New safeguarding practice review policy approved by General Synod

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

Safe Spaces is planned as a vital support service for survivors of church-related abuse across the Church of England and the Catholic Church in England and Wales.

Bishop Jonathan Gibbs, the Church of England’s lead safeguarding bishop, opened the meeting and highlighted what he described as the cultural resistance to and complexity of achieving real change in the Church and the personal pressure this puts on safeguarding leaders.

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

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 National Survivor Participation Framework is a guide for any Church body and any victim or survivor who participates or wants to participate in making safeguarding changes in the Church of England.

Notes from the November meeting of the National Safeguarding Steering Group 

A recent media report about the Church of England’s Redress Scheme contained inaccuracies and misleading information, which we are sorry has caused distress to survivors.

NEWS / The Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler, lead bishop on safeguarding has issued a statement today following various media comments on his recent contribution in the House of Lords regarding Bishop George Bell.