Section 3.7-3.9: The agenda of an SCMG meeting

Requirements

Delivery

3.7   The Chair of the SCMG must ensure that each meeting has a clear agenda, and minutes are taken by someone with the necessary skills to make an accurate record. The record of the meeting must be approved by the SCMG Chair before distribution to members only. 

3.8    The SCMG Chair must start each meeting by asking members to indicate if they have a conflict of interest and setting out expectations regarding confidentiality. 

3.9    The SCMG Chair must ensure that a member of the SCMG has responsibility to keep the complainant and the respondent informed of SCMG decisions, recommendations and outcomes, and that a written update is sent to each one of them, as a minimum every 6 weeks, unless an alternative format/timescale is requested by the complainant or respondent.  

Guidance 

The following elements are recommended as core items on a typical agenda for an SCMG meeting:

  • Conflict of interest declarations;
  • Confidentiality statement;
  • Statement that the group keep complainants at the heart of the discussion;
  • Assessment and management of risk, including:
    • Consideration of any statutory processes, including referrals to the LADO and DBS and SSIRs;
    • Consideration of any disciplinary processes, including CDM
  • Support for the complainant and their immediate family/dependants;
  • Support for the respondent and their immediate family/dependants;
  • Impact on the parish or the wider Church community;
  • Communications;
  • Consideration of threshold for Serious Safeguarding Incident reporting; referral to DBS;
  • Overview to confirm decisions and next steps, including the timing of the next meeting and any support that SCMG members may require to meet their responsibilities within the Group.
  • Suspension and disciplinary steps

For the avoidance of doubt, the DSO has ultimate responsible for making any recommendations to the bishop with regards to suspension of a member of clergy, however it is good practice to seek the views of the SCMG in this respect. If any member of the SCMG does not agree with the DSO’s decision, they should follow the escalation process set out below.