Response to statement from Charity Commission from lead safeguarding bishop

24/01/2025

Bishop of Stepney making a speech at general synod Geoff Crawford / Church of England

The Charity Commission has issued a statement today highlighting its engagement with the Church of England on safeguarding arrangements following the publication of the Makin review. We continue to engage constructively and positively with the Commission and we thank them for their ongoing advice and interest.

Both safeguarding independence and the Makin Review are items on the Synod agenda. As regards the Church’s specific response to those criticised in the Makin Review, a four step process is under way and full details including the expected time frame can be found here Update on Makin Review Methodology | The Church of England.

The Church is also responding to the 27 recommendations in the Makin Review. The National Safeguarding Steering Group, NSSG, discussed this in detail this week and has provisionally accepted the recommendations noting where work is already underway, and where further work needs to be done; some are for consideration and others ask for direct action. Further work will be carried out both with victims and survivors and relevant bodies including those that relate to other Provinces in the Anglican Communion. There will be an update when this work is completed.

Synod will also be asked to vote on two proposals for greater independence of safeguarding in the Church of England. Both include an external Scrutiny Body to deliver, among other things, an end-stage complaint process, commissioning of an ongoing programme of audits of diocesan and cathedral safeguarding, and accreditation of safeguarding professionals. Both models include transfer of safeguarding staff to an external employer. One model transfers most of the staff currently employed by the National Safeguarding Team (NST) in the Archbishops’ Council, and the other model transfers staff employed by the NST and safeguarding staff from Cathedrals and diocesan teams.

I look forward to bringing the independent safeguarding proposals to General Synod next month and hearing your views.

Bishop Joanne Grenfell