The Church of England is currently responding to two important safeguarding reports looking at ways forward on independence (including external scrutiny) and reflecting on lessons learnt on the former Independent Safeguarding Board, ISB.
Updates
October 2024
General Synod voted in July 2024 to commission the lead safeguarding bishop, advised by a Response Group, to oversee detailed analysis of four different options for organisational structures in safeguarding independence. These were developed to benefit from the guidance and recommendations for the future of Church safeguarding outlined in the reports from Dr Sarah Wilkinson and Professor Alexis Jay.
Since then, work has been underway to describe these four options in more detail and to begin detailed feasibility assessment.
Read the July 2024 Synod Paper outlining these options (summary p12 onwards and further description in Appendix F).
1. Baseline model
2. Independent Scrutiny model
3. Independent decision-making model
4. Reference model
The models in Appendix F form the basis for a feasibility assessment, to determine which approach will most help the Church to improve its response to victims, survivors, and people bringing concerns and allegations about safeguarding.
During the months of October, November and December, the Response Group will gather insights from people inside and outside the Church who can offer wisdom and advice based on their professional and personal experience.
They will invite insights from survivors, to help make sure that the feasibility assessment process considers the best way to develop safeguarding services which are trauma-informed.
The Response Group is currently considering some substantial questions including:
Scope for a complaint process which might be made available after all local and diocesan processes have been followed. Specifically, what kind of complaint might this process consider? What would be out of scope for this process?
Making a complaint process trauma-informed. Specifically, what kind of behaviours and ways of working would people working in a complaint body need to adopt in order to avoid retraumatising people who are bringing a complaint?
Data management requirements for organisations which have access to personal details of people who are pursuing a complaint process.
The Response Group will work through some detailed analysis and will advise the lead safeguarding bishop as they together consider and compare the four options. In February 2025, the lead safeguarding bishop will bring to General Synod a proposal based on this evaluation.
Contact the team
A Response Group, chaired by the lead safeguarding bishop, will oversee engagement work on these reviews, and an independent co-chair is also being appointed - see revised Terms of Reference.
For all enquiries email [email protected]
Support
If you or anyone you are in contact with are affected by the publication of this report and want to talk to someone independently please call the Safe Spaces helpline on 0300 303 1056 or visit safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk.
Alternatively, you may wish to contact the diocesan safeguarding team in your area or the National Safeguarding Team at [email protected]. There are also other support services available.
Key documents
- The Future of Church Safeguarding (453.19 KB)