A new initiative focused on survivors of church-based abuse and those who support them is being launched by the Diocese of Newcastle.

The initiative, which is a response to recent guidance issued by the Church of England to church officers and church bodies on how to respond well to victims and survivors of all kinds of abuse, has been part funded by the charity Safe Spaces.

The Church of England’s interim support scheme has just marked its first anniversary and is part of the Church’s recognition that harm has been caused by both that abuse itself, and the Church’s responses to survivors.

The January 2022 meeting of the National Safeguarding Steering Group, NSSG, was chaired by the lead safeguarding bishop.

Notes from the November meeting of the National Safeguarding Steering Group 

Summary of September meeting 

It was announced that the Bishop of Truro, Philip Mountstephen, is joining the NSSG and will take on the role as Chair of the Redress Scheme Project Board. It was noted that the extensive programme of work in safeguarding will need additional new episcopal members. The Terms of Reference of the group also need to be reviewed to ensure that they are fit for purpose in the context of the implementation of the Independent Safeguarding Board.

The meeting was chaired by the Church of England’s lead safeguarding bishop, Jonathan Gibbs, who welcomed members and congratulated Mark Steadman (currently Archdeacon of of Stow and Lindsey  in Lincoln Diocese) on his appointment to Chief of Staff at Bishopthorpe and welcomed new NSSG member Mark Humphries, Oxford Diocesan Secretary. Mark Steadman will continue on the NSSG in his new role.

Meg Munn has been reappointed to her role as independent chair of the National Safeguarding Panel, NSP, and has agreed to continue in the role for a further two years. 

NEWS / Meg Munn, former MP and Government Minister, with a professional background in child and adult safeguarding issues, has been appointed as the first independent chair of the Church of England’s National Safeguarding Panel, (NSP).

At its April meeting General Synod unanimously approved the draft Safeguarding (Code of Practice) Measure which strengthens and clarifies the obligation to follow safeguarding guidance. 

The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Lincoln have met together to pray and discuss next steps following the conclusion of the clergy disciplinary process instigated after the Bishop’s suspension in May 2019 and subsequent investigation.