Latest news with #Church-employed
The Independent
03-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Minister: Abuse victims deserve change rather than lamenting and repenting
Abuse victims deserve change from institutions rather than 'lamenting and repenting', a minister said as MPs pressed for fully independent safeguarding in the Church of England (CoE). Home Office minister Jess Phillips declined to be drawn on what changes the CoE should make in light of recent safeguarding failures after condemning abuse suffered by adults and children. But she insisted victims of institutional abuse are owed a debt for coming forward, also saying: 'We owe them change.' Ms Phillips, whose portfolio includes safeguarding matters, made the remarks as she responded to a House of Commons debate on safeguarding in the CoE. Victims had urged the Church's parliament to endorse a new model which would have seen all Church-employed safeguarding officers transferred to a new independent body. But the General Synod last month voted for a less independent model 'as the way forward in the short term' and for 'further work' to be done to implement the move to full independence. The endorsed model would see most national staff move to a new outside non-Church body, but other diocesan and cathedral officers remaining with their current Church employers. The Church has been plagued by safeguarding controversies over the years, with a damning report into serial abuser and Christian camp leader John Smyth leading to the resignation of Justin Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury. Ms Phillips said: 'Whilst I cannot tell the Synod what it has to do, I condemn the acts of psychological, emotional and physical abuse and sexual abuse against both adults and children, including where they occur in religious settings or contexts.' Ms Phillips recalled issues faced by the Houses of Parliament and how she and others fought to have an 'independent process to oversee issues of sexual abuse and violence within this institution'. She added: 'What I know of the years of working on the frontline with victims of both historical and current abuses – usually sexual abuse that I am talking about in this particular instance – is that victims will tell me that what happened to them was horrendous. 'What continued to happen to them because of failures of institutions to act is worse.' 'While some improvements have been made, there remain systemic underlying vulnerabilities arising from the church's structure of safeguarding. In her concluding remarks, Ms Phillips said: 'There should be no status that is protected from scrutiny and cultures of silence through wilful ignorance or, worse, malign intent to safeguard reputations above children must end. It must end wherever we see it. 'Lamenting and repenting is all well and good, but what my mum used to say to me is 'Sorry is just a word you say, changing your behaviour proves to me that you are sorry'. 'We owe a debt to the victims who come forward about any institutional abuse, we owe them more than lamenting and repenting, we owe them change.' Opening the debate, Labour MP Luke Myer (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) said the Church is 'marking its own homework' as he called for an independent body that would provide uniform safeguarding practices across the country. Mr Myer said: 'While some improvements have been made, there remain systemic underlying vulnerabilities arising from the church's structure of safeguarding. 'Survivors have told me that there are complex, hard to navigate structures and slow, institutionally defensive responses, and what emerged from around 2020 was a call for an independent structure to oversee safeguarding practices.' Mr Myer referred to a 2024 report by Professor Alexis Jay entitled the Future of Church Safeguarding in the Church of England. He said: 'Professor Jay's report said the only way in which safeguarding can be improved is by making it truly independent of the Church. 'The central problem is that the complexity of the Church means that rather than one approach, there are 42 different dioceses each with different safeguarding systems. 'Safeguarding practitioners have said that this limits effective safeguarding. As Professor Jay noted in her report, Church safeguarding service falls below the standards of consistency expected and set in secular organisations.' Mr Myer further stated: 'It is simply not acceptable that the experience of survivors should vary depending on where they live. There must be a system that is unified and consistent, evenly resourced with the same quality of support respecting the independent expertise of safeguarding professionals.' He concluded: 'The reality is that, as things stand, this patchwork of procedures remains and the Church remains, effectively marking its own homework. This is clearly not acceptable.' Labour MP Marsha de Cordova, the CoE's Commons representative in her role as Second Church Estates Commissioner, said 'there is still a long way to go'. She said: 'The Church must treat its work for independent safeguarding operations as a matter of urgency. 'We need no more blocking, we just need action, because action really will speak louder than any of the words than any of us have got to say here today.' Jonathan Davies, the Labour MP for Mid Derbyshire, said the church 'absolutely must get this issue right', warning that 'if it fails to do so, it will face an existential threat'.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Minister: Abuse victims deserve change rather than lamenting and repenting
Abuse victims deserve change from institutions rather than 'lamenting and repenting', a minister said as MPs pressed for fully independent safeguarding in the Church of England (CoE). Home Office minister Jess Phillips declined to be drawn on what changes the CoE should make in light of recent safeguarding failures after condemning abuse suffered by adults and children. But she insisted victims of institutional abuse are owed a debt for coming forward, also saying: 'We owe them change.' Ms Phillips, whose portfolio includes safeguarding matters, made the remarks as she responded to a House of Commons debate on safeguarding in the CoE. Victims had urged the Church's parliament to endorse a new model which would have seen all Church-employed safeguarding officers transferred to a new independent body. But the General Synod last month voted for a less independent model 'as the way forward in the short term' and for 'further work' to be done to implement the move to full independence. The endorsed model would see most national staff move to a new outside non-Church body, but other diocesan and cathedral officers remaining with their current Church employers. The Church has been plagued by safeguarding controversies over the years, with a damning report into serial abuser and Christian camp leader John Smyth leading to the resignation of Justin Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury. Ms Phillips said: 'Whilst I cannot tell the Synod what it has to do, I condemn the acts of psychological, emotional and physical abuse and sexual abuse against both adults and children, including where they occur in religious settings or contexts.' Ms Phillips recalled issues faced by the Houses of Parliament and how she and others fought to have an 'independent process to oversee issues of sexual abuse and violence within this institution'. She added: 'What I know of the years of working on the frontline with victims of both historical and current abuses – usually sexual abuse that I am talking about in this particular instance – is that victims will tell me that what happened to them was horrendous. 'What continued to happen to them because of failures of institutions to act is worse.' 'While some improvements have been made, there remain systemic underlying vulnerabilities arising from the church's structure of safeguarding. In her concluding remarks, Ms Phillips said: 'There should be no status that is protected from scrutiny and cultures of silence through wilful ignorance or, worse, malign intent to safeguard reputations above children must end. It must end wherever we see it. 'Lamenting and repenting is all well and good, but what my mum used to say to me is 'Sorry is just a word you say, changing your behaviour proves to me that you are sorry'. 'We owe a debt to the victims who come forward about any institutional abuse, we owe them more than lamenting and repenting, we owe them change.' Opening the debate, Labour MP Luke Myer (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) said the Church is 'marking its own homework' as he called for an independent body that would provide uniform safeguarding practices across the country. Mr Myer said: 'While some improvements have been made, there remain systemic underlying vulnerabilities arising from the church's structure of safeguarding. 'Survivors have told me that there are complex, hard to navigate structures and slow, institutionally defensive responses, and what emerged from around 2020 was a call for an independent structure to oversee safeguarding practices.' Mr Myer referred to a 2024 report by Professor Alexis Jay entitled the Future of Church Safeguarding in the Church of England. He said: 'Professor Jay's report said the only way in which safeguarding can be improved is by making it truly independent of the Church. 'The central problem is that the complexity of the Church means that rather than one approach, there are 42 different dioceses each with different safeguarding systems. 'Safeguarding practitioners have said that this limits effective safeguarding. As Professor Jay noted in her report, Church safeguarding service falls below the standards of consistency expected and set in secular organisations.' Mr Myer further stated: 'It is simply not acceptable that the experience of survivors should vary depending on where they live. There must be a system that is unified and consistent, evenly resourced with the same quality of support respecting the independent expertise of safeguarding professionals.' He concluded: 'The reality is that, as things stand, this patchwork of procedures remains and the Church remains, effectively marking its own homework. This is clearly not acceptable.' Labour MP Marsha de Cordova, the CoE's Commons representative in her role as Second Church Estates Commissioner, said 'there is still a long way to go'. She said: 'The Church must treat its work for independent safeguarding operations as a matter of urgency. 'We need no more blocking, we just need action, because action really will speak louder than any of the words than any of us have got to say here today.' Jonathan Davies, the Labour MP for Mid Derbyshire, said the church 'absolutely must get this issue right', warning that 'if it fails to do so, it will face an existential threat'.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Church missed opportunity to hear victims, says bishop
The Church of England's failure to adopt a fully independent safeguarding model was a missed opportunity to make clear it has listened to victims, the bishop tasked with leading on the issue has said. The Bishop of Stepney, Dr Joanne Grenfell, who is lead bishop for safeguarding, had put forward a motion to the General Synod for all Church-employed safeguarding officers to be transferred to a new independent body. Dr Grenfell told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she was "very disappointed", but that the Church had nonetheless adopted changes that amount to a "big step forward". Representatives of survivors branded the outcome a "punch in the gut" for victims of abuse and said it showed the Church had decided to "keep it in the family". It comes as the Church has faced intense scrutiny for its safeguarding practices in recent months after the the former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigned over his handling of an abuse case. On Tuesday the Synod, the Church of England's governing body, voted overwhelmingly for a less independent option which will see the creation of an independent central safeguarding team, but with local diocesan and cathedral safeguarding officers remaining with their current church employers. Dr Grenfell told the BBC: "On the one hand I'm really disappointed, as were many, that Synod missed the opportunity to send an unequivocal message to victims and survivors and the wider nation that we hear their pain and concerns. "On the other hand, what we did vote to get on with, an independent scrutiny body, is actually quite a big step forward in itself. "But we need to do that further work around operational independence, and I'm really committed to doing that." On Tuesday, the Synod had been expected to vote on the fully-independent model proposed by Prof Alexis Jay, who previously chaired the national Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, and barrister Sarah Wilkinson. But following an amendment, the Prof Jay-backed model was not voted on at all, and an alternative was adopted. Church of England rejects fully independent safeguarding Church covered up 'abhorrent' abuse, report finds I know I have made mistakes, says under-fire archbishop Bishop of Blackburn Philip North, who proposed the amendment to endorse the less independent option while work was done to see if the other one was "legally deliverable", described the latter as "eye-wateringly complex" and said it could take years to implement. But Dr Grenfell said: "I don't think we can hide behind those complex structures, that's just not good enough for victims and survivors... "What I'm concerned about, is that it sounds, it feels to victims and survivors who I have spoken to, that we didn't hear what they were saying and I really want to say to them 'I hear you and we will continue to do this work'." The Survivors Trust group said public trust in the Church to effectively safeguard children "has been totally lost". "Church leaders must reconsider their approach and take immediate steps toward genuine, independent safeguarding reform," it said. Andrew Graystone, an advocate for abuse survivors, accused the Church of "shocking arrogance" and said the Synod had "voted for a measure that will leave the power of bishops completely unchanged and unchallenged". Dr Grenfell added the Church is going through a "really painful and necessary time of reckoning" and there is a "huge amount to think through before we appoint a new Archbishop of Canterbury". The Church has faced criticism for its handling of safeguarding issues, with a damning report into serial abuser and Christian camp leader John Smyth leading to Mr Welby's resignation. The Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, who has temporarily taken on most of Mr Welby's responsibilities, has also faced criticism over his handling of an abuse case. Mr Cottrell has said he supports "independence in safeguarding" and was "disappointed" that it would now happen in "two stages". He said he would "fully commit" himself to "implementing Synod's decision and making it happen". Also known as the Church's parliament, the General Synod meets up to three times a year to debate and pass measures governing how the Church works. It is made up of 478 members who are elected every five years.
The Independent
12-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Bishop: Church vote a missed chance to show abuse victims their pain is heard
The Church of England cannot hide behind the complexities of moving to fully independent safeguarding and must realise the 'nation is watching', a leading bishop has said. Bishop Joanne Grenfell, the Church's safeguarding lead, had put forward a motion to the General Synod for a new model which would have seen all Church-employed safeguarding officers transferred to a new independent body. But members instead voted overwhelmingly for a less independent option, which will see diocesan and cathedral officers remaining with their current Church employers while most national staff move to a new outside body. I'm really disappointed, as were many, that Synod missed the opportunity to send an unequivocal message to victims and survivors and the wider nation that we hear their pain and concerns Bishop Joanne Grenfell Representatives of survivors branded the outcome a 'punch in the gut' for victims of abuse and said it showed the Church had decided to 'keep it in the family'. Ms Grenfell told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: 'I'm really disappointed, as were many, that Synod missed the opportunity to send an unequivocal message to victims and survivors and the wider nation that we hear their pain and concerns.' She said the option chosen for the set-up of an independent scrutiny body 'is actually quite a big step forward in itself but we need to do that further work around operational independence, and I'm really committed to doing that'. Bishop of Blackburn Philip North, who proposed the amendment to endorse the less independent option while work was done to see if the other one was 'legally deliverable', described the latter as 'eye-wateringly complex' and said it could take years to implement. Ms Grenfell said while she understands concerns some might have had about the complexities of transferring peoples' jobs, that is not something the Church can 'hide behind'. She told Today: 'I understand that people had concerns about the challenge of bringing staff from 85 different bodies, cathedrals and diocese into one. 'And we knew that that was going to be complex, but we did believe it was possible, and we promised to come back with the further detail on that, which we will now do. 'I don't think we can hide behind those complex structures. That's just not good enough for victims and survivors. So yeah, we're complex, but we need to change, and that means changing our structures.' The bishop said victims and survivors of abuse – some of whom had gathered outside the venue ahead of Tuesday's debate urging Synod members to vote for fully independent safeguarding – felt they had not been listened to. She said while members had 'heard the complexity of doing this, and they wanted further assurance about the governance responsibilities around that', they had not 'heard strongly enough that the nation is watching and that victims and survivors say that this is what they need to restore trust and confidence'. Andrew Graystone, a long-time advocate for abuse survivors, accused the Church of 'shocking arrogance' and said the Synod had 'voted for a measure that will leave the power of bishops completely unchanged and unchallenged'. The Survivors Trust group said: 'Public trust in the Church to effectively safeguarding children has been totally lost. 'Church leaders must reconsider their approach and take immediate steps toward genuine, independent safeguarding reform. 'The protection of children and vulnerable adults should not be left in the hands of those who have historically failed them.' Following the vote, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell said he was 'disappointed', having backed the more independent model. The Church has been plagued by safeguarding controversies over the years, with a damning report into serial abuser and Christian camp leader John Smyth leading to the resignation of Justin Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury. Mr Cottrell, who has taken on most of that role's responsibilities temporarily, has also faced calls to quit over failures in handling abuse cases, and admitted this week the Church has 'failed greatly' on safeguarding. The process to find a new Archbishop of Canterbury – the most senior bishop in the Church of England – is under way, with a public consultation launched last week. The Church has said the consultation 'is an opportunity to gather the views of a wide range of people from across England and the Anglican Communion on the gifts, qualities and skills needed' for the role. Ms Grenfell said there is 'a huge amount to think through' before the 106th appointment to the role. She said: 'I think this is a really painful and necessary time of reckoning. I said in a debate earlier in the week that we're ministering as a broken church. I still think that's true. I also see what's improved. 'I mean, I've got really great safeguarding colleagues who I really trust. This isn't about them. Their work is good. It's about the bigger structures around it. 'And I think that there's a huge amount to think through before we appoint a new Archbishop of Canterbury, about what that looks like and about the kind of culture change.' It is expected there could be an announcement on a new archbishop by autumn. :: Anyone affected can visit or call a free, confidential helpline on 0808 801 0818.
BBC News
12-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Church of England missed opportunity to show victims heard, says bishop
The Church of England's failure to adopt a fully independent safeguarding model was a missed opportunity to make clear it has listened to victims, the bishop tasked with leading on the issue has Bishop of Stepney, Dr Joanne Grenfell, who is lead bishop for safeguarding, had put forward a motion to the General Synod for all Church-employed safeguarding officers to be transferred to a new independent body. Dr Grenfell told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she was "very disappointed", but that the Church had nonetheless adopted changes that amount to a "big step forward".Representatives of survivors branded the outcome a "punch in the gut" for victims of abuse and said it showed the Church had decided to "keep it in the family". It comes as the Church has faced intense scrutiny for its safeguarding practices in recent months after the the former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigned over his handling of an abuse Tuesday the Synod, the Church of England's governing body, voted overwhelmingly for a less independent option which will see the creation of an independent central safeguarding team, but with local diocesan and cathedral safeguarding officers remaining with their current church Grenfell told the BBC: "On the one hand I'm really disappointed, as were many, that Synod missed the opportunity to send an unequivocal message to victims and survivors and the wider nation that we hear their pain and concerns. "On the other hand, what we did vote to get on with, an independent scrutiny body, is actually quite a big step forward in itself. "But we need to do that further work around operational independence, and I'm really committed to doing that."On Tuesday, the Synod had been expected to vote on the fully-independent model proposed by Prof Alexis Jay, who previously chaired the national Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, and barrister Sarah following an amendment, the Prof Jay-backed model was not voted on at all, and an alternative was adopted. Bishop of Blackburn Philip North, who proposed the amendment to endorse the less independent option while work was done to see if the other one was "legally deliverable", described the latter as "eye-wateringly complex" and said it could take years to Dr Grenfell said: "I don't think we can hide behind those complex structures, that's just not good enough for victims and survivors..."What I'm concerned about, is that it sounds, it feels to victims and survivors who I have spoken to, that we didn't hear what they were saying and I really want to say to them 'I hear you and we will continue to do this work'."The Survivors Trust group said public trust in the Church to effectively safeguard children "has been totally lost"."Church leaders must reconsider their approach and take immediate steps toward genuine, independent safeguarding reform," it Graystone, an advocate for abuse survivors, accused the Church of "shocking arrogance" and said the Synod had "voted for a measure that will leave the power of bishops completely unchanged and unchallenged".Dr Grenfell added the Church is going through a "really painful and necessary time of reckoning" and there is a "huge amount to think through before we appoint a new Archbishop of Canterbury". The Church has faced criticism for its handling of safeguarding issues, with a damning report into serial abuser and Christian camp leader John Smyth leading to Mr Welby's Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, who has temporarily taken on most of Mr Welby's responsibilities, has also faced criticism over his handling of an abuse case. Mr Cottrell has said he supports "independence in safeguarding" and was "disappointed" that it would now happen in "two stages".He said he would "fully commit" himself to "implementing Synod's decision and making it happen".Also known as the Church's parliament, the General Synod meets up to three times a year to debate and pass measures governing how the Church works. It is made up of 478 members who are elected every five years.
