OPINION: General Synod and the debate on safeguarding failures

Today at General Synod. Will the Archbishop of York give a presidential address? What protests, standing orders, blue ribbons and blue clothing will appear in protest of safeguarding failures that have come to light in recent weeks?

A discussion about the Makin Report. An update on the Church of England’s response to the Makin Review, which investigated the Church’s handling of the John Smyth abuse case. The report outlines the steps taken to address the findings of the review, improve safeguarding practices, and support victims and survivors.

Here are the key points:

1. Victims and Survivors

• The Church recognizes the trauma of victims and survivors and acknowledges past failures in responding to abuse, including instances of cover-ups.
• A Redress Scheme is under development to provide apologies and appropriate redress to victims.
• A new survivor engagement framework will be launched on 6 February 2025 to involve survivors in safeguarding processes.

2. Makin Review

• The Makin Review, published in November 2024, examined the Church’s handling of the John Smyth case, a prolific abuser associated with the Church.
• The Church apologized for the abuse and the failures of individuals to respond appropriately.
• The review cost £1,052,000 and has been triggering for many survivors, leading to increased demand for support services like Safe Spaces.

3. Case Review

• The National Safeguarding Team (NST) is reviewing cases mentioned in the Makin Review to assess any immediate safeguarding risks and consider disciplinary actions.
• A four-stage process is being followed, including an initial risk assessment, a review panel, and external scrutiny by an independent barrister.
• The NST aims to complete the process by February 2025, but it may extend beyond that.

4. Responding to the Makin Review

• The Church is developing a detailed response to the Makin Review’s recommendations, including proposals for achieving them, timeframes, and oversight.

• Victims and survivors will be involved in the process of considering the recommendations.

5. Safeguarding in the Church of England

• The Church has made significant progress in safeguarding since 2015, including the establishment of the National Safeguarding Team (NST) and the implementation of new policies and practices.
• Key reforms include the Safeguarding (Code of Practice) Measure 2021, the Safe Spaces service, and the Interim Support Scheme for victims.
• The Church has also introduced National Safeguarding Standards, a Casework Management System, and a Learning and Development Framework for mandatory training.

6. Ongoing and Future Work

• The Church continues to work on improving safeguarding, including safer recruitment practices, survivor engagement, and independent scrutiny of safeguarding operations.
• The Redress Scheme will offer financial and other forms of redress to victims of abuse.
• The General Synod will be asked to approve new regulations and codes of practice in February 2025, including measures for independent risk assessments and the Clergy Conduct Measure.

7. Conclusion

• The Church acknowledges that while progress has been made, there is still much work to be done to ensure a safer environment for all.
• The report emphasizes the Church’s commitment to humbly repent for past failures and to do better in the future.

This report serves as a comprehensive update on the Church’s efforts to address the findings of the Makin Review and improve safeguarding practices, with a strong focus on supporting victims and survivors.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Vicky Brett of Peterborough was elected to the House of Laity for the Church of England’s General Synod in October 2021 and is passionately working to make the C of E a more loving, inclusive place. She is married, with three adult children, and has lived in Peterborough for over 30 years.

 One of her passions is seeing people grow and blossom and recover from whatever hurts, habits and hang-ups have held them back and building peer support and friendships to help us through life.

“I became a Christian as an adult in an evangelical church and worship at St Mary’s church in the centre of Peterborough where I serve on the church’s PCC,” say says.

“I am very much a do-er and have always got a project on the go or am helping on someone else’s.”

She will address Synod on Tuesday.