The CSSA confirms safeguarding audit judgements on six religious life groups
8 September 2025
In the first audit of their safeguarding practice today, six religious life groups have been judged by the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) with the following grades:
Community of St John – early progress
Congregation of the Mission Irish Province (Vincentians) – comprehensive assurance
Missionary Sisters of Christ the King – results being achieved
Roman Union of the Order of St Ursula – results being achieved
Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur – early progress
Sisters of St Mary of Namur – met
The Inspectorate for England and Wales report that these religious life groups demonstrate sound progress towards the eight national safeguarding standards. They offered evidence to independent analysts from within the CSSA about how they help keep people safe.
Steve Ashley, Chief Executive Officer, CSSA says: “These baseline results show varying levels of safeguarding in the six church bodies.
“Each religious life group must either sustain its progress or make significant improvement. Only this way can they assure the public that everything possible is being done to help prevent harm.”
CSSA safeguarding audits for larger religious life groups range on a scale from: ‘below basic,’ ‘basic,’ ‘early progress,’ ‘firm progress,’ ‘comprehensive assurance’ and ‘exemplary.’
For smaller religious life groups, grades range from: ‘not met,’ ‘met with recommendations’ and ‘met.’ In each case, the overall grading represents a combination of their scoring across eight areas of work relating to safeguarding standards.
The CSSA publish the safeguarding audit and inspection results from every Catholic diocese, religious life group and eparchy in England and Wales. You can find the audits for religious life groups HERE.
ENDS
More information about the CSSA’s audit and inspection process can be found HERE
Journalists: to speak with Steve Ashley, CEO, please initially contact Sarah Gleadall: sarah.gleadall@catholicsafeguarding.org.uk