One of the papers, released ten days ago, for next week’s meeting of the Church of England’s General Synod is GS 2184 Response to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse’s Final Investigation Report into the Anglican Church. This has been followed up today by the following press release.
Update on Church’s response to IICSA report
16/11/2020
Following the publication (Oct 6) of its overarching IICSA report, the Church’s national governing bodies have all endorsed a motion apologising to victims and survivors and committing to urgently implementing the six IICSA recommendations. There will be a particular focus on independent safeguarding and redress for survivors and victims
Project groups will be set up including for independence and redress work streams. The independence workstream is about scoping the best structure for independent oversight of the National Safeguarding Team, NST, in place of the Archbishops’ Council. The House of Bishops also agreed that an interim arrangement is put in place prior to the establishment of this new body.
A further project group will also be set up to implement Recommendation 1 which proposes that diocesan safeguarding officers (DSOs) employed locally would be professionally supervised and quality assured by the National Safeguarding Team.
The Archbishops’ Council committed to finding significant additional financial resource to support the interim support scheme for survivors, which was announced in September, while work begins on a full redress scheme. The NST is in the process of appointing a new staff member to lead on the redress work.
It was agreed that workstreams must be undertaken in consultation with victims, survivors and all relevant Church bodies
The National Safeguarding Steering Group will establish a coordinating subgroup to oversee the work on all six IICSA recommendations and ensure they are implemented swiftly with the particular focus on independence and redress for survivors and victims. The recommendations also focus on CDM reform, information sharing and external audit.
A full background paper on these proposed changes has been published for a presentation and debate at General Synod which meets online from November 23-25 (timetable) with a further detailed response to the recommendations then to be drawn up, published and sent to IICSA.
“…the Church’s national governing bodies have all endorsed a motion apologising to victims and survivors..”
Will this be more of the hiding behind centralised contrition again? Carefully prepared apology given to two Archbishops to deliver, while senior figures duck responsibility from behind a specially crafted fire blanket? Or will we finally see a different kind of ‘apology’ from the senior layer – many of whom have behaved disgracefully and dishonestly and with much complicity with corruption over the years?
Just asking.
“Reputation is much more important than victims. Always has been, always will be” ~ Matthew Ineson
I have STILL not received an apology for my abuse and the way I have been treat.
Hierarchy are good at sound bites but are still determined to cover up, protect bishops at any cost and reputation before victims is still the order of the day.
Damning iicsa report and not a single person takes responsibility nor anybody held to account.
Utterly scandalous and disgraceful
Is it a coincidence that the intention to have interim independent oversight didn’t appear until after the complaints against the Archbishop of Canterbury were rejected by NST? Maybe, but the optics are awful. Again.