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 / The independent report into the Church's handling of its 2007-9 Past Cases Review, PCR, has been published today

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.

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. 

STATEMENT / Lead safeguarding Bishop responds to BBC Panorama programme.

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.

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.

NEWS / The Bishop of Bath and Wells, Peter Hancock, the Church of England’s lead safeguarding bishop addressed February’s Synod on national developments and the Church’s preparation for the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, IICSA.

Statements from Bishop Stephen, Archbishop Justin and the National Safeguarding Team.