Together - Winter 2020/21

WINTER 2020

magazine IN FOCUS

A theology of safeguarding PAGE 11 SPOTLIGHT

Meet our Advisor for Scotland and Northern Ireland PAGE 26

CONTENTS

3

6

24

13

7 top tips

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In this issue 1 EDITORIAL In this together 3

NEWS REVIEW

IICSA publishes report into Anglican Church

Vulnerable children will ‘slip out of view’ Government plan new changes to DBS scheme

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IN BRIEF

6

FROM THE CEO’S

Leading through uncharted territory: can we be trusted to be safe?

IN FOCUS

10 A theology of Safeguarding 13 7 top tips for restarting face-to-face activities 16 Is the pandemic really causing a rise in domestic abuse?

20 Internal or Independent?

The role of control in investigations and reviews 24 RESOURCE FOCUS Our helplines 26 SPOTLIGHT Introducing our Advisor for Scotland and Northern Island

EDITOR Peter Wright DEPUTY EDITOR Matt Cooper Call us 0303 003 1111 Email us info@thirtyoneeight.org or visit thirtyoneeight.org follow us @thirtyoneeight PO Box 133, Swanley, Kent, BR8 7UQ Charity No. 1004490 Scottish Charity No. SCO40578 ©Thirtyone:eight 2020 DESIGN epls.design

EDITORIAL

In this

Over the last six months, churches and faith-based organisations have faced perhaps the most significant challenges they may ever have had to face in their history. Yet in spite of the continuing uncertainty, we’ve seen people responding to meet the needs to the most vulnerable with resilience, compassion and creativity.

Safeguarding Sunday 2020 was a poignant and yet important reminder that although things may look very different for us right now, we must continue to be vigilant and aware of the ongoing need to actively protect vulnerable people. This felt even more significant this year as we saw the publication of the report by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse into the Anglican church just days before. The need for all of us to pause and reflect on the findings of that report, and to consider what we can all do to play our part in changing culture and create safer places for all is vital. In this edition, we’ve tried to give you some helpful tools and advice as you think through how you may do that where you are. Following the success of our previous 7 top tips we’ve written another, this time with a focus on what organisations should consider as they look to restart face-to-face activities (p13). Top of the list is taking time to carefully consider and review the work you have undertaken during the Covid-19 period so far. Evaluation and reflection are important

aspects of the safeguarding task and can help you make much needed changes so you get things right for the future. Also in this edition we look at the important role leaders have to play (p6) something which is continually being brought into stark focus.

We launch our new ‘a theology of safeguarding’ which we’ve created together with theologian and long term supporter of Thirtyone:eight Dr Krish Kandiah, to help faith organisation think through some of the theological principles that guide the safeguarding effort (P10). More specifically we look at the role independent investigations have to play (p20) and also introduce Leigh McFarlane (p26), our Safeguarding Advisor who has a specific remit for Scotland and Northern Ireland and who has been working to expand and build on the existing support we have to offer across the UK. As always we love to hear what you think, and get your thoughts and feedback on what we can include so do get in touch.

Peter Wright Editor 1

“

Thank you for putting the training on in this form because it made it easy to access particularly with the situation at the moment. It is a much more cost effective way for us to access training.

Very good presenters and slides were excellent.

”

Webinar training for churches

Need to refresh your safeguarding knowledge or quickly get new people up to speed?

Our webinar series has been developed for anyone working with vulnerable people or for those who have a responsibility for safeguarding. Created by the team that developed our leading face-to-face training, our webinars provide an easily accessible and affordable way to learn.

With many people working at home this could be the perfect opportunity to up-date your knowledge or to prepare for a new role.

Accessible. Affordable. Relevant. visit thirtyoneeight.org/webinars or call 0303 003 1111 (option 3) to book your place or to host a webinar for your church.

Charity No. 1004490, Scottish Charity No. SCO40578

Topics include: • Safeguarding Children & Young People • Safeguarding Adults at Risk of Harm • Online DBS checks and Eligibility • Safeguarding for Trustees • Safeguarding Coordinators/Leads • Responding to Domestic Abuse • Safer Recruitment • Understanding Spiritual Abuse

NEWS REVIEW

IICSA publishes report into Anglican Church

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n 6th October 2020 The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) published its full report into the Anglican Church. This follows the interim report, which was published in May 2019 focusing upon case studies from the Diocese of Chichester and the abuses by Bishop Peter Ball.

The Inquiry have identified 8 recommendations in conclusion to the 170 pages of summarised detail gained from the investigation.

“TO FAIL ON SAFEGUARDING CASTS A PROFOUND STAIN ACROSS EVERY GOOD THING WE DO. I HAVE SAID THIS BEFORE AND I CONTINUE TO STAND BY IT. BUT I AM ACUTELY AWARE AS WE COME TOWARDS THE END OF THIS YEAR THAT WHILE THERE IS A GENUINE COMMITMENT FOR THE SAFEGUARDING OF CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS TO BE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY OF ALL PARTS OF THE CHURCH, IT IS EVIDENT WE STILL HAVE NOT GOT IT RIGHT.”

The report has led its concluding remarks by drawing clear attention to the significant deficits in culture and practice that have existed across the Anglican Church: The Church of England failed to protect some children and young people from sexual predators within their midst. In the past, the system of child protection was under-resourced. Safeguarding personnel were at times ignored and their advice overlooked, in favour of protecting the reputation of clergy and the Church. During the Inquiry’s hearings, senior leaders in the Church apologised for its actions, recognising that failings identified by this investigation and other reviews were “profoundly and deeply shocking”.

Archbishop Justin Welby

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NEWS REVIEW

Vulnerable children will ‘slip out of view’ Vulnerable children who require urgent support will “slip out of view” because of the impact of Covid-19, England’s children’s commissioner has warned.

as many experts warn schoolchildren will need urgent support from psychologists, as lockdown eases for schools, because their lives and education will have been so badly disrupted by school closures. In July, the head of Kent County Council’s child protection department, the biggest in the country, said referrals could soar by 250%.

Anne Longfield has called for central investment in youth work to help handle problems exacerbated by the lockdown. An estimated two million children in England live in homes affected by substance abuse, domestic violence or mental health issues. The government said their safety and wellbeing had always been a priority. “It will need investment, be it from the police and crime commissioners or indeed from central government to really look at long term, I would say youth work, with these individual children because there’s a danger that in five years’ time we look back and there’s a generation of very vulnerable teens that we let just slip out of view at this time with terrible long term consequences.” Mrs Longfield said. This comes

Government plan new changes to DBS scheme for offences specified on a list of serious offences, which received a custodial sentence, are recent or unspent will continue to be disclosed under other rules. Safeguarding Minister Victoria Atkins said: “By making these adjustments we will ensure that vulnerable people are protected from dangerous offenders while those who have turned their lives around or live with the stigma of convictions from their youth are not held back.” The Statutory Instrument which would amend The Police Act 1997will be debated in both the Commons and Lords later this year before the changes come into effect.

The government has announced it intends to make changes to the criminal records disclosure rules to ensure the right balance is struck between rehabilitating offenders and protecting the public.

The government will change the DBS rules after Labour MP John Spellar pressed the Prime Minister on the issue in the Commons. It came after claimants had challenged the current rules requiring them to disclose multiple offences, no matter how historic or minor, and to disclose cautions received in childhood. The changes build on the government commitment to increase employment for ex-offenders. Convictions and adult cautions

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IN BRIEF

Latest statistics reveal rise in abuse Recent figures have revealed that police forces in the UK recorded 73,518 offences including rape, online grooming and sexual assault against children in 2019/20, similar to the previous year but up 57% from 2014/15. The figures come from 44 of the 45 police forces across the UK. The figures were released as an NSPCC report found contacts to Childline about sexual abuse in the family tripled during the coronavirus lockdown with an average of 23 per week since 23rd March. Justin Humphreys, joint Chief-Executive of Thirtyone:eight said “The Church can in a sense kind of be the eyes and ears that may not be there as they ordinarily would.”

Safeguarding bill for NI brought forward Health Minister Robin Swann said he intends to ‘bring forward’ a new adult safeguarding bill for NI. This follows two reviews of Dunmurry Manor care home in Belfast. The reports proposed eight actions, including establishing an Adult Safeguarding/ Adult Protection Change programme and an Adult Safeguarding/Protection Bill.

Mr Swann said the chief social worker had been asked to chair a new Adult Safeguarding Transformation Board to oversee that work, and, the minister said, he intended to consult on legislative reform. The Northern Ireland Adult Safeguarding Partnership will be stood down, and an arms-length Independent Adult Safeguarding Board established.

Churches calculate contribution to society The value of the services and support that church buildings provide, and the health and wellbeing they create, has been calculated for the first time at £12.4bn a year. The figure comes from an independent study commissioned by the National Churches Trust . Its report, House of Good, says: “There are currently more food banks than McDonald’s in the UK – and churches have played a vital role in setting up and running the majority of them.” Other church-based projects include drug and alcohol support groups, mental health and counselling services, youth clubs, after-school care and credit unions. The report says: “As we emerge from Covid-19, we need to identify ‘key places’– those places that will start to rebuild and look after the vulnerable and hardest hit in our society. One of those key places will be, and always has been, the local church.

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TOP TWEETS @safespacesyp Really helpful document for Youth Workers in these times. Check it out! And thanks @Youthscape @thirtyoneeight for putting this together

@YNeighbourOrg 7 top safeguarding tips for churches at the time of Covid 19, in partnership with @thirtyoneeight Tue 12th May at 10:30am

@SafeURC #Safeguarding vulnerable people during #COVID19. A free online webinar which addresses some of the most relevant challenges your #church or group may be facing during the pandemic can be accessed via Youtube thanks @thirtyoneeight

@KampalaSmith Thank you @thirtyoneeight way you equip and empower churches and Christian organisations to put the protection of vulnerable people and children as a core part of our operations and ministries

@bishopSarahM Tomorrow is Safeguarding Sunday.

The Church needs to pray and act. @thirtyoneeight has an excellent set of resources for churches @dioceseoflondon

@krishk The Bible gives us a clear mandate, motivation & mission to ensure that those who are or may be vulnerable are heard, defended, & treated appropriately, fairly & compassionately. Enjoyed consulting for @thirtyoneeight to develop a theology of safeguarding.

FROM THE CEO’S

LEADING THROUGH UNCHARTED TERRITORY:

CAN WE BE TRUSTED TO BE SAFE?

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here is no question that we have faced some remarkable challenges and changes in recent months as we have all been grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our regular routines have been turned on their heads and it has been necessary to find a new pace as we explore new ways of getting the business done.

In a recent study undertaken by the Evangelical Alliance, where nearly 900 church leaders were surveyed, 88% stated that they were active in supporting vulnerable groups in their communities. The same study found that over 30% of the time spent by those leaders was focused on providing practical, emotional and pastoral care for congregations and vulnerable community members. This is testament to the incredible work that takes place through the effort of churches and Christian organisations across the land. But, without wanting to cast a shadow over this picture of amazing engagement and support, I have to wonder whether the Church always takes the necessary time to undertake these often new initiatives safely and with due consideration to the very real risks.

One thing that has been constantly in the forefront of my mind is how we find this new path, new pace and new pattern, whilst acknowledging that at the heart of all our efforts, people must remain at the centre of all we do.

This requires considered navigation of what is essentially uncharted territory for us all.

Amidst this task that we all face in different ways, is the importance of establishing trust with those around us. Can the house-bound, shielding neighbour trust us to be safe when we make our pastoral visit bringing essential supplies to their home? Can our congregations trust that as leaders we will make safe and sensible decisions about a return to our church buildings for regular worship? Can the parents of our young people trust that in our work with them we are managing our online communications safely and responsibly? But, if we have never been here before, how do we demonstrate and establish that we are trustworthy?

In numerous discussions I have had with those working in a variety of church-based settings lately, I have been reminded that in some places, the race to be first may be risking the creation of new vulnerabilities for many in our communities.

What do I mean? Most of us are probably familiar with the potential knee-jerk reaction to the problems that we are presented with.

COVID-19 is no exception. As Christians we are motivated to assist others in distress and need.

This is right and good. In fact, we are reminded to never grow weary of doing so (Galatians 6:9).

IN A RECENT STUDY UNDERTAKEN

BY THE EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE, WHERE NEARLY 900 CHURCH LEADERS WERE SURVEYED, 88% STATED THAT THEY WERE ACTIVE IN SUPPORTING VULNERABLE GROUPS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

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FROM THE CEO’S

As Tod Bolsinger reflects in his book ‘Canoeing the Mountains’ – ‘the credibility of technical competence is not enough to lead change, there must also be present a deep and personal trust, which can only come through the relational congruence of a leader’. Phrased differently, we must demonstrate an understanding of ourselves in relation to others to a depth that enables us to show we are worthy of trust – then we can begin to leverage our skills to navigate change.

What we perhaps ought to remind ourselves of is that in doing these things, we should do them in a way that empowers people, encourages them in their difficulties and equips them to overcome the challenges they face. In safeguarding terms, this means that we may have to slow down, reconsider the risks and the benefits of our best ideas for help and launch a better and safer response as a result.

So, returning to the question of how we demonstrate trust when navigating through ‘unprecedented’ circumstances – the ways in which we have previously conducted ourselves as leaders within our different spheres of influence will be key. People might rightly ask themselves in times of struggle and change “what have I seen of this leader before”? Can this person be trusted to lead in a way that doesn’t compromise my safety, or worse, sacrifice my needs on the altar of progress. In other words, do we have form for our considered and safe actions or might there be questions about our motivations in ‘racing to be first’? The ability to establish and demonstrate trust is one of the most important aspects of leadership. When there are risks to the people we serve by virtue of our inexperience with the immediate challenges, it is incumbent upon us to ensure we have taken time to be confident we are headed in the right direction, at the right pace and for the right reasons. The Church (i.e. the wider Christian community) is blessed to have many skilled and passionate leaders, but these are not times for us to rely solely on what we think we know.

Creating safer places in uncharted territory is no simple task.

Our mission as an organisation is to equip, empower and encourage you to create safer places for all, and particularly those who may be vulnerable. As you reach into new areas and begin to anticipate the ‘new normal’ we would be glad to assist you.

Whether you are developing initiatives to provide emergency food, debt counselling, care for the homeless, befriending the elderly and isolated, or pioneering new online youth events, we are here to help you – you are not alone. The benefit of our support to you is that our learning from over 40 years in existence and currently supporting over 10,000 organisations nationally is there for you to make use of.

I pray that you would be blessed in your good efforts and know the value of developing those crucial ingredients of trust and safety as you seek to be the hands and feet of our Saviour at this time; going where He would have gone and doing what He would have done.

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“WHAT HAVE I SEEN OF THIS LEADER BEFORE”? CAN THIS PERSON BE TRUSTED TO LEAD IN A WAY THAT DOESN’T COMPROMISE MY SAFETY, OR WORSE, SACRIFICE MY NEEDS ON THE ALTAR OF PROGRESS.” Justin Humphreys

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IN FOCUS

A theology of Safeguarding

“A ROBUST THEOLOGY OF SAFEGUARDING IS A GIFT TO THE CHURCH. LIKE AN UNBREAKABLE COMPASS IN A STORM, IT KEEPS US TRAVELLING SAFELY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITHOUT DEVIATION OR DISTRACTION.”

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f theology is to the church as a compass is to sailors in a storm, then safeguarding is the true north of all the helpful service the church has to offer. Together they must set the direction of all Christian ministry.

At thirtyone:eight we’ve worked over the last year with Dr Krish Kandiah, social entrepreneur and respected Christian Theologian, to explore what the Bible has to say about the Christian responsibility to protect vulnerable people.

We’ve worked together to create a theology of safeguarding to guide and direct all that we do.

Framed within the context of Proverbs 31:8, from where we get our name, we’ve drawn on the wider themes and patterns found throughout scripture.

Sadly, there are many examples of where individuals and institutions have failed to protect the vulnerable as highlighted in recent times by the various independent, public inquiries into institutional child abuse and a range of other areas of injustice across the four nations of the UK. Abuse has been uncovered in government, in sport, in healthcare, in show business and sadly also in the church and other faith settings.

Since caring for vulnerable people is at the heart of our Scriptures, it is shameful that not only has the church often failed to adequately care but has also allowed abuse and neglect to take place on its watch. Jesus himself gave the sternest of warnings to those who fail to care for those who are vulnerable. “It would be better for us to have a large millstone hung around our necks and to be drowned in the depths of the sea than to cause those little ones Jesus cares for to stumble” (Matthew 18:6).

One of the most important lessons we have drawn is that the church has to do everything it can to heed this warning and to remove stumbling blocks for children and other vulnerable people experiencing Christian compassion. It must engage purposefully and wholeheartedly with theology and safeguarding, ensuring they underpin all its ministry to all people and the creation of the safer places that they expect and deserve.

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A robust theology of safeguarding is a gift to the church. Like an unbreakable compass in a storm, it keeps us travelling safely in the right direction without deviation or distraction.

Proverbs 31:8 forms part of the advice given by a mother to her royal son at the end of the book of Proverbs. There is symmetry here, as the book of Proverbs begins with advice from a royal father to his son. This beautiful bookending depicts both the family and the workplace as the classroom for the passing on of wisdom, shows that both men and women are to take the lead, and identifies wisdom’s mandate, motivation and mission relating to safeguarding and the creation of safer places:

THE MANDATE. Every generation must play its part in caring for vulnerable people.

The book of Proverbs ends as it began with wisdom being passed on from one generation to the next. This model is preserved in Scripture to authorise us to teach wisdom afresh for every generation. There are three important considerations for a theology of safeguarding based on this intergenerational mandate: Spiritual and Familial Connections; Victim/ Survivor and Voice Considerations; and Prohibitive and Positive Concerns.

THE MOTIVATION. Every leader must pursue God’s purpose and priorities for vulnerable people.

The wisdom given in Proverbs to a King challenges all leaders. The Bible’s unequivocal articulation of God’s concern for vulnerable people should motivate Christians to take safeguarding responsibilities very seriously, especially those who are in positions of power, influence and responsibility. There are three important implications for leadership that comes from this theology of safeguarding mandate: The nature of leadership; The priority of leadership; and the focus of leadership.

IN FOCUS

It is not intended to be an exhaustive commentary, but we hope it will assist people to understand what motivates us and what inspires us to work with the many thousands of organisations who look to us for credible and professional assistance. It is important to us that all those who are in need of support are confident that we understand them and also understand God’s heart for protecting the most vulnerable in our society.”

“CHRISTIANS IN ALL ORGANISATIONS MUST BE ATTENTIVE TO WHAT THE BIBLE HAS TO SAY ABOUT SAFEGUARDING IN OUR DIFFERENT AREAS OF WORK AND MINISTRY IF WE ARE GOING TO BE FAITHFUL AND EFFECTIVE.”

The Christian scriptures say that in order to stay true to its divinely directed course, the church needs the word-based ministry of ‘apostles, teachers, pastors, prophets and evangelists’ (Ephesians 4:9-15). Amidst the storms of distraction and winds of unhelpful trends and fads, the church charts its way forward first and foremost by holding on to the word of God, rightly understood and properly applied through vitally relevant theological reflection, discernment and insight.

Dr Krish Kandiah

The Bible gives us a clear mandate, motivation and mission to ensure that those who are or may be vulnerable are heard, defended, and treated appropriately, effectively, fairly and compassionately. In our ministries, education, leadership, families and communities and in the attitudes and actions that underpin our systems and structures, we must speak up for them. Our theology must be worked out in best safeguarding practice for all.

THE MISSION Every means must be employed to keep vulnerable people safe, heard and noticed.

The wisdom given throughout Proverbs is very practical and has universal application. When instructing Christians how to put faith into practice, the Bible reiterates these practical steps of caring for vulnerable people and those in distress. There are three important functional aspects of the outworking of the theology of safeguarding: Advocacy for vulnerable people; Defending the rights of vulnerable people; and to Dignify the destitute.

On developing the theology, Dr Kandiah says “Christians in all organisations must be attentive to what the Bible has to say about safeguarding in our different areas of work and ministry if we are going to be faithful and effective. I am excited that thirtyone:eight are seeking to ground their vital work on biblical principles” We’ve devised our theology of safeguarding to be a ‘live’ and working document that we can build on and develop as our understanding grows, and we would love for you to be a part of that. We’d like to hear your thoughts and feedback to help us grow in a better understanding of these areas. Download the full document at the link below and get in touch using the contact us form on our website.

Justin Humphreys our joint chief-executive said “We have been delighted to work with our good friend, Krish Kandiah to develop a theological overview of why we do what we do. It is my privilege to be able to now share this with you.

thirtyoneeight.org/theology

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IN FOCUS

7 top tips

by Lee Carmichael

for restarting face-to-face activities

F

ollowing on from our highly popular blog ‘7 Top Safeguarding tips for churches’ during the pandemic, we want to help you navigate safeguarding matters when returning to face to face activities. While your organisation will have a range of health and safety measures to consider in keeping people safe from Covid-19, the commitment to keeping people safe from harm and abuse has not changed. We want to encourage you to spend time in a careful and considered review of the work you have undertaken over the Covid-19 period to date.

Evaluation and reflection are important aspects of the safeguarding task, and help you to consider: • Your journey so far • What has worked well and what has not • What things should you carry on and what can stop • How you move forward in a new landscape We hope these tips will help with your review and guide you in the relevant safeguarding issues when returning to face to face activities.

For further information and helpful links see the web link at the end of this article.

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Health and Safety

1.

It’s important that when your facilities have not been used in a long time that you take time to ensure that they are safe to be used again. Your organisation should already be carrying out your own risk assessments and putting in measures to be ‘Covid Secure.’ Although not specifically safeguarding, ensuring that adequate health and safety requirements are met is part of your commitment to keeping children, young people and adults safe from accidental harm.

2.

Update Policies and Practice Guidance

If you are a registered charity, it is now required that Covid-19 outbreaks, which result from gatherings held by your organisation, are considered a ‘Serious Incident’ which needs reporting to the Charity Commission. For further information on what constitutes an outbreak check the latest government guidance (see link at the bottom of this article).

3.

Live video streaming with people in the building

If you didn’t do this before, it’s likely that when people return to church you will still broadcast your services but you may not have gained proper consent for people to be filmed.

If your camera angles mean attendees will be in view, or that others will be involved ‘upfront’, ensure that you clearly advertise in your building that you are livestreaming. As with using photographs, you also need to ensure that you have consent for any children, or adults, if they will be in the picture. Some looked after children, or children on a protection plan, may not be allowed to be filmed at all therefore do manage this carefully. You may want to consider highlighting all the zones that may be filmed during the service and ensure there is space provided that isn’t in the shot.

Back in March the speed at which churches shifted into online activities meant there was a rush to ‘do’, rather than ‘plan’. It’s almost guaranteed that you moved online, but you may also have created new ministries such as foodbanks and doorstep visiting in the meantime.

If your organisation has a new ministry or has been using online tools for streaming, groups and youth activities then we recommend ensuring that your safeguarding policy and practice guidance documents include these extra elements if you wish to continue with them.

Things to consider: a. Suitability of platforms for the ages you work with b. Accountability of workers using online devices and platforms c. Communication policy and practice between workers and young people d. Flowcharts for responding to online concerns e. Policy and practice guidance for new ministries

f. Risk assessing any new activities or of the return to live gatherings/groups or events In our Online Safeguarding Manual for members we also have a model online safety policy, a flowchart for responding to concerns and model forms for registration and consent. See also our free guidance produced in partnership with the charity Youthscape on working and communicating safely online.

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4. 6.

7.

5.

Disclosures following lockdown

Notice who isn’t there

Lots of people won’t return to activities in person just yet, however it is easy to miss people when you can’t see them. It’s important that we make extra efforts with those who may find themselves excluded because they don’t have access to the internet or are unable to attend in person.

If you are returning to ‘in-person’ activities, you should be prepared to hear disclosures from young people and adults about abuse during the lockdown period.

You should prepare yourself and your teams by refreshing your knowledge on what your policy says to do when a disclosure of abuse is received. As well as meeting with your team you should remind them of who the key safeguarding contacts in your organisation are and also where to find the right forms to fill out the information to record. Send them a bullet point list of helpful things to say/not to say when hearing something which may be a cause for concern.

We recommend seeking contact with all your regulars to check on how they’re doing. Perhaps there is a family or a young person you haven’t heard from for a few months. Engaging your pastoral team in helping to make contact either by phone or where appropriate/permissible in person will help those individuals feel included and help ensure you can be aware of their needs.

It would also be helpful to remind yourself about our advice of responding well to domestic abuse disclosures.

Check in with your team

Say thank you

It is important that you check on the wellbeing of your workers.

You, your workers and volunteers will have worked tirelessly to keep people in touch and connected throughout the Covid-19 crisis.

It can often feel like there will be no end to the demands on our time, emotions and skills to continue this work. The strain of all the extra considerations of this, can drain our workers and leave them feeling exhausted.

When you spend so long apart, it’s easy to miss when someone is struggling emotionally or spiritually. The health of your workers is a high priority so we recommend checking in with them individually before a return to in-person activities, to see how they are feeling about what’s taken place over lockdown and the return to being together.

There’s no better time to give thanks to God for your workers and volunteers. You may not be able to gather together to celebrate what you’ve done but why not encourage them with a card, a takeaway gift voucher or something which will demonstrate how much you value them.

Alongside checking on their welfare you should also check on their DBS and training status.

We would recommend that you review the recruitment status of your workers and volunteers to check on: a.

When they last had a DBS check

b.

hether their role description matches W what you had them checked for

c.

Is their training up to date?

For a list of useful links and sign-posting to further information see our website: thirtyoneeight.org

Thirtyone:eight are offering a range of training webinars, so now it’s even easier to keep your volunteers up to date with good practice.

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IN FOCUS

Is the pandemic really causing a rise in domestic abuse?

by Carolina Kuzaks-Cardenas, Restored

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e have seen headlines across the media about the effect that the pandemic has had on victims of domestic abuse. At the end of May, the National Domestic Abuse Helpline reported a 66% rise in the number of calls received compared to previous years. Our partner charity Restored reported that the number of visitors to its website doubled over the previous year from the period of mid-March to mid-August. Even more disturbing, we heard from Dame Vera Baird QC, the victims’ commissioner for England and Wales, that the number of women killed by a partner or ex-partner was five times higher than the current average.

Here Restored help shine a light on the facts behind the figures:

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IN FOCUS

What is the reason for this rise in cases?

As a church community we are in a prime position to combat isolation. We have opportunity and means. We have already established a relationship and have valid reasons to contact each other and meet, if not in person then through different alternative channels like social media, virtual meeting or the good old fashion phone call.

At the centre of abuse is the use of power to exercise control. In order to achieve this control, many tactics and behaviours are used. There is one in particular that has been exacerbated during lockdown - isolation.

Isolation is a common tactic that an abusive partner uses to erode the support system of a victim/survivor, including family and friends to gain more power and control over her. This can be achieved by drastic measures, including physically moving her and the family to a distant area where she has no links. But it can also be less obvious. Creating a home where she feels unable to invite family and friends over because of his unappealing behaviour or because of the state of the house. He may even claim that her female friends or family members fancy him and made advances towards him, so they best stay away

But we also hold fundamental truths that will dismantle some of the worst messages the abuser will drill into the victims/survivors head “no one cares”; “you are not worth it”.

As Christians we are all part of the body of Christ, if one part of the body hurts the whole body hurts. We are intentionally connected and we are called to care for each other. Scripture also tells us that every woman and man are made in God’s image, with equal value and worth and were purposely created to live life at its fullest.

So again we have both opportunity and means to counteract the efforts that abusers make to enhance the isolation that is being intensified by the measures taken to control this pandemic.

The question is, ‘would we do it’?

Lockdown itself presents an opportunity to further this isolation not only because of the physical impossibility of getting out of the house but also the fact that all the family is in very close quarters in the home may deter any intention of resisting the abuse or fighting against it. Mandy Marshall, the Anglican Communion’s Gender Justice Director, says that “Government-enforced confinement in the home can result in women’s negotiation and appeasement measures being restricted, reduced or rendered useless”

Restored is a Christian organization working to end domestic abuse by speaking out for victims and survivors and creating a network of churches that never tolerate abuse. If you want to find out more about them, what they do and access their resources and training please visit www.restored-uk.org

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Want to make sure your safeguarding policy is fit for purpose?

Get the peace of mind that comes with having your policy checked by a team of safeguarding professionals and knowing it's fully in line with the latest guidance and best practice.

What's included: • A full review of your policy • Policy returned with annotations • Suggested improvements • Returned within 5 days • Follow-up conversation

Quick. Reliable. Trusted. visit thirtyoneeight.org/policy-review or call 0303 003 1111 (option 2) to book your review or to find out about our other policy support services.

Charity No. 1004490, Scottish Charity No. SCO40578

IN FOCUS

The role of control in investigations and reviews Internal or Independent?

By Boz Tchividjian

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n recent times, the Church and parachurch organisations seem to have been repeatedly under the spotlight for a range of failures, including those that point towards the harm and abuse of members, beneficiaries and others. As these profoundly troubling reports continue to surface, such organisations have a responsibility to other potential victims, its employees and supporters to immediately engage an independent third-party review to bring all that is in the dark to light.

Whether it’s academic institutions, mission organisations, churches or denominations, the term “independent review” has become almost fashionable. When an organisation is confronted with public allegations of abuse within its ranks, it finds itself under a bright spotlight as the watching world waits to see how it will respond.

All too often, the overriding institutional concern has very little to do with caring for the victims and the wounded and everything to do with protecting its reputation by doing everything it can to shut off the spotlight and “move on.”

This is often accomplished by the institution announcing that it will launch an “independent review.” The organisation proceeds to hire a law firm (or other specialists) to investigate the matter with the hope that this process will calm everyone down and eventually turn off the spotlight.

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Because the motivation for this process can be based upon institutional self-preservation, many reviews labelled as “independent” are nothing more than “internal” reviews in disguise. An internal review allows the institution under review to stay in the driver’s seat. An independent review, by contrast, would require that they get into the backseat with everyone else.

Institutions faced with this critical decision need to decide what is the ultimate aim of such a review. While an internal review offers an institution the opportunity for self-protection, an independent review offers an institution something far more profound. It offers the institution an opportunity to understand where it failed in order to demonstrate authentic repentance to those who have been hurt and to make the necessary changes so that the same offenses are never repeated.

It is up to the watching public to make sure the institution is not misleading victims, witnesses and other interested parties regarding the true nature of the review. An internal review disguised as an independent review ultimately deceives and exploits the very people the process is supposed to empower and serve. In these circumstances, the testimonies of unsuspecting victims and witnesses often end up being used to protect the institution, not to find the truth.

What is the difference between an internal and independent review?

Control of the process: The process of an internal review is defined and controlled by the institution. Internal reviews grant the institution ultimate authority on what evidence can be reviewed and considered by the reviewer. In an independent review, that authority lies with the independent reviewer.

Ultimately, it’s all about control. An internal review is when the institution being investigated is ultimately in control. Independent reviews require that the independent reviewer is ultimately in control. That difference is fundamental. Here are a few helpful factors to consider when attempting to discern whether a review is internal or independent.

In fact, the responsibility of the institution should simply be to fully cooperate with the independent reviewer.

Internal reviews also allow institutions to control the process by unilaterally defining the scope of the review. For example, it is not uncommon for internal reviews to focus primarily upon the actions of the reported offender/s while ignoring or minimizing the focus on any potential failures by the institutional leadership.

Control of the reviewer: An internal review means that the institution has control over the person or entity doing the review. A reviewer who has a fiduciary duty (that is a legal duty to act primarily in another party’s interests) to the institution being investigated is not independent.

Such a self-serving limitation intentionally covers up some of the most egregious behaviour related to the abuse. An authentically independent process begins with the institution and independent reviewer negotiating a well-defined scope of the review.

However, once that has been agreed upon, an independent review requires the institution to step back and prohibits it from any further involvement other than fully cooperating with the independent reviewer. It is critical to note that regardless of the ultimate agreed-upon scope, the process must prohibit the institution from determining who is interviewed, how such interviews are conducted, or limiting the scope of any other evidence the reviewer determines is relevant.

That sounds proper and professional until one realises that the institution not only determines its own interests but is also able to dictate those interests to those who are hired to investigate it. For example, lawyers owe their clients a fiduciary duty.

When a practicing attorney or law firm is hired to conduct the review, the institution is in the driver’s seat, and the process is not independent.

Even when a reviewer may not have a fiduciary duty to the institution, the review will still lack independence if the review agreement allows the institution to have any control over the reviewer.

This can include anything from determining who is on the review team to requiring updates on specific investigative findings.

A review that is authentically independent means that the institution being investigated is not in the driver’s seat.

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MANY REVIEWS LABELLED AS “INDEPENDENT” ARE NOTHING MORE THAN “INTERNAL” REVIEWS IN DISGUISE. AN INTERNAL REVIEW ALLOWS THE INSTITUTION UNDER REVIEW TO STAY IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT. AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW, BY CONTRAST, WOULD REQUIRE THAT THEY GET INTO THE BACKSEAT WITH EVERYONE ELSE. 21

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IN FOCUS

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A REVIEW THAT IS AUTHENTICALLY INDEPENDENT MEANS THAT THE INSTITUTION BEING INVESTIGATED IS NOT IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT.

Control of the findings: In an internal review, the institution being investigated can have complete access to the investigative findings. Findings can include witness interview recordings, notes, transcripts and any documents a witness may have turned over to the reviewer.

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Control of the final report: One of the most disconcerting characteristics of an internal review is that the reviewer often works with the institution in drafting and authorising the final report. This means that the very entity being investigated will have significant influence in determining the content of the final report.

This means that any highly personal and sensitive information a victim or witness has provided to a reviewer is accessible by the leaders of the very organization that is the subject of the review.

Often victims and witnesses are never informed of this when they reluctantly sit down to be interviewed in a process they have been assured is “independent.” An authentically independent review will prohibit any third party, including the institution being investigated, from unilaterally accessing any such sensitive and personal data.

Not only does an internal review allow the institution to determine the content of the final report, but it also has the authority to decide who has access to it. I know some abuse survivors who painstakingly participated in what they were told was an “independent” review only to learn later that they were not allowed to read the final report.

This provides much-needed comfort to those who participate in the review that their interviews are truly confidential and that the reviewer is not under the control of the institution being investigated.

Others have told me that they were only entitled to read the section of the final report that referenced their particular situation. Such limited access exacerbates the frustration and pain of those who participated in the review believing that they would learn the truth, the whole truth. This often times leaves many of the indispensable participants feeling helpless and exploited by an institution that continues to sit in the driver’s seat.

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I KNOW SOME ABUSE SURVIVORS WHO PAINSTAKINGLY PARTICIPATED IN WHAT THEY WERE TOLD WAS AN “INDEPENDENT” REVIEW ONLY TO LEARN LATER THAT THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO READ THE FINAL REPORT.

An independent review requires the reviewer to draft and authorise the final report separate from any institutional input or control. The reviewer alone determines the content of the final report and who will receive it.

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In many independent reviews, a complete copy of the final report is usually provided to the institution and to any reported victim who participated in such a painful and exhausting process. Other independent reviewers will actually require that the final report be made available to the public for all to read.

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This is especially true in matters of public interest and importance that may empower others to come forward to report abuses. Such transparency will have a unique way of keeping the process accountable and credible.

address its past and move forward with making the structural changes necessary to ensure that something like this never happens again.

(Boz Tchividjian served as a law professor at Liberty University from 2008-2020. He is the founder of GRACE (www.netgrace.org) and is currently an attorney with the law firm of Landis Graham French, PA in DeLand, Florida representing victims of sexual abuse around the country. This piece is adapted from an original column published

by Religion News Service in 2015. The views in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.)

The independence of a review will not be defined by the words or assurances of the commissioning organisation. It will be defined by a structure that requires it to step out of the driver’s seat and give up control.

It is only through such a thorough and independent review that organisations will be in the position to honestly and transparently address any reported behaviour and alleged failures of the leadership in not holding the perpetrator(s) accountable when issues of concern were first raised. It is only then that the organisation will be able to honestly

For more information about the independent reviews currently being undertaken by thirtyone:eight go to: thirtyoneeight.org/reviews

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RESOURCE FOCUS

Resource Focus: Our helplines

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Since 1990 it has been a lifeline for people answering questions or to provide advice on issues ranging from drafting a safeguarding policy, to responding to a case of abuse. In that time our dedicated and experienced team of Safeguarding professionals have answered over 140,000 calls. From receiving approximately 50 calls a month in its earliest years when awareness of safeguarding was relatively low, it now regularly receives over 600 calls a month and this figure is increasing year on year.

ur Safeguarding Helpline which can be contacted on 0303 003 11 11 is open to anyone and provides a free source of advice and support for all safeguarding related concerns. We also run a Disclosure Helpline for our DBS users to answer questions on all matters relating to processing DBS checks. Both helplines form part our complete safeguarding solution for churches, charities, and faith-based organisations.

This autumn we were delighted to be awarded the national quality standard for ‘outstanding’ helpline provision in the same month that we celebrated 30 years of continuous service by our Safeguarding Helpline. This national accreditation has been awarded by Helplines Partnership (the National body for helpline providers) and has been specifically developed for the helpline sector to recognise excellence and best practice in service delivery.

Building on the success of our Safeguarding Helpline and following the launch of the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) in 2002, we launched our Disclosure Helpline, which now receives around 500 calls each week. In a recent survey of our members our helplines were voted our second most relevant service next to DBS checks, with over a half our members saying they had called our helplines at least once in the previous 12 months.

During the last 30 years, our Safeguarding Helpline has hugely developed both in terms of its scope, and the number of calls it receives.

“It is a huge privilege for us to be awarded this national accreditation which reflects the high 24

level of service that we aspire to” says Barbara Ball, our Head of Advisory Services. “We work hard to ensure the independent advice we give is always of the highest quality, so to be recognised in this way is testament to all the hard work put in by many people over the years. We are especially delighted that we should receive this award as we celebrate this important milestone in our organisation’s history.”

The Helplines Standard identifies the practices that enable an organisation to deliver a helpline service which is ‘consistent, relevant to the needs of its stakeholders and effective in what it is trying to achieve’. In granting the award, Helplines Partnership said “It was clear that the Thirtyone:eight helpline is strongly focused on meeting the needs of its callers. From observations and discussions undertaken during the assessment, the commitment to delivering an effective high-quality service was strongly evident. Helplines Partnership would like to congratulate those involved.”

During the pandemic, our helplines have remained open to advise and support churches and charities. Two issues that have been raised more than any other have been: how to communicate safely with children and young people online; and, how to deliver essentials safely to adults that are self-isolating or shielding and whether these adults are classed as having care and support needs. Additionally, we’ve seen a rise in calls around mental health issues, domestic abuse and how churches can help people with anxiety.

ANSWERING THE CALLS ARE OUR TEAM OF COMMITTED CHRISTIAN SAFEGUARDING PROFESSIONALS WITH BACKGROUNDS IN SOCIAL WORK, EDUCATION AND THE POLICE. Answering the calls are our team of committed Christian safeguarding professionals with backgrounds in social work, education and the police. As one caller recently said: ‘Knowing you can pick up the phone and get access to a dedicated team of professional safeguarding advisors, who understand the specialist context in which you are working, is hugely significant for us.’

Justin Humphreys, our joint-Chief Executive said “We are extremely proud that both our Safeguarding Helpline and our Disclosure Helpline have been recognised in this way as it demonstrates the high value we place on the people that call us and on the advice we give.

We know what a difference it can make to the people that call who may be grappling with very distressing and complicated issues often for the first time. While we provide this service free of charge at the point of delivery, it costs the charity £32 on average to respond to each call to our Safeguarding Helpline, so we remain grateful for any donations we receive that allow us to keep this service open to all who need it.”

The Helplines standard was awarded by Helplines Partnership and lasts for three years.

To find out more about our helpline and how we could help you go to: thirtyoneeight.org/helpline

Thirtyone:eight has also recently been commissioned to provide dedicated Helplines for several high-profile cases and reviews, offering an independent source of help and advice to anyone who may have been affected.

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SPOTLIGHT

Introducing our Safeguarding Advisor for Scotland and Northern Ireland

Leigh McFarlane

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t Thirtyone:eight our mission is to support organisations across the UK to create safer places for all. With significant differences in legislation, governance and terminology across the four nations of the UK, as well as some similarities, we employ a team of specialist safeguarding advisors that are able to offer help and support that is relevant to the context organisations are working in. Leigh McFarlane has recently joined us as a Safeguarding Advisor and leads our engagement across Scotland and Northern Ireland. We spoke to Leigh about her role and how Thirtyone:eight works within those two nations.

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Tell us a bit about your role in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

We also offer our full range of consultancy services to Scotland and Northern Ireland. These are specialist services, designed to address and support specific aspects of an organisation’s safeguarding practice. These services include safeguarding audits, international child protection, past case review, safeguarding audits, listening service and independent reviews. For our members in Scotland and Northern Ireland we also offer specialist advice surgeries.

My role is to continue to build on the existing work of Thirtyone:eight in Scotland and Northern Ireland and further develop it so that we can reach even more organisations that need our help. By taking a partnership approach I want to work together with others with a similar desire to create safer places. Having lived and worked in both countries, I bring my context specific experience and understanding into safeguarding.

My role varies a lot, from training, to advisory services, to keeping on top of legislative changes so we can keep our Scottish and Northern Irish members up to date with best practice.

Are there any differences in safeguarding between Scotland, Northern Ireland and the UK? Yes there are differences, but there are similarities too. Some pieces of legislation apply across the United Kingdom, for example the Sexual Offences Act 2003. But much of the legislation concerning safeguarding is devolved to the regional governments, therefore we see differences in legislation. In turn this impacts on practice. Each country has their own unique safeguarding set up, for example, who deals with what from a statutory perspective and the names of different governing bodies.

What sort of work does Thirtyone:eight do in Scotland and Northern Ireland?

We work in a number of different capacities in Scotland and Northern Ireland, everything from training to advice and specialist consultancy work, all of which is completed within the relevant cultural and legislative context.

We deliver high quality training from our suite of courses, specifically for Scottish or Northern Irish organisations. These courses equip organisations with the necessary skills and understanding within their own country; our courses are differentiated not only by country-specific context but also by level. The foundation suite of courses is suitable for staff and volunteers (and is CPD accredited), whilst our specialist and advanced courses are suitable for people working in specific roles, for example safeguarding co-ordinators, pastoral care, church leaders and trustees.

Whilst we have these differences, we still have similarities too. For example, grass-roots safeguarding practice is the same. This includes training and equipping our volunteers and staff in safeguarding, how we recruit safely, how we respond appropriately to a disclosure.

In Northern Ireland, depending on the size and location of the organisation, an additional consideration may be the need to consider a dual approach for those organisations working across the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. For example, in an organisation’s safeguarding policy they may need to refer to both Access NI and Garda Vetting, or they may need to put the phone numbers for children’s services in both Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland into their safeguarding policy. People working in the border areas between Scotland and England may also have similar considerations because of the different contextual approaches.

Our safeguarding helpline is open to everyone in Scotland and Northern Ireland. We receive regular calls asking for specific advice on a range of matters that organisations in Scotland and Northern Ireland are dealing with. These calls range from policy advice, to safeguarding queries, to managing serious incidents. Our disclosure helpline also offers advice for Northern Irish members relating to Access NI.

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SPOTLIGHT

“BY TAKING A PARTNERSHIP APPROACH I WANT TO WORK TOGETHER WITH OTHERS WITH A SIMILAR DESIRE TO CREATE SAFER PLACES.�

It is also helpful to remember that the religious and church attendance demographics are different. A recent study found there are significantly more regular churchgoers on average in Northern Ireland at 45%, compared with Scotland at 18%, followed by England at 14% and Wales at 12%. The last census in 2011 showed 93% of the Northern Ireland population identifying as Christian, whereas England and Wales had a lower percentage identifying with the Christian faith at 59% overall.

In Northern Ireland the Health Minister, Robin Swann MLA, has recently proposed a new adult safeguarding bill; this is in the early stages of the process of becoming law, but in due course, this will replace previous legislation in relation to adult safeguarding practice.

Northern Ireland and Scotland have also led the way with changes in safeguarding practice within the United Kingdom. Scotland became the first part of the United Kingdom to make physical punishment of children illegal and Northern Ireland became the first part of the United Kingdom to criminalise paying for sex (rather than the provision thereof) within their Human Trafficking legislation, as they recognised that vulnerable persons should not be criminalised for the actions of others.

Have there been any safeguarding legislation changes in Scotland or Northern Ireland recently?

In terms of legislative changes, Scotland has recently enacted the Disclosure (Scotland) Bill 2020. This has brought change to the protection of vulnerable groups (PVG) scheme that Scottish organisations need to be aware of. For example membership of the PVG scheme is no longer for life, instead it must be renewed every five years.

If you want to find out more about our work across the four nations and how to contact Leigh go to: thirtyoneeight.org/where-we-work

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Safeguarding in church?

Do you have questions or need advice?

Our Safeguarding Advice Surgeries could be just what you’re looking for.

Safeguarding Advice Surgeries are for those working in a church, charity, or faith-based organisation who have specific responsibilities for safeguarding or child protection.

Your surgery session will last between 1-2 hours and give you the chance to spend some focused time with one of our experienced Safeguarding Advisor to ask any questions you may have, and to discuss any specific challenges that may be impacting your organisation.

Visit: thirtyoneeight.org/advice-surgery

Caring. Experienced. Professional. visit thirtyoneeight.org/get-help or call 0303 003 1111 (option 2) to speak directly to one of our dedicated safeguarding specialists.

Charity No. 1004490, Scottish Charity No. SCO40578

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Knowing you can get access to a dedicated team of professional safeguarding advisors, who understand the context in which you’re working is hugely significant.

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We’ve made a number of calls about things we’re uncertain about. They have always been great and given sound advice and showed concern.

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Our safeguarding helpline remains open.

Call us on 0303 003 1111 Our helpline is somewhere you can call, anonymously if you wish, to get help, advice and guidance on anything relating to safeguarding.

It’s staffed by our experienced team of caring christian professionals Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm, with an out of hours emergency service for urgent calls.

Whatever the issue, give us a call. You'll always be listened to, and if we can't help, we'll point you in the direction of someone who can.

Caring. Experienced. Professional. visit thirtyoneeight.org/get-help or call 0303 003 1111 (option 2) to speak directly to one of our dedicated safeguarding specialists.

Charity No. 1004490, Scottish Charity No. SCO40578