Key roles and responsibilities of church office holders and bodies practice guidance

Dear Colleagues,

This guidance substantially updates and replaces the ‘Responsibilities of Church organisations’ section in ‘Protecting all God’s Children 2010’. It is in line with ‘Promoting a Safer Church’: the Church of England policy statement for the children, young people and adults.

It recognises that the Church of England is not a single entity. Rather, it consists of many essentially autonomous office holders and other bodies, including both ancient ecclesiastical corporations and modern statutory corporations (many of which are charities). It aims to clarify key safeguarding roles and responsibilities for church office holders and bodies within this complex structure to support a consistent approach to safeguarding across the whole Church.

The House of Bishops commends this practice guidance for use by all Church Bodies, including parishes, dioceses, cathedrals, religious communities, theological colleges and the national church institutions.

I hope that this practice guidance will help church communities further develop clear lines of accountability and leadership responsibilities for the safeguarding arrangements required for all organisations.

Yours in Christ's fellowship,

Rt. Revd. Peter Hancock
Bishop of Bath and Wells

The Church of England is not a single entity. Rather, it consists of many essentially autonomous office holders1 and other bodies2 , including both ancient ecclesiastical corporations and modern statutory corporations (many of which are charities). This complex structure and consequent dispersal of authority over a number of bodies and institutions, has a significant impact on the way in which responsibility for safeguarding matters is exercised. The following outlines the safeguarding responsibilities of key office holders and bodies in line with ‘Promoting a Safer Church’: the Church of England policy statement for the children, young people and adults.

It is not meant to be an exhaustive list but to clarify key safeguarding roles and responsibilities for church office holders and bodies that the House of Bishops has agreed to support a consistent approach to safeguarding across the whole Church. It is supported by eight appendices which provide good practice reference material and templates. The guidance is underpinned by the Children Act 2004 (section 11); Working Together 2015; the Care Act 2014, the Church of England’s safeguarding policy statement, ‘Promoting a Safer Church’ and ecclesiastical law. This includes the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016, Safeguarding (Clergy Risk Assessment) Regulations 2016, the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisors Regulations 2016 and the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisors (Amendment) Regulations 2017.

It updates and replaces the ‘Responsibilities of Church organisations’ section in ‘Protecting all God’s Children 2010’.

Under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 20163 , all authorised clergy, bishops, archdeacons, licensed readers and lay workers, churchwardens and PCCs must have ‘due regard’ to safeguarding guidance issued by the House of Bishops (this will include both policy and practice guidance). A duty to have ‘due regard’ to guidance means that the person under the duty is not free to disregard it but is required to follow it unless there are cogent reasons for not doing so (‘Cogent’ for this purpose means clear, logical and convincing). Failure by clergy to comply with the duty imposed by the 2016 Measure may result in disciplinary action. This duty applies to the main guidance document. It does not apply to the appendices which are good practice reference material and templates.

The Ecclesiastical Insurance Group has made it clear that their insurance cover is only valid where House of Bishops’ safeguarding policy and practice guidance is being followed.

This guidance is part of a suite of Safeguarding Practice Guidance and Reference documents which can be downloaded from: https://www.churchofengland.org/clergy-officeholders/safeguarding-children-vulnerable-adults.aspx