The Future of Church Safeguarding Programme has been set up to recommend a model for fully independent safeguarding within the Church of England. As part of the programme, the team will be gathering a range of views to help understand what needs to be improved, or what is already working well in the safeguarding processes. They also want to hear opinions about how to achieve a safeguarding body that is independent, fair and impartial. The programme operates entirely independently from the Church, and is being led by Professor Alexis Jay OBE, who previously chaired the Indpendant Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). She expects to complete her report for The Archbishops of Canterbury and York by the end of December, and will be publishing the report to ensure full transparency.
How can you get involved?
There are two ways for people to share their views, either through an online survey or through an in-person interview. Exeter is one of the six Dioceses being visited by the team, and interviews will be held from the 27-28 September at Leonardo Hotel, Exeter (formally Jury's Inn). Contributions are welcome from anyone with experience of church safeguarding processes within the last five years, including:
- victims and survivors of abuse, or their parents/carers;
- members of the clergy;
- church staff and volunteers;
- members of congregations; and
- members of the public.
If you would like to participate in the interviews or the survey, please click or tap here for further information and to submit your interest.