The Diocese of Carlisle today welcomes completion of a detailed independent examination of hundreds of its files as part of a national Church of England review into safeguarding.

The Past Cases Review 2 was launched in 2019 and has seen an independent review of the files of all 42 Anglican dioceses to establish:

• all known safeguarding cases have been appropriately managed and reported to statutory agencies or the police where appropriate,
• that the needs of any known victims have been considered and that sources of support have been identified and offered where this is appropriate,
• that all identified risks have been assessed and mitigated as far as is reasonably possible.

As part of the review, 1,028 Diocese of Carlisle files were examined by independent reviewers including Clergy Blue Files (personnel files for individual ordained clergy), Cathedral records, HR files, parish returns and Reader files.

The independent review identified one new safeguarding case which was actioned accordingly and did not need reference to any other statutory authority. Meanwhile 20 recommendations have been tabled to help improve safeguarding practice.

The Bishop of Carlisle, the Rt Rev James Newcome, said: “We would like to thank the independent reviewers for their scrupulously detailed examination of all our safeguarding files and for the recommendations that have been made to further build on good practice.

“I would also like to pay particular tribute to those survivors who so courageously fed back into the PCR2 process for us as a Diocese, despite the terrible pain they have suffered as a result of previous failings by the Church and for which we are so sorry.

“My thanks also go to the many hundreds of Parish Safeguarding Officers whose dedicated work at a local level in our churches is so valued and is so important in protecting the safety of vulnerable children and adults. Equally it is important to recognise the dedicated work of our Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser who ensured the independent reviewers have had all the necessary support during this process. As a Diocese we will look to action the recommendations tabled in the report as expeditiously as possible.”

As part of the process, a PCR2 diocesan reference group was also established to help support the two independent reviewers: Carol Holt and Pamela Hutton, both of whom have extensive managerial and practitioner safeguarding experience within a local authority context.

In December 2021, the independent reviewers submitted their diocesan report to the National Safeguarding Team which also included input from five survivors of abuse.

The National Safeguarding Team has today published a 129 page report which draws on the findings of all 42 diocesan report as well as Lambeth and Bishopthorpe Palaces and the National Safeguarding Team (NST).

Meanwhile the Diocese of Carlisle has published an Executive Summary of the local report, detailing the recommendations set out in the independent reviewers’ report, around areas such as information management, assessment of risk and training.

Since completing the review, Carol Holt has been appointed the independent chair of the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel (DSAP) which acts as a ‘critical friend’ both to the Diocese and Cathedral on the oversight of safeguarding protocols and procedures.

She said: “I would firstly like to thank all those people who we were able to draw alongside as part of the review, not least for the patience they showed after the Covid pandemic initially set back projected workflows.

“Those survivors who engaged with the independent review showed great courage and we are incredibly grateful to them. Their testimony was hugely helpful.

“I would also like to thank the Diocese of Carlisle’s senior clergy and management team who have remained completely supportive of this body of work throughout.

“The DSAP is currently in the process of developing a safeguarding plan drawing on the recommendations tabled in the PCR2 review. I’m delighted that as independent chair I shall have further oversight around this working plan.”

The Diocese of Carlisle has also invited both independent reviewers to return in 18 months’ time to complete a further review of the implementation of the recommendations.

The Diocese of Carlisle’s PCR2 Executive Summary can be viewed on the diocesan website.

Finding Support

If you or anyone you are in contact with are affected by the publication of this report and want to talk to someone independently please call the Safe Spaces helpline on 0300 303 1056 or visit www.safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk.

Alternatively, you may wish to contact the Diocese of Carlisle’s Safeguarding Adviser Joanna Van Lachterop on 07458 016884 or at safeguarding.adviser@carlislediocese.org.uk.

ENDS

For further information contact Dave Roberts, Diocesan Head of Communications, on 07469 153658 or at communications@carlislediocese.org.uk.