The Church of England has published today new House of Bishops’ guidance on reporting safeguarding and other Serious Incidents to the Charity Commission. This is the first time the Church of England has produced Charity Commission approved guidance.

Ensuring that victims and survivors who disclose abuse within the Church of England receive appropriate support is a central pillar of the Church’s approach to safeguarding.

NEWS / Responding Well to Domestic Abuse: Policy and Practice Guidance

STATEMENT / Protocols and practice guidance for the Church of England’s Past Cases Review 2, (PCR2) have been published today.

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. 

NEWS / An independent review of the processes used in the George Bell case has been announced today in accordance with the House of Bishops guidance on all complex cases.

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.

NEWS / General Synod voted today to acknowledge and apologise for past safeguarding wrongs. It also voted to endorse work on legislative and non-legislative changes to tighten procedures which have been identified following the Chichester Commissaries interim and final safeguarding reports.

The Church of England’s interim support scheme 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 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.