Statements regarding BBC File on Four Blackburn Cathedral case
 

STATEMENT / Archbishops Council IICSA Opening Statement

Church of England response to BBC File on Four Programme relating to the David Tudor, a priest who was prohibited from ministry for life in October. 

NEWS / The first day of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) hearing into the Anglican Church in England and Wales - looking at the diocese of Chichester as a case study - heard opening statements from representatives of all the core participants.

Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse; an open letter from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, the lead safeguarding bishop and the national director of safeguarding.

Read the opening statement on behalf of the Archbishops’ Council as part of the IICSA hearing into Peter Ball.

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.

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.

The Terms of Reference for the ‘PCR2 Reference Group’ which will oversee Past Cases Review 2 for the National Church Institutions has been published today.  

Article for Civil Society magazine by lead safeguarding bishop Joanne Woolway Grenfell on safeguarding governance in the Church of England.