Independent safeguarding audits were first commissioned by the Church of England in 2015 with a pilot scheme which was then rolled out across the national Church. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, IICSA, commended these audits and one of IICSA’s 2020 recommendations (No 8) was that independent external auditing of the Church’s safeguarding policies and procedures, as well as the effectiveness of safeguarding practice in dioceses, cathedrals and other Church organisations, should continue.

Consequently, INEQE Safeguarding Group was appointed by the Archbishops’ Council to carry out a new round of independent external audits of Church of England dioceses and cathedrals, starting in January 2024. Several dioceses have already completed their audits and in September the process started in the Diocese of Carlisle.

The audits will be carried out in the diocese and cathedral at the same time, with an audit framework agreement to ensure consistency of approach. The purpose of the audits is to ensure dioceses and cathedrals are doing all they can to create environments where everyone feels safe, valued and respected. INEQE provides each diocese with a series of standardised questions, which the diocese are required to respond to in detail and then INEQE visit each diocese in person to conduct a range of interviews with a wide range of diocesan personnel and stakeholders. The INEQE team will visit Carlisle from 6 to 10 January, 2025.

As part of the audit INEQE also seek to engage with parishioners, church volunteers and staff, members of the parish community and diocesan staff through online surveys which act as a mechanism through which individuals can comment on any matters relevant to the Audit’s focus. INEQE will also speak with children and vulnerable adults in each diocese (including victims and survivors of abuse). When the audit is complete INEQE will produce a report with recommendations for the Diocese, and both will be made available publicly.

Your views are important and we therefore kindly ask that you complete an anonymous survey to share your views on safeguarding within the Diocese of Carlisle. The last date for submission is Wednesday 6 November 2024. 

You can find further information about INEQE and the Church of England Independent Safeguarding Audits here.

The Diocese of Carlisle and the Carlisle Diocesan Board of Finance are committed to the protection and safeguarding of all children and adults at risk of abuse and recognise that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. We look forward to working with INEQE throughout the process of the Audit.