I have always, in any leadership role, been committed to accountability and transparency. The way we treat one another, lay and ordained, through our various institutional processes, is vital to the health of our life together in Christ. We have too often failed to recognise or take seriously the abuse of power in all its forms. Robust and transparent processes are central to the health of any institution; proper processes around appointments; clear guidelines around conduct and good processes for handling concerns, complaints and whistleblowing.
And nowhere is accountability more imperative than in relation to safeguarding, where in the past we have fallen tragically short. Safeguarding is a fundamental, non-negotiable responsibility, sharpened by our past failings and shaped by the work we still have to do. I am committed to bringing an approach of seriousness and focussed direction to all matters relating to safeguarding in all contexts in the church. This approach must be trauma-informed, put victims and survivors at the heart of all we do and be committed to proper independence.
I am grateful for the countless parish safeguarding officers, diocesan safeguarding professionals and the National Safeguarding Team and survivors and victims, who have worked and continue to work to make progress. Progress has been made, yet we are anything but complacent.
We must be wholly committed to listening to victims and survivors, to independent scrutiny of our safeguarding practices, and to delivering timely and robust trauma-informed processes. We must be willing, always, for light to be shone on our actions and our decisions. We can only begin to rebuild trust and confidence through openness and integrity.
It was very encouraging to hear these words from The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, about safeguarding in the Church of England and her personal commitment to this area. They are taken from her first Presidential Address and can be seen in the context of the full address here.
Safeguarding requires a culture of psychological safety and openness and this must be led from the very top of the organisation. For the Archbishop to take such a clear approach so early in her role sends a very strong message.
Over the past few years, I have provided safeguarding consultancy and training to five different dioceses of the Church of England. They are all very different – from Cumbria, small in numbers but large geographically, through to London, with its huge population and comparatively large number of churches.
While working with these dioceses – whether running a complete leadership development programme or helping on an ad hoc basis – some common themes have emerged.
The first is just how keen teams of staff and volunteers are to get this area right. This is not lip service; it is a heartfelt desire.
Secondly, there is acknowledgement that the Church has previously failed people when it comes to safeguarding – and that this must change. This acceptance is creating a strong catalyst for change and a willingness to bring shadows from the past into the light.
Finally, it is encouraging to see the Church genuinely developing a culture in which it is safe to speak out about concerns. I have been heartened to witness how committed people are to this. For example, my team of associates and I have worked with church teams to create psychologically safe environments during the training courses we run. People arrive in many different mindsets, and we want them to feel safe to share their learning, discuss what they are doing in their churches, and learn from one another. If I am honest, we sometimes encounter a defensive response at the start of a training session. Some people feel they have been required to attend and that the problems experienced in the wider Church do not apply to them. However, it is deeply encouraging – almost without exception – to see that mindset change as learners realise that everyone has a part to play in keeping churches and associated environments safe.
It is a real privilege to be playing my own part in the new approach to safeguarding in the Church of England and I am excited about what the future holds in this area.