Church vote on safeguarding ‘a punch in the gut for survivors’

A Church of England ballot which delays afloat autarkic safeguarding has been branded a “punch successful the gut” for victims of abuse.

Representatives of survivors said the result was “incredibly disappointing” and showed the Church had decided to “keep it successful the family”.

Victims had pleaded with the Church’s parliament to endorse a caller exemplary which would person seen each Church-employed safeguarding officers transferred to a caller autarkic body.

Many person worked hard connected the effort to bring afloat independency to the religion safeguarding process. This ballot represents a rejection of secular standards successful safeguarding and volition pb to children continuing to beryllium astatine hazard successful the church

David Greenwood, maltreatment lawyer

But the General Synod alternatively voted for a little autarkic exemplary “as the mode guardant successful the abbreviated term” and for “further work” to beryllium done to instrumentality the determination to afloat independence.

The endorsed exemplary (option three) would spot astir nationalist unit determination to a caller extracurricular non-Church body, but different diocesan and cathedral officers remaining with their existent Church employers, though nary steadfast timeline has been fixed for enactment to statesman connected this.

Synod voted 392 successful favour, 9 against and six abstained connected the last motion.

After hours of statement astatine Church House connected Tuesday, an amendment from Bishop of Blackburn Philip North was supported by a bulk of Synod members.

Proposing it, helium told those gathered: “Option 4 (the much autarkic model) is eye-wateringly analyzable and volition instrumentality years to implement, assuming it is implementable.

“No organisation has done thing connected this standard earlier and during those years, not capable volition alteration erstwhile the religion and the federation are demanding alteration now.”

He rejected the thought that it was a delay, saying “the 2 processes tin tally concurrently, not consecutively truthful this amendment is astir the precise other of agelong grass”.

He added: “Whilst we instrumentality three, we tin found a definitive presumption connected whether enactment 4 is legally deliverable.”

Model 4 would person seen each safeguarding officers presently moving successful dioceses, cathedrals and the nationalist Church transferred to enactment for a caller autarkic organisation.

The Church has been plagued by safeguarding controversies implicit the years, with the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, who has himself faced calls to discontinue implicit failures successful handling maltreatment cases, admitting this week the Church has “failed greatly” connected safeguarding.

They person chosen to support it successful the family. Shocking arrogance, and a punch successful the gut for victims and survivors of abuse

Andrew Graystone, survivors' advocate

Addressing Synod connected Monday, helium said helium had “long believed that greater independency is the missing portion successful the safeguarding jigsaw”.

The much autarkic exemplary of safeguarding was besides supported by Bishop of London Dame Sarah Mullally and Bishop of Leicester Martyn Snow, with the second describing it arsenic a “cultural reset”.

Abuse lawyer David Greenwood, who stood successful solidarity with victims extracurricular the venue up of the vote, said the effect was “incredibly disappointing”.

He said: “Many person worked hard connected the effort to bring afloat independency to the religion safeguarding process.

“This ballot represents  a rejection of secular standards successful safeguarding and volition pb to children continuing to beryllium astatine hazard successful the church.”

Andrew Graystone, a longtime advocator for maltreatment survivors, said the ballot showed the Church had decided to “keep it successful the family”.

He said: “If you are abused by a vicar, you volition inactive beryllium expected to study it to a bishop.

“Safeguarding unit volition inactive beryllium located successful religion offices, employed by the precise aforesaid bishop.

“The Church of England had an accidental to commencement to rebuild trust, by admitting that it needed expertise from outside.

“But alternatively they person chosen to support it successful the family.

“Shocking arrogance, and a punch successful the gut for victims and survivors of abuse.”