Thinking Anglicans

Safeguarding vote – reactions

on Wednesday, 12 February 2025 at 6.15 pm by Peter Owen
categorised as Church of England, General Synod, Safeguarding

Yesterday, the Church of England’s General Synod debated and voted on two proposed models (labelled 3 and 4) for independent safeguarding in the Church of England, and passed the following motion

That this Synod:

(a) thank all those involved in Church safeguarding, particularly the victims and survivors who give so generously of their wisdom and experience, often at great personal cost, and parish safeguarding officers who make sure that safeguarding is a priority in every level and all those who support them in dioceses;

(b) affirm its commitment to greater independence in safeguarding in the Church of England;

(c) thank the Response Group for its work for greater independence in safeguarding in the Church of England; and, noting the significant reservations around model 4 in paragraph 62 of GS 2378 and the legal advice from VWV dated 31^st January 2025, endorse model 3 as the way forward in the short term and call for further work as to the legal and practical requirements necessary to implement model 4;

(d) and lament and repent of the failure of the Church to be welcoming to victims and survivors and the harm they have experienced and continue to experience in the life of the Church.

Details, including voting figures, are in an official press release: Synod votes on next steps for independent safeguarding.

Reactions to Synod’s vote include the following.

• Francis Martin Church Times Safeguarding vote brings disappointment, pain — and cautious optimism
• Marsha de Cordova MP The Church of England’s decision not to vote for wholly independent safeguarding delays real progress, says Second Church Estates Commissioner
• Martine Oborne Women and the Church A disappointing and dangerous decision on safeguarding
• Andrew Brown Against independent safeguarding