NEWS / Safeguarding resources, for use in churches across the country, including Bible readings, prayers and suggested hymns, chosen in consultation with survivors, have been published today

The Church of England is investing in a ground-breaking programme of safeguarding training and resources, created especially for children and young people.

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.

Safe Spaces, the free, independent national support service for victims and survivors of church-related abuse, have produced new posters for churches to signpost to their free confidential helpline.

NEWS / A resource to help local churches do some theological thinking around safeguarding has been published today by the Faith and Order Commission (FAOC), in response to a request by the lead bishop for safeguarding, the Rt Rev Paul Butler.

Notes from the November meeting of the National Safeguarding Steering Group 

Work is underway in all 42 dioceses on the Church of England's Past Cases Review 2 (PCR2) with a key focus on listening to survivors who want to come forward. The Church was criticised for not including their voices in the original PCR 2007/8 as shown in an independent scrutiny report, published in 2018.

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.

Safeguarding presentation to General Synod from national safeguarding director Alexander Kubeyinje and lead safeguarding bishop Jonathan Gibbs

NEWS / Statement from Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu and Bishop of Chester. Dr Peter Forster.