Comment from Bishop of Rochester Jonathan Gibbs, the Church of England’s lead bishop for safeguarding.

Letters to Church Times (August 2022) from the Chair of the Redress Board and the Redress Scheme Survivor and Victim Working Group

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.

Launch of vital national survey to understand how victims and survivors would like to be involved in the development and implementation of a Church of England survivor engagement framework.

The publication of the report of the public inquiry into child sex abuse in Telford, demands a response from all organisations working with children and young people, states bishops and national director of safeguarding.

Summary of July National Safeguarding Steering Group meeting 

Summary of presentation on safeguarding independence and synod debate on safeguarding

Alexander Kubeyinje will be the Church of England’s new permanent national director of safeguarding

The Sexual Offences Act 2003 has been amended to include a new section 22A which expands “Position of Trust” offences to include anyone who is coaching, teaching, training, supervising or instructing in a sport or a religion. 

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.