AN INDEPENDENT audit of safeguarding within the diocese of Oxford has found a “solid safeguarding foundation” upon which improvements in training, survivor engagement, and individual safety plans could be made.
As a part of the continuing national audit programme, INEQE Safeguarding Group analysed 250 documents within the diocese before conducting interviews with church staff and volunteers, victims and survivors, and others; six focus groups; and analysing information from responses to a confidential contact form. The report also includes 335 anonymous survey responses.
Progress by the diocesan board of finance (DBF), overseen by the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel, has been “strong” in response to the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) audit, PCR2 findings, and Lessons Learned Reviews, it says. The various “considerations” have been actioned.
The report points to the “extremely high profile” case of a former churchwarden within the diocese, Benjamin Field, who, in 2019, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Peter Farquhar in 2015 (News, 25 October 2019). The INEQE report says: “Some individuals are receiving ongoing support because of this of this case, and parishes proceed to be encouraged to query when things don’t seem right.”
Training on the abuse of trust and power dynamics has been conducted to deal with problems with culture, and the result has been “positive”, the INEQE report says. Efforts surrounding inclusion, disability, and equality have also “accelerated” with the establishment of a diocesan policy and an LGBTQIA+ Chaplaincy.
On leadership, the report states: “The Bishop of Oxford [Dr Steven Croft] is reflective and consciously applies the teachings that he has personally learnt during his tenure. He acknowledges past criticism and accepts the necessity to exhibit that leadership within the Church has learnt from past errors of judgement.”
He is “clear” about his position and responsibilities, and is “an lively safeguarding voice at national level”. The Bishop of Reading, the Rt Revd Olivia Graham, who’s the diocese’s appointed lead safeguarding bishop, can also be praised as being “well informed, highly effective” and as having “built a major level of data and expertise”.
Parish safeguarding officers, the diocesan website, and dealing policies are particularly commended, as is the late Bishop of Buckingham, Alan Wilson, for his work with victims and survivors.
But the audit is evident that “safety plans” for people of concern — those that pose a risk of harm — should include a clause to be certain that this includes other churches and church settings.
“The Audit acknowledges that the national template itself doesn’t take account of the likelihood of an offender attending multiple Church or Church-related settings. The issues related to the national template can be drawn to the eye of the NST [National Safeguarding Team].”
It also takes a dim view of a security plan being discussed with the person of concern inside the home of a parish safeguarding officer. “Given such plans involve individuals who’re known to pose a risk of harm, the Audit don’t consider such an approach to be good practice either by way of staff/volunteer safety or reinforcing the formality attached to those arrangements.”
Among the 40 recommendations are the expansion of safeguarding training, the appointment of a director of safeguarding, and that the Bishop’s Council and safeguarding panel perform a skills, inclusion, and variety audit.
The DBF should create a “standalone safeguarding risk register”, provide “reassurance regarding relevant religious communities”, and “develop a greater understanding of the range and safeguarding arrangements applied in such settings”.
No recommendations are made in regards to the clergy blue files, because these are currently subject to a national review.
The audit concludes: “Notwithstanding the stubborn and really real challenges the DBF has faced over recent years, its culture and leadership has developed to a position of strength.”
And, while further work is required in some areas, including victim and survivor engagement, “given the numerous strengths highlighted . . . the DBF only needs to bolster its capability and implement the recommendations herein to develop into an exemplar in its field.”
Dr Croft thanked the PSOs and others commended within the report.
Unlike in other dioceses, as a Royal Peculiar, Christ Church Cathedral has been audited individually.
