- Church Dismisses Independent Safeguarding Board
- Bishop Raises Concerns Over Church’s Resistance to Criticism
- Survivors and Clergy Express Anger Over Panel’s Dismissal
The Bishop of Birkenhead, the Right Reverend Julie Conalty, spoke following the Church’s dismissal of a commission of experts responsible for its protection.
She subsequently tweeted, “The church seems less secure today.”
The Church stated that its relations with the two panelists had deteriorated.
The Archbishops’ Council announced on Wednesday that it was terminating the contracts of all three members of the Independent Safeguarding Board (ISB), which it had established to oversee the Church’s handling of abuse.
The Daily Telegraph said that commission members Jasvinder Sanghera and Steve Reeves found working with church authorities “a struggle.
Their dismissal has been criticized by several survivors, advocates, and now members of the clergy.
Bishop Connolly, who is the Church’s deputy head of safeguarding with a concentration on survivor engagement, stated, “Culturally, I believe the church is resistant to criticism and accountability.
“Because I see that the wind always blows in a particular direction. I don’t completely trust the church, even though I’m an integral part of it and a leader within it.”
The bishop stated, “Currently there is less accountability” and “We have unquestionably retreated.”
She went on to say that the decision causes “distress and anger” among survivors, who had “a high level of confidence” in the board because the independent body has “disappeared before their eyes.”
Alison Coulter, a lay member of the Archbishops’ Council, stated that the decision to dismiss the panel was not “taken lightly or without serious consideration” and that the Church remains committed to hearing the perspectives of victims and survivors.
She stated on the same episode of World At One, “Our working relationship has broken down, which is very unfortunate.
“I do not wish to assign responsibility, but we, the Archbishops’ Council, felt we had no choice. The Council tried to resolve a dispute in good faith, but two board members refused to cooperate.
She would not disclose the dispute’s specifics, but she did say, “We have been working as constructively as possible.” We have not discovered any compatibility with this framework.”
ISB was part of the Church’s response to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse report of 2020, which concluded that the Church of England was a “hiding place for abusers”.
Mrs. Coulter hesitated before responding, “I cannot say with my hand on my heart that there are no more hiding places for abusers in the church, but I do know… we want the church to be a safe place for everyone.
Ms. Sanghera, who founded a charity for victims of a coerced marriage, and Mr. Reeves, a specialist in organizational abuse, raised the alarm about “interference” with their work in an interview with the Telegraph last month.
They also objected to the appointment of Meg Munn as the interim chair of their three-member board.
Ms. Munn, a former member of parliament, has served as the Church’s National Safeguarding Panel’s independent chairwoman for the past five years. After her new post ended, the Church urged her to stay on for “business continuity.
Mr. Reeves tweeted on Thursday, “It’s awe-inspiring to see so many people advocating for independence in safeguarding. Receiving hundreds of notes of support for Jas Sanghera and my recent work with so many others has been humbling.
Ms. Sanghera tweeted, “We were not removed due to a deterioration in relationships.” I’ve been an advocate for victims and survivors for 30 years, and I’ve never encountered anything like this.
The two also complained that victims were not given enough time to prepare for the news.
