website features a live chat where children and young people can talk confidentially)
The North Wales Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (RASASC)
Provides specialist support, counselling, and therapy to anyone aged 3 and over who has experienced sexual abuse or sexual violence—whether recent or historical. Also supports partners and family members of those affected.
Confidential, non-judgmental, and free.
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