Safeguarding in the Churches:
Past, Present, Future
Reflections by Revd Pearl Luxon
Consultant and Trainer.
Formerly Safeguarding Adviser for the Methodist
Church and the Church of England
The Church of England
• Safeguarding Adviser (child and adult protection)
The role was developing policy, good practice, ‘trouble
shooting’, giving advice, developing training and
supporting the networks of advisers and reps in 33
Districts and 43 Dioceses
Aim: Supporting Safeguarding good practice and
raising consistency of practice in two Church
denominations:
• In Church of England diocesan structures – dioceses independent
• In Methodist Districts of Great Britain – not independent
Responding to Legislation, Stat. Guidance
and Commissions
• Churches’ Child Protection Advisory Service – mid 1980’s
• Methodist Church Training started in 1989 – Taking Care –
National Children’s Bureau
• A few CofE dioceses created policies and trained people
• 1993 – First Methodist Church national policy & guidance
• 1995 Church of England (CofE) National Policy statement
with good practice annexed
• 1999, 2004, 2010 new fuller editions and updates – CofE
• 1998, 2000, 2003 Methodist ‘Safeguarding’ handbook eds.
• 2000 The Church and Sex Offenders policy - Methodist
• 2001 [Nolan Commission and COPCA]
• 2007 in response to cases – Past Child Protection Cases
Review model protocol for dioceses
National Policy and Good Practice
• Protecting All God’s Children (latest edition 2010)
• Promoting a Safe Church
These are House of Bishop’s policy documents for the CofE
• Safeguarding children and
• Safeguarding Adults (latest editions of both 2010)
• Training strategy – Creating Safer Space
These were approved by Methodist Conference (covers GB)
Other relevant CofE documents:
Domestic Abuse – General synod policy
Professional Standards for clergy – from the clergy Convocations
Clergy Discipline Measure – church legislation
The five-legged table of
Safeguarding
Good
Practice
Training/
advocacy for
Safeguarding
Allegations
and incidents
Safer
Recruitment
CRB and
ISA/ VBS
Other developments
• Time for Action – 2002 Churches’ Together
• Survivors and the church working together –
in consultations and networking
• New policy and good practice – ‘Responding
Well’ – also a House of Bishops document 2010
• Looking at the Theological underpinning of
Safeguarding and the common values in the
Church and among Safeguarding professionals –
through our annual conference – seminars and
plenary speakers
Supporting Policy and Good Practice
• Dioceses produce their own policies too, but
national committee is seeking to ensure
consistency with national policies over time
• Help with complex legislative changes e.g. the
endless changes to the Vetting and Barring
Scheme
• Annual Conference for both Churches with all
trainers and Safeguarding Advisers invited –
other Anglican Provinces and Church
denominations are welcome too.
• Regional groupings also meet
Partners’ in Safeguarding include:
• Other churches/ denominations, the Christian Forum for
Safeguarding – including Churches’ Agency for
Safeguarding and Churches’ Child Protection Advisory
Service
• Other voluntary groups or their representatives e.g. NSPCC,
Action for Children (NCH), The Children’s Society, Lucy
Faithfull Foundation and Stop it Now UK
• Criminal Records Bureau etc. and Independent
Safeguarding Authority
• Government departments, Multi-Agency Public Protection
Arrangements, the Police and Probation.
Recent developments
• Working with Survivors
• Working on values and theology
• Linking the Christian belief and
demonstrations of care of all people
very closely with safeguarding
• Pastoral Care and Safeguarding – need
to make connections – joined up
Reflections on Safeguarding
– The challenges to church of survivors and taking
their experiences seriously – including questions
about faith
– Theology, the gospel and Safeguarding – the
Kingdom of God
– The values of the Church and the values of
those who both work in safeguarding and child
protection – are very similar
– Safeguarding and ministry – a better way?
– Perhaps ‘authority’ and power are the church’s
real Achilles' heal?
The challenge of Nolan
KEY PRINCIPLES OF APPROACH:
• The child’s welfare is paramount
• Prevention is key
• Transparency
• Accountability
• Partnership with Statutory Authorities
• Independent objective and expert advice
• Active management of risk
• A “One Church” approach
NOLAN COMMISSION & COPCA – 2001
Professional reflections
• Ambiguity and tensions in the safeguarding role
• Inter/ multi-disciplinary approach - solutions
• Positivity and creativity - instead of
intransigence, conflict and denial
• ‘Wise as serpents and innocent as doves’
• Speaking ‘truth to power’ is necessary but tough
• Communication, communication, communication
• Having raised our game in many churches –
what is the next level?
• The five legged table
Final Remarks
• Responding to those abused – children/ adults – this is
something the Christian church must do
• Good practice is now expected – in society, e.g. by
parents and statutory bodies – doing the minimum is not
good enough
• We must listen to other faiths share what we have learnt
• The churches’ insurance companies and the Charity
Commission play their part
• Abuse happens in whole of society/ all communities
• Denial occurs everywhere
• Everyone is responsible for helping to prevent
abuse and promote the welfare of children
Pearl Luxon
Consultant and Trainer
www.pearlluxon.org.uk