The Diocese of Hereford has completed and published a review of over 1500 files, with the publication today of its Past Cases Review 2 (PCR2) report.
The purpose of PCR2 was to identify both good practice and any institutional failings in relation to how allegations of abuse have been handled, assess any identified risks and respond to these where appropriate, and to provide recommendations to the Church that will lead to improvements in its safeguarding work.
The review was undertaken in 2020 by an independent scrutiny team. The Diocese decided to re review all files in scope, including a repeat of all Past Case Review 1 (PCR1) files, and did not seek any exemptions. A signed return was received from all 382 parishes in compliance with the Bishop’s Letter. At the start of the review, the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer (DSO) was able to provide the Independent Reviewers (IR’s) with a Known Case List (KCL)
The review examined key local themes such as the quality of safeguarding case files, work with survivors of abuse, work with other agencies and safeguarding culture across the diocese. This led to a number of recommendations for the diocese, which have been, or are being, actioned, overseen by the Hereford Diocese Safeguarding Scrutiny Panel. More information is available in this Executive Summary which you can find here.
The Bishop of Hereford the Rt Revd Richard Jackson said: “I am very grateful to the external reviewers who scrupulously looked through our records to ensure we had exercised best safeguarding practice. I am delighted they were able to affirm the significant progress the diocese has made in this area of our life. I am also hugely grateful for our safeguarding team and the professional and caring way in which they support us in ensuring best practice”
To read the full national Past Case Review 2 report, please visit the Church of England website: https://www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding/safeguarding-news-releases/national-report-church-englands-second-past-cases-review
Finding support
If you or anyone you are in contact with are affected by the publication of this report and want to talk to someone independently, please call the Safe Spaces helpline on 0300 303 1056 or visit www.safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk
Alternatively, you may wish to contact our diocesan safeguarding officer – email safeguarding@hereford.anglican.org or phone 07999028076 or 07875757396. For any non-urgent safeguarding inquiries or in the event of Mandy being unavailable please contact the Diocesan Office on 01432 373300
There are also other support services available.