The Catholic Safeguarding Project has been established to ensure the delivery of wide-ranging reforms to safeguarding structures and processes in the Church in England and Wales.
The Catholic Safeguarding Project has been established to ensure the delivery of wide-ranging reforms to safeguarding structures and processes in the Church in England and Wales.
In 2019, the Catholic Bishops Conference commissioned Ian Elliott to undertake a ‘root and branch’ review of safeguarding structures and procedures. This was the first such review in a number of years since the Nolan Report in 2001 and then Cumberledge Commission in 2007.
This project‘s role is to deliver the recommendations of the Elliott Review.
The Project Implementation Team has pledged to disseminate a newsletter every two weeks from 1 February 2021 giving an overview of the work undertaken since the Implementation Plan was adopted. The Project Implementation Team comprises of Carol Lawrence (Director), Dr Colette Limbrick, Dr Edward Morgan and Fr David Smolira SJ.
26 May 2021
The impetus of the Catholic Safeguarding Project continues after the announcement of the independent CSSA Board Chair and Non-Executive Directors. The pace of change will be more measured as we move to the next phase in the development of the structures. The Board does not underestimate the work to be done and the challenges to be faced, and will take the time required in a considered manner.
11 May 2021
The project is entering its final month now, having set out a six-month timeline to deliver the new structures. Whilst there is work to do in some areas, significant progress has been made and the workplan is being drawn together ahead of completion.
19 April 2021
CSSA Progress continues apace, with four important workstreams developing well: Parish Resource pilot survey, National training framework, Disclosure and Barring Service and Route-map for ending alignment.
29 March 2021
The last two weeks has seen some significant progress in the project, in the recruitment of non-executive directors (NEDs) and Chair for the CSSA. Additionally on 1 April 2021 staff will transfer to the CSSA from CSAS.
15 March 2021
This edition of the newsletter marks the halfway point in the project, which began in December 2020 shortly after the publication of both the Elliott and IICSA Reports. Much has been accomplished in that time and, although there is still much to be completed, the work remains on track and to time.
1 March 2021
This last week saw the launch of the search for the new Chair and non-executive directors of the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency. In this next month we will see many of the current workstreams come to a conclusion.
15 February 2021
Over these weeks the work continued at pace across the project. The new company for the standards agency was incorporated and work has been done on preparing the recruitment pack for directors.
1 February 2021
The work in the last two weeks has been around building on the mobilisation work undertaken previously, instructing professional advisors and meeting with various stakeholder groups. The first firm steps of implementing the changes to safeguarding will take place in the next two weeks.
Good project management builds in good oversight. There is a Short Term Task Group, which meets fortnightly to review progress and give advice as the project develops.
From February 2021, this group will be combined with the Steering Group, which has continued since the Elliott Review.
This new Short Term Task Group is led by Archbishop Malcolm McMahon, and includes Sr Ellen Flynn DC, Fr Martin Ganeri OP, Fr Damian Howard SJ, Bishop Paul Mason, Ms Lyn Murray, Fr John Poland, Bishop Marcus Stock, and Canon Christopher Thomas.
The Project Implementation Team will report to each meeting on progress made and seek guidance where it is needed. Organising oversight in this way ensures that there is good representation from across the Church and that the Project moves in the way that was envisaged in the Elliott Review.
