Reporting abuse and finding support

Reporting abuse

 If someone is immediate danger or needs medical attention, call 999. If the situation you are reporting is not emergency please use these contact details. 

• If you are worried about someone and want to raise a concern or report abuse in your diocese, please contact your local safeguarding team. Details can be found using Diocesan Safeguarding Team map which shows relevant contact information for each area.
• The National Safeguarding Team oversees safeguarding cases relating to senior clergy including archbishops, bishops and deans. Contact safeguarding@churchofengland.org and complete the the referral form.

If you are worried that a child or young person may be at risk abuse or neglect, please contact the children's social care ream at the local council where the child lives. You can find contact details for local councils on the GOV.UK website.

If you are worried about an adult who may be at risk of abuse or neglect, please contact their local authority adult social care team. Details can be found for local adult social care services on the NHS website.

Support for victims and survivors

There is a range organisations and services that specialise in offering support to victims and survivors of church-related abuse:

Support in the Church of England

•   Safe Spaces is a free and independent support service for those who have experienced abuse in relation to the Church of England, the Church in Wales, or the Catholic Church of England and Wales. Their team can be contacted through their helpline 0300 303 1056, their live chat or by emailing safespaces@firstlight.org.uk.
• The Church of England's  Interim Support Scheme offers help to survivors whose lives have been significantly impacted by the abuse suffered and the response to it.

Other areas of support

• MACSAS supports women and men who have been sexually abused as children or adults, by ministers, clergy or others under the guise of the church. They support both survivors who have remained within their Christian communities and those who have left.
• Survivors Voices is survivor le organisation that runs peer support groups for victim-survivors of all kinds of abuse, including faith based abuse.
• Peer Support Group, organised by the Newcastle diocese, offers a safe and supportive space for individuals who been harmed by any form of abuse in a faith/church context. They meet once a month on Zoom for 90 minutes, with occasional in-person sessions held in Newcastle.
• Childline is a free and confidential service that helps anyone under the age 19 with any issues. They can be contacted by calling 0800 1111, email or using 1-2-1 counsellor chat .
• If you are concerned about a young person or child, contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 for support and advice for free.
• Hourglass works to prevent the abuse of elderly people. Call their helpline on 0808 808 8141 or email helpline@wearehourglass.org
• Samaritans is available 24/7 for anyone who's struggling to cope or needs someone to listen. Call 116 123
• If you identify as LGBT+ and have experienced abuse or violence, you can reach out to Galop, for confidential emotional and practical support on 0800 999 5428.
• There are a number of services that can help if you've been sexually assaulted, raped or abused. These include Rape Crisis, Male Survivors Partnership, Women's Aid and Victim Support

A more comprehensive list of organisations offering support to survivors including therapy and counselling services, helplines, and self-help tools is available to download