Ad Clerum: 3 March 2020

To: All Clergy and Churchwardens

Dear Friends,

Safeguarding Past Cases Review II

Many of you will have watched the Panorama documentary in January called ‘The Church’s Darkest Secret’, and like me, will have been appalled at the extent of the abuse committed by Peter Ball, even while he was Bishop of Lewes and of Gloucester — and also by the extent of the cover up within the national Church. More recently, many of you will have been shocked at the revelations about the abuses committed by the founder of the L’Arche community, Jean Vanier. I hope that, like me, you have been praying for the victims and survivors of these abuses, and others like them.

These revelations demonstrate how far we have still to go, first to make sure the Church is genuinely a safe place for all, and second in responding supportively to survivors; but these revelations have also only served to renew my determination to ensure we complete that journey here in the Diocese of Sheffield. To that end, further to my Ad Clerum on Safeguarding issued last July, I want now to introduce you to a process in which the whole Church of England will be engaged during this year, called ‘Past Cases Review 2’ (or PCR2).

In 2018, an Independent Scrutiny Panel conducted a review of the Church of England’s ‘Past Cases Review’ (which had been completed by all Dioceses in 2007-2009). The recommendation of this panel was for every Diocese to do further work. A project management board chaired by the Rt Revd Mark Sowerby (then Bishop of Horsham, now Principal of Mirfield College) has now published terms of reference for PCR2.

Together with all my colleagues in the House of Bishops, I want to ensure that our churches and church-related activities are as safe as possible for children and vulnerable adults. As such, it is important that all known cases of concern about the behaviour of living clergy and living church officers towards children and vulnerable adults have been considered and dealt with appropriately. A “church officer” is anyone appointed/elected by or on behalf of the Church to any post or role, whether they are ordained or lay, paid or unpaid. (It does, in fact, embrace all clergy, although in its use in this context “church officer” and clergy are referred to separately.)

Incumbents or Churchwardens (where there is no incumbent) are asked to check that all historical and current recorded cases of concern within their parish(es) have been notified to the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser, and any which have not are reported immediately.

No limit on how far back to go has been defined. However, you should check records back as far as reasonably possible keeping in mind that this is about people who would still be living. This is obviously a sensitive task which may require looking at current and archived parish records. Where there is a past concern, and details are limited or vague, it may be appropriate to consult a previous parish incumbent where possible.

Records are not being requested on worshippers and those attending church activities who do not hold a role in the Church. You do not need to provide details of people subject to safeguarding agreements. Protective measures should be in place in such cases. The advice of the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser should be sought in any instances of doubt. Experience has shown that there have been some cases of alleged abuse to people over 16 who have later said that they consented. Any such cases should be included even though prosecution or cautioning has not taken place.

I recognise that this is a difficult task. Incumbents and Churchwardens (in parishes where there is no incumbent) are being asked to ensure that everything that is relevant and currently known has been passed to the DSA and that further information which may emerge in future is promptly notified to them. In the spirit of the Gospel I know we all want to protect and care for our children and others who may be vulnerable. At a time when the Church’s safeguarding policies and practices are under such close scrutiny, Incumbents and Churchwardens will recognise the importance of being as sure as possible that all known instances of concern have been addressed.

The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. [John 1.5]

St John the Evangelist, like St Luke and St Paul, uses the imagery of light and darkness, where darkness represents concealment and shame, whereas light represents the revelation of truth. Darkness hides things that are forgotten, uncomfortable or broken and have been ‘put out of the way’ in cellars or behind closed doors. They may be things that are inconvenient or of which we are ashamed or afraid. In darkness they lie where we can forget about them, but Christ is the Light of the World and brings to light things now hidden in darkness. He brings to light those deeds that have been concealed and the victims of sins who have been silenced or kept from view. The Light shines for those who need justice and healing and upon those misdeeds that have injured them.

Allowing light to shine on what has been hidden is a first step towards healing, not only for those who have been abused, but for those whose consciences are, or ought to be, troubled by those sins they have buried away beyond the sight of others. Sometimes it will take an external prompting for those things to be opened to the light of day and to the light of Christ but with such prompting may begin the path to penitence and forgiveness, the path to healing of long-hidden wounds.

Through Past Cases Review 2, we are asking you to help shine a revealing light on any instances of abuse that have occurred in your parish/es and to help ensure that everything that ought to be brought into the light has been. Shining a light on what has hurt or frightened someone is a matter of justice for those who have been victims; sometimes it may also prevent further harm and sometimes it may be the first step towards healing. With that in mind, we thank you for your cooperation in working towards a safer Church.

Please may I re-emphasise the importance of responding in a timely manner to this vital request.

Once you have completed your enquiries, you are asked to complete and sign the attached Declaration Form and Table 1a. The return details are included on the declaration form. This and the completed Table 1a must be returned by 24 April 2020. If you are responsible for more than one parish, a separate declaration and table 1a should be completed for each one.

Here is a summary of the steps to take: • All Incumbents and Churchwardens (where there is no Incumbent), need to review all recorded cases of concern in the parish to ensure that in all those cases, the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser was informed (even where you believe that they were informed) • If you as Incumbent, or Churchwardens (where there is no Incumbent) become aware of matters that you believe may never have been reported to the DSA, then you should immediately report them. • A declaration must be signed, and basic information for the concerns reviewed must be returned on the forms attached by 24 April. • This may include making enquiries with a previous incumbent to clarify matters from the past • To assist in this matter, please feel free to share this Ad Clerum with your leadership teams, PCCs and Parish Safeguarding Officers, etc • Please notify your congregations of the work you are undertaking to encourage anyone to come forward with information • It may be helpful for you to nominate someone else to take a lead on gathering information. • If you are aware of cases that occurred in your previous parish and you feel you have information that might assist, if would be appropriate for you to share that with the current incumbent, or the DSA if you prefer.

If you have questions about this process or other non-urgent enquiries please email [email protected] where we will aim to reply within three working days. If you have an urgent concern (ie where a risk is deemed), do not use this address, please contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser directly. More information, including FAQs that will be regularly updated as questions arise, can also be found on www.sheffield.anglican.org/pcr2

The welfare of children or of adults at risk of abuse is of paramount importance in the execution of our PCR2. We urge anyone wishing to give information or make disclosures of church-related abuse to make direct contact with our Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (DSA) on 01709 309149.

In the event that someone with a lived experience of abuse from within the church would feel safer speaking with someone outside of the Church, a dedicated telephone helpline - 0800 80 20 20 - operated independently from the church, by the NSPCC, has been set up.

In the Diocese of Sheffield, I continue to expect every stipendiary or self-supporting priest, every licensed or authorised lay minister, every staff member and volunteer, to be on the case: to aspire to the highest possible standards of safeguarding and to hold others to them. I expect everyone, ordained and lay, young and old, to embrace this responsibility with a glad and eager heart, not dragging their feet, but readily acknowledging that shalom is a gospel word, and that safety and security, peace and prosperity, welfare and wellbeing is the will of God for everyone. In the coming decade, I expect the Diocese of Sheffield to be among those which show the way, and not among those which have to play catch up, and not least in our engagement with survivors.

With every blessing.

The Rt Revd Dr Pete Wilcox Bishop of Sheffield