Bishop Paul Mason, Lead Bishop for Safeguarding for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, and Sister Una Coogan CJ, the Lead Religious for Safeguarding for the Conference of Religious, have responded to the publication of the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA)’s thematic review of survivors’ experiences of safeguarding in the Catholic Church in England and Wales.
“We thank the independent auditor, the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA), for this important review and its ongoing work with survivors to ensure their voices are heard and their experiences shared. This will help Church organisations, dioceses and religious life groups to improve, and make more meaningful, their engagement with victims and survivors of abuse.
“We are deeply grateful to those survivors whose voices have shaped this review. Their testimony is a call to deeper listening, honest reflection and continuing conversation in the way safeguarding is embedded consistently across the Church.
“We will study this report very carefully to consider proactive and appropriate next steps. Whilst the report acknowledges that progress has been made, we understand that a more consistent model of support needs to be put in place for survivors of abuse.
“The newly-formed Strategic Council for Catholic Safeguarding (SCCS) has a mandate to improve best practice and to embed a One Church approach across dioceses and religious life groups. In tandem with this, the Church’s safeguarding policies and guidance documents are currently under review and this report and its findings regarding survivor engagement will be taken into consideration during this process.
“Once again, we would like to make it clear that there is an open invitation from the bishops to meet with, and listen to, victims and survivors, so that we can learn from and be guided by their experiences. We are committed to continual review and development to ensure our communities are places of safety and sanctuary for all.”
Bishop Paul Mason
Lead Bishop for Safeguarding
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales
Sister Una Coogan CJ
Lead Religious for Safeguarding
Conference of Religious
Bishop Mason and Sr Coogan are also co-chairs of the Strategic Council for Catholic Safeguarding (SCCS).
