Salford: Abuse survivors in driving seat of new Church initiative

Source: Diocese of Salford

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Salford is seeking to work with survivors of Church-based abuse as part of a new initiative to help shape its safeguarding policies and practices.

The Survivors Reference Panel is being created by the diocese to put the real-life experiences and testimonies of survivors at the heart of its work to protect against all forms of abuse.

Through establishing this new panel, the Diocese of Salford seeks to work closely with those hurt by the actions of the Church in the past, to ensure the voice of survivors plays an integral role in how it safeguards against all forms of Church-based abuse, and how it continues to provide meaningful support and healing to those affected.

This latest initiative offers an additional dimension to progress already achieved with Healing through Community, which provides counselling-specific services to survivors. Whilst healing and support remains available through this valued service, our panel creates a new opportunity for survivors to ensure their voices are heard at every level of strategic and operational output across the Diocese of Salford.

The panel will be entirely confidential and led by six volunteer survivors, who can choose to remain anonymous, a member of the clergy who is themselves a survivor of Church-based abuse, as well as the professional support services of diocesan staff.

The diocese particularly welcomes input from survivors who are no longer engaged with the Church, especially as a result of their experience of abuse.

Jenny Clayton, Head of Safeguarding at the Diocese of Salford, said: "Through this new initiative, we want to reach out and to listen to survivors of Church-based abuse; to learn from their experiences to help us continue embedding a robust and compassionate culture of safeguarding across all areas of work and ministry in the Diocese of Salford.

"It is with deep regret that we acknowledge the pain and trauma that has been inflicted by members of the Church in the past, and our aim is to genuinely learn from those experiences to guide systemic change, improve accountability, and to work towards a renewed relationship based on trust, transparency, learning, and healing."

To begin the process, the diocese is now inviting survivors of abuse of all kinds - whether sexual, physical, emotional, financial, or more - to form part of this panel and to share their insight to ensure the policies, practices, and support services of the diocese are as rigorous, empathetic, and as survivor-centred as possible.

Jenny added: "We are pleased to be united with the Church across England and Wales, and indeed the world, in working to protect people against Church-based abuse of any kind, and we firmly believe it is the duty and responsibility of all branches and sectors of the Church to be proactive in ensuring the best possible practice in their own community.

"As such, we are hopeful that this panel will provide fresh eyes, meaningful dialogue, and a new perspective on our already robust structures and procedures, ensuring our diocese continues to operate at the highest possible standards in a way that compassionately reaches out and resonates with the people we are here to serve."

If you would like to enquire about becoming a panel member, please contact the Diocese of Salford's Department for Safeguarding directly by emailing safeguarding@dioceseofsalford.org.uk or by calling 0161 817 2206 to discuss the next steps.