21/06/2024
In response to Church Times article on reviews promised by the former Independent Safeguarding Board.
Alexander Kubeyinje, the Church of England's national director of safeguarding said:
“As a result of the genuine concerns raised by victims and survivors, I have personally sought assurances around the outstanding reviews.
“I am sorry when victims and survivors feel they are not heard or experience delays in safeguarding. I am also aware that members of the National Safeguarding Team work very hard to meet the needs of our survivor communities. We are very open to feedback as this informs our ability to learn and adapt wherever possible.
“The Interim Support Scheme, set up to respond to victims and survivors in urgent need of help, has clear Terms of Reference which were strengthened last year, and these are publicly available on the Church of England website. More than £2m has been given out in support since the Scheme started. Each application is looked at on its own merits by a Panel with clear transparent criteria. I would urge anyone who feels they have not been heard to make direct contact with the scheme. This is an important piece of safeguarding work that we carry out on behalf of the Archbishops’ Council.”
Details about the Interim Support Scheme are available from the Safeguarding section of the website.