The Bishop of Coventry has written to all parish and Cathedral incumbents within the diocese requesting they check their records to ensure that all safeguarding concerns have been identified and responded to appropriately. This is part of the Past Cases Review 2 (PCR2), commissioned by the House of Bishops to ensure that our churches and church related activities are as safe as possible for children and vulnerable adults.
Independent review
As part of PCR2 the Diocese of Coventry has appointed two independent reviewers to consider all known cases of concern relating to church officers. This is to complete the following:
- All known, safeguarding cases relating to children and vulnerable adults have been appropriately managed and reported to statutory authorities where appropriate.
- The needs of any known survivors have been considered and that support has been identified and offered where this is appropriate.
- That all identified risks have been assessed and mitigated as far as reasonably possible.
The Independent reviewers started on 28th September 2020 and it is anticipated they will be involved until the end of December 2020.
Listening and supporting survivors
We want the voices of survivors to be central to the PCR2 process, providing an opportunity to listen and to learn from their experiences.
If you wish to make contact as part of the PCR2 process or make disclosures regarding church-related abuse please contact Sarah Price, the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser on 07950382934 or via email sarah.price@coventry.anglican.org
We recognise this may not feel possible or safe for those who have experience of abuse within the church and a dedicated telephone operated independently from the Church of England by the NSPCC has been set up. Please call on helpline 0800 80 20 20.
Anyone can use the helpline to provide information or to raise concerns regarding abuse within the Church of England context, whether they are reporting issues relating to children or adults or seeking to whistle blow about poor safeguarding practice.
Learning from the past
In 2007, the Church of England commissioned a Past Cases Review which sought to look at the handling by the church of child protection cases. This involved the independent scrutiny of the files of clergy and church officers to identify any person presenting an ongoing risk to children and young people which had not been acted on appropriately. Following a 2018 review of the effectiveness of the first Past Cases Review, a second review, known as PCR2 is taking place in every diocese across the Church of England over the next year.
For more information on Past Case Review please visit the Church of England website
https://www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding/overview/reviews-and-reports/past-cases-review-2