November 20 2017 – National Safeguarding Steering Group [NSSG] and National Safeguarding Panel [NSP] – Church of England

https://www.churchofengland.org/more/safeguarding/national-safeguarding-governance

NSSG

The National Safeguarding Steering Group met for the first time on 12 October 2016.  This group, established by the Archbishops, is a successor to the House of Bishops Safeguarding Monitoring and Reference Group.  Its membership consists of a range of representatives from across the Church, to include National Church Institutions, the dioceses and Cathedrals.  It is chaired by the Lead Bishop for Safeguarding, the Rt Revd Peter Hancock and staffed by the National Safeguarding Team.

The activities of the NSSG are set out in its Terms of Reference. The membership of the NSSG includes both lay and clerical representation and are appointed by the Archbishops (see list below).

For all safeguarding concerns or to find support

General safeguarding enquiries – safeguardingeo@churchofengland.org

List of members

Rt Revd Peter Hancock, Bishop of Bath and Wells, Lead Bishop for Safeguarding (Chair)

Rt Revd Mark Sowerby, Bishop of Horsham, Deputy Bishop for Safeguarding (Vice Chair)

Rt Revd Sarah Mullally, Bishop of Crediton

Rt Revd Jonathan Gibbs, Bishop of Huddersfield

Rt Revd Martyn Snow, Bishop of Leicester

Mrs Mary Chapman, Chair of the Archbishops’ Council Audit Committee

Dr Jamie Harrison, Member of the Archbishops’ Council and Chair of the House of Laity, General Synod

William Featherby QC, member of the Board of the Church Commissioners

Very Revd Stephen Lake, Dean of Gloucester

Rt Revd Tim Thornton, Bishop at Lambeth

Revd Malcolm Macnaughton, Chief of Staff to the Archbishop of York

National Safeguarding Panel

The Church of England has published the first report from its National Safeguarding Panel (NSP), set up to provide vital reference and scrutiny from a range of voices, including survivors, on the development of policy and guidance. The Panel’s members also include directors and chief executives of safeguarding charities and organisations, and church leaders and officers. It was set up, following the Chichester safeguarding reports, to resource the Church of England’s leadership (Archbishops’ Council and House of Bishops) with good high-level strategic advice and direction on safeguarding. Its main aims are to:

• Provide visible leadership and excellence
• Promote good safeguarding practice
• Support a survivor perspective

The Bishop of Bath and Wells, Peter Hancock who chairs the Panel and is the CofE’s lead bishop on safeguarding, said: “The Panel provides that vital perspective for the Church to view its safeguarding work through the lens of experts and voices from a range of backgrounds and experiences.  Survivor voices are critical to the Panel and I commend their commitment to support this ongoing work.  I would like to thank Bishop Paul Butler, my predecessor in the role, who was instrumental in setting up the Panel and getting its important work off the ground.”