Next round of independent safeguarding audits
from the Church of England Media Centre:
INEQE Safeguarding Group has been appointed by the Archbishops’ Council to carry out the next round of independent external audits of Church of England dioceses and cathedrals, starting in January 2024. They were appointed after a full and open tender process, which included survivor representation.
Independent safeguarding audits were first commissioned in 2015 with a pilot scheme which was then rolled out across the Church. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, IICSA, commended these audits and one of IICSA’s 2020 recommendations (No 8)
was that independent external auditing of the Church’s safeguarding policies and procedures, as well as the effectiveness of safeguarding practice in dioceses, cathedrals and other Church organisations, should continue. As with the original audits, all reports will be published along with a follow up action plan and both Bishopthorpe and Lambeth Palace will also continue to be part of the audit process.
As one of the largest organisations of its type in the UK and Ireland, INEQE Safeguarding Group delivers a wide range of contemporary, credible, and relevant safeguarding services. INEQE have developed a strong reputation for conducting high quality and complex safeguarding reviews and audits with the primary aim of helping organisations reflect, learn, and improve, so they are better able to address the specific safeguarding risks they face.
The audits will be carried out in the diocese and cathedral at the same time (previously this was done separately), with an audit framework agreement to ensure consistency of approach. As part of their audits, INEQE will speak with children and vulnerable adults in each diocese (including victims and survivors of abuse).
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