LONDON, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The Church of England is set to initiate reforms aimed at making its safeguarding system independent from the religious institution. This move is in response to past failures in handling abuse cases, with the goal of rebuilding trust.
The General Synod, the Church's decision-making body, will convene in London this week to deliberate on proposed changes. The Synod's meeting marks the first since the former leader's resignation due to an abuse cover-up scandal in November.
Lead safeguarding bishop Joanne Grenfell described the proposed reforms as "radical steps" that she deems essential. The Synod is scheduled to debate the safeguarding proposals later today before voting on them.
The Church, representing 85 million Anglicans across 165 countries, has been embroiled in a crisis regarding abuse protection following the departure of the former leader. Archbishop Stephen Cottrell, currently serving as interim leader, addressed the Synod on Monday, acknowledging historical safeguarding failures and committing to enhancing existing protocols.
The proposed reforms involve two models, one of which entails transferring most National Safeguarding Team (NST) staff to an external entity, while the other goes further by transferring NST staff along with safeguarding personnel from cathedrals and dioceses.
Bishop Grenfell, advocating for the comprehensive model, emphasized that both options aim to ensure consistency and minimize potential conflicts of interest. External oversight mechanisms for complaints, auditing of safeguarding practices at diocesan and cathedral levels, and accreditation of safeguarding professionals are integral components of the proposed reforms.