Q&A with The Chair

How would you describe the unique role of the NSP in relation to the Archbishops’ Council and the National Safeguarding Team (NST)?
 

The Church of England National Safeguarding Panel (NSP) plays a unique and independent advisory role in relation to safeguarding within the Church, particularly in how it relates to the Archbishops’ Council and the National Safeguarding Team (NST).
Here’s how its role is distinct:
1. Independent Scrutiny and Challenge
 •The NSP provides independent scrutiny of the Church’s safeguarding policies, practices, and performance. While it does not have executive authority, it holds the Archbishops’ Council and the NST to account, ensuring that safeguarding is prioritised and that the Church learns from past failures. It challenges decisions, reviews practices, and advises on how to improve safeguarding structures and responses.

2. Advisory Role to the Archbishops’ Council
  •The NSP offers strategic safeguarding advice directly to the National Safeguarding Standards Group of the  Archbishops’ Council, which is responsible for the Church's national safeguarding policy framework. This helps ensure that safeguarding remains at the forefront of national Church priorities. The Panel contributes to developing policy direction but does not make policy itself, that’s the role of the Council, advised by the NST.

3. Oversight, Not Delivery
 • The NST is responsible for the operational delivery of safeguarding policy and support across dioceses and other Church bodies. In contrast, the NSP does not implement or manage safeguarding cases; instead, it monitors and evaluates how well the NST and wider Church are carrying out their responsibilities.

4. Inclusive and External Perspectives
 • The Panel includes external safeguarding experts, survivors of abuse, clergy, and lay members, bringing diverse perspectives into the Church's safeguarding strategy. This external input helps guard against institutional bias and promotes transparency.
 

What do you see as the core values that should underpin the Panel’s mission?

The core values that should underpin the National Safeguarding Panel’s (NSP) mission need to reflect both the seriousness of safeguarding and the Church of England’s commitment to justice, compassion, and accountability. These values guide how the Panel engages with survivors, advises the Church, and upholds public trust. Here are the key ones:
1. Integrity
 • The Panel must act with honesty, transparency, and consistency in all its work. It should model ethical leadership, even when that means challenging Church authorities or acknowledging uncomfortable truths.

2. Independence
  • A foundational value: the Panel must be free from undue influence, especially from internal Church structures. Independence ensures that its oversight and advice are credible, impartial, and survivor-centred.

3. Courage
 • The Panel must be willing to speak hard truths, challenge inertia, and hold leadership to account. Courage is also needed to confront past failures and advocate for meaningful cultural change.

4. Compassion
 • All work must be grounded in empathy, especially for survivors of abuse. The Panel should listen actively and prioritise the voices and needs of victims and survivors, ensuring safeguarding is trauma-informed and healing-focused.

5. Justice
 • A commitment to fairness, equity, and redress must guide the Panel’s mission. This includes advocating for just processes, redress mechanisms, and systems that protect the vulnerable and prevent abuse.

6. Accountability
 • The Panel should promote a culture where Church bodies take full responsibility for safeguarding performance and failures. It must also hold itself accountable to those it serves—including survivors, the Church community, and the wider public.

7. Transparency
 • Open communication about decisions, findings, and progress helps build trust. The Panel should model transparency in how it operates and communicates, particularly with survivors and Church members.

8. Inclusivity
 • The Panel must embrace diverse perspectives, especially from those with lived experience of abuse, marginalised communities, and safeguarding professionals. 

What impact do you hope the Panel will have on safeguarding culture and practice over the next three years?

The Church of England National Safeguarding Panel has the potential to make a significant impact on safeguarding culture and practice, both within the church and in broader society. If it functions effectively, there are several key areas where it could have a lasting influence over the next three years:

1. Strengthening Accountability

The panel can play a vital role in ensuring that the Church of England takes full responsibility for safeguarding concerns, both past and present. Over the next three years, one of its central impacts could be to foster an environment where accountability is the norm, not the exception. This could include ensuring that Church leaders and institutions are held responsible for any failures in safeguarding, and that systems are in place to prevent abuse.

2. Improving Training and Education

A key impact the panel can have is on the development and implementation of improved training for clergy, staff, and volunteers in safeguarding best practices. This could help ensure that everyone involved with the Church is well-equipped to identify, report, and respond to safeguarding issues effectively. The more proactive and knowledgeable the Church is, the more effective its safeguarding systems will be.

3. Reforming Practices and Procedures

The panel could spearhead a review of the existing safeguarding practices, identifying gaps, inconsistencies, and areas for improvement. This might include revising policies on how cases of abuse are handled, ensuring that survivors’ voices are prioritized, and making sure that reporting mechanisms are clear and accessible. An emphasis on a trauma-informed approach to handling allegations would be crucial.

4. Increasing Survivors' Trust in the System

One of the most important challenges in any institution is rebuilding trust, particularly after historical abuse cases. The panel’s role could be to ensure that the Church of England actively listens to survivors and incorporates their feedback into policies and practice. The Church must demonstrate a sincere commitment to justice, healing, and support for those harmed.

5. Advocacy for Broader Cultural Change

Over time, the panel can help to change the safeguarding culture within the Church, fostering an environment where safeguarding is seen as integral to all aspects of church life, rather than an isolated concern. This would encourage an ethos of care and responsibility at every level of the Church, from the parish to the national level.

6. Engaging with External Experts

It will also be important for the National Safeguarding Panel to collaborate with external experts and agencies. Working with professionals outside the Church can help ensure that safeguarding policies and practices are in line with national standards and best practices, allowing the Church to benefit from independent insight and advice.

7. Setting a Precedent for Other Institutions

The Church of England is one of the largest and most influential religious institutions in the UK. If it successfully improves its safeguarding practices, it could set a positive example for other faith-based organizations and institutions, not only in the UK but globally. It could influence how other bodies approach safeguarding, creating a ripple effect across other areas of society.

Ultimately, the impact of the National Safeguarding Panel over the next three years will depend on its ability to drive real cultural change, instil lasting accountability, and ensure that the Church of England provides a safe environment for all people, particularly the most vulnerable. The focus should be on proactive prevention, survivor support, and creating a system that encourages transparency and ethical behaviour at all levels.