The Church of England has issued the statement below on the structure if its National Safeguarding Team.
Hattie Williams writes about this for Church Times: New post advertised to ‘strengthen’ C of E’s restructured safeguarding.
Statement on structure of National Safeguarding Team
05/12/2018
Following the establishment of the National Safeguarding Team in 2015 – replacing a 0.5 national post – the Archbishops’ Council has recently reviewed its structure and after consultation will be advertising for a Director of Safeguarding.
Secretary General’s letter to the College of Bishops about staffing developments at the National Safeguarding Team While this appointment is in process an interim director will lead the National Safeguarding Team and Sir Roger Singleton* has been appointed from January 2. This proposed change is about having the right structures in place to ensure good safeguarding is embedded across the Church in the most effective way possible.
*Sir Roger Singleton is a former Chief Executive of Barnardo’s and chaired the Independent Safeguarding Authority from 2007-2012. He also led the Independent Scrutiny Team which assessed the adequacy of the Church of England’s 2008-2009 Past Cases Review.
This is, presumably, Nye-Speak for downgrading Graham Tilby. If this is a case of the chickens of the George Bell fiasco coming home to roost, that can only be welcome: especially if it means that historic cases are to be spared the cavalier treatment Bishop Bell’s reputation has suffered at the hands of the NST and those higher up the food chain.
If this is the case, the Briden Report findings [regarding Bishop Bell] are already known by the Church authorities – but delaying their release?
Will the findings ever be realeased, Richard? If the Government was found to be in contempt of Parliament this week, how much more is its devoted quango, the Church of England in contempt of faithful Anglicans?
If the Briden Report is as bad for the Church as some people are speculating, Jill, then it may well be a case of ‘Waiting for Godot’.
But as George Orwell said – his last-known published words: “Don’t let it happen. It depends on you”
In the light of this article in the Church Times today, I don’t think the Briden Report on Bishop Bell will ever be released: Dec 7 2018 – “Birmingham diocese defends gagging order for survivor” – Church Times ‘In February this year…the diocese commissioned an independent reviewer to conduct a Learning Lessons Case Review to investigate the way in which the allegations had been dealt with over the ten-year period…. ‘She had agreed to sign the NDA after taking legal advice, since she was told that it would only be in effect until the report was published. She had been… Read more »
I don’t think there can ever be enough competent bodies looking after safeguarding matters. Some might argue about the choice of adjectives in this sentence, but it is to be taken at face value.