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.

NSSG report from May and March 2022

The Revd Lynda Davies, Rector of All Saints Cottenham, in Ely Diocese has been appointed to the Church of England’s National Safeguarding Panel as a parish clergy member. 

Publication of lessons learnt review into Church of England’s handling of allegations against late Revd Graham Gregory

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 / 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).

Following a recent meeting with survivors of the abuse carried out by John Smyth QC, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has made the following the statement today: 

The meeting began with an announcement by the chair, the Church’s lead safeguarding bishop, Jonathan Gibbs, that the contract for Zena Marshall, as interim national safeguarding director, has been extended to April 2022.

The Church of England has today published its detailed responses to the recommendations of the IICSA report from October.

From Bishop Viv Faull, deputy lead safeguarding bishop and co-chair designate of the All Party Parliamentary Group on safeguarding in faith settings.