The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England has pledged to produce detailed plans on how to improve safeguarding in the church after being told by the Charity Commission to speed up the pace of reform.

The charity says it “is committed to working at pace to enable the implementation of further safeguarding reforms, particularly in governance, with detailed proposals to be brought to the next General Synod to ensure sustainable and long-lasting best practice”.

The church’s decision-making body the General Synod next meets between 9-13 February, in London.

The pledge follows the conclusion of a case review by the regulator that called for independent safeguarding structures, that have already been endorsed by the General Synod earlier this year, to be implemented within 18 months from now, a year sooner than the charity’s current plans indicate.

In the meantime, the charity is urged by the regulator to “put robust interim measures in place to keep people safe”.

The call has been made by the Commission as part of its Regulatory Action Plan issued to the charity.

“It follows the Commission engaging with the charity over whether its trustees are taking sufficient steps to address the safeguarding concerns and implement recommended changes raised in a number of safeguarding reviews,” said the regulator.

'Insufficient urgency and pace'

The Commission found “there is insufficient urgency and pace” to improving safeguarding and the charity’s current approach to implementing reform “is fragmented and overly complex”.

During its talks with the charity the Commission found no evidence of mismanagement or misconduct by trustees and noted that its “has made progress and delivered some improvements” to safeguarding in recent years.

The regulator has been engaging with the charity since last year amid a raft of safeguarding concerns were raised in reviews, by among others Professor Alexis Jay and Keith Makin.

This included looking at abuse perpetrated by serial child abuser John Smyth, who died seven years ago. The church’s failures in his case resulted in the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby last year.

The Archbishops’ Council says it welcomes the regulator’s findings “which provides valuable clarity to support ongoing improvements in our work”.

“We are committed to acting on these recommendations as swiftly as possible.”

Its statement adds: “We are reassured by the Commission’s finding of no evidence of mismanagement or misconduct and that the Commission recognises the charity has made progress and delivered positive changes in safeguarding practice in recent years.

“Our priority in all our work remains to respond well to victims and survivors. This commitment is vitally important to us all and continues to shape every aspect of our safeguarding work.

“As part of our commitment to continually improve the quality of safeguarding we are immediately focused on building on the work undertaken over the past decade, which has included the introduction of independent safeguarding audits, comprehensive safeguarding training for all who work in the Church whether paid or voluntary, and ensuring Church bodies have safe and healthy cultures, as well as resourcing and scrutiny arrangements necessary to deliver high-quality safeguarding practices and outcomes. “

Time to move ‘from review to reform’

“It’s time for the Archbishops’ Council and the Church of England to move from review to reform, and from debate to delivery,” said Charity Commission chief executive David Holdsworth.

“Everyone recognises that improving safeguarding is an ongoing journey, but in the Archbishops’ Council’s case the progress on that journey must be made in bigger, bolder steps, informed by the experience of victims and survivors.

“The Commission will monitor the charity’s progress against our Regulatory Action Plan and reserve all regulatory options for the future if sufficient progress is not made at pace.”

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