This is a specific pathway only for Church Officers who are deceased.
- Section 1: Triage and Referrals
- Section 2: Initial Contact
- Section 3: Safeguarding Case Management Group
- Section 4D: Managing posthumous safeguarding concerns and allegations
- Introduction
- 4D.1 Support for the complainant
- 4D.2 & 4D.3 Information gathering
- 4D.4-4D.6 Risk assessment and management
Introduction
Safeguarding concerns and allegations involving individuals who are deceased can be extremely difficult to manage, as the actions that can be taken to assess what has happened and apply the usual criminal justice and disciplinary processes, are limited. Because no formal justice or finding of fact is made, this will impact the complainant’s journey to recovery and closure.
In addition, the family members of the respondent may suffer adverse consequences from the allegations being made as it is likely to impact on a person’s legacy and how they are remembered.
This section sets out the steps, requirements and guidance to be followed by Church Officers in response to posthumous safeguarding concerns and allegations involving former Church Officers.
This section covers requirements and guidance for both cases of direct abuse allegation and those cases in which a respondent is alleged to have failed to meet safeguarding requirements in the Safeguarding Code of Practice or the House of Bishops’ safeguarding guidance.