ANNUAL REPORT 2020 FINAL 211031

IMPACT
REPORT
National Standards in Safeguarding are set by the
National Catholic Safeguarding Commission (NSCS)
and through the Catholic Safeguarding Advisory
Service (CSAS) who also have a role in auditing
compliance to the national standards on behalf
of the NCSC. The NCSC and CSAS are mandated
by the Bishop’s Conference and the Conference
of Religious and they are within the Department
of Citizenship and Christian Responsibility of the
Catholic Trust for England and Wales. CSAS are
the Registered Body for the Disclosure and Barring
Service (DBS) and ensure that all DBS Disclosure
applications comply with the national policies and
the conditions set by the DBS.
In-line with the Charity Commission guidance
to improve safeguarding arrangements within
charities, the Archdiocese has appointed a named
Safeguarding Trustee to ensure the reporting
of critical incidents to the Commission. The
safeguarding team continues to learn, develop
and improve the safeguarding function of the
Archdiocese. This progress included:
• Recruited 3 new posts – a Head of Safeguarding,
Safeguarding Officer and a Case Review Officer
• The implementation of an electronic case
management system
• The completion of the review of all
Safeguarding Plans and ongoing monitoring
arrangements
• An on-going historic case review
• An improved DBS system
• Programme for the commencement of
volunteer DBS re-checks
• Development of improved training strategy
and programme
• Implementation of mandatory requirement for
clergy to complete “Educare” training modules
• The development of a data set to allow
oversight of performance
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual
Abuse (IICSA) published their findings
relating to the institutional response of the
Catholic Church of England and Wales in its
duty of care to protect children from sexual
abuse and exploitation. The Catholic Church
welcomed the IICSA report and will ensure
that the report will now inform the ongoing
reform and improvement of safeguarding in
all aspects of the Church’s life. The Church
recognised an important aspect of the
Inquiry’s work was the voice given to
victims and survivors of abuse, including
the accounts which they gave of their
subsequent engagement with the Church.
Listening attentively to their witness
testimony has brought into sharp focus the
importance to learn from those most directly
affected as to how we can improve the
Church’s safeguarding standards, policies
and procedures. This report is an important
moment in the safeguarding journey of
Catholic Church and we will continue to
integrate the findings into the life and
work of the Church in order to consistently
safeguard children and the vulnerable.
An Independent Review of the Structure
of Safeguarding in the Catholic Church in
England and Wales was also commissioned.
Recommendations have been made to
further improve the safeguarding service
and will be included into the Archdiocese
Improvement Plan during 2021 to include all
actions arising from this review. The reviews
recommendations included;
• Re-structure of national model
• Audit and review function
• Defining safeguarding standards
• Restructuring of Institutes of
Consecrated Life and Societies of
Apostolic Life
• Training
• A National Tribunal Service
There has also been the introduction of ‘Safe
Spaces’, a collaborative project developed
between the Catholic Church and the
Church of England to provide a space for the
voices of victims and survivors to be heard.
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