First CSSA overview of safeguarding in religious life groups published

27 April 2026

The CSSA has today published an overview of its findings of safeguarding standards in religious life groups across England and Wales. The first report of its kind, it brings together learning from sixty-seven CSSA safeguarding audits published between December 2024 and December 2025. The Independent Inspectorate found that most groups have basic safeguarding arrangements in place, often with a strong commitment to keeping people safe. However, practice is inconsistent and some key areas of safeguarding, including training, need strengthening.

The CSSA audits align with eight national safeguarding standards. Against the key standard of safeguarding leadership, the agency found that most religious life groups have trustees who take responsibility for safeguarding, but in some cases are not actively overseeing it. More structured oversight and planning is needed.  When it came to responding to people who report harm, the CSSA found that whilst most people understood how to respond to a disclosure, practical experience and knowledge of working with survivors can be limited.

Other factors considered by the inspectorate include a generally good awareness of statutory responsibilities, but improvement needed in the way decision-making is documented. While safe processes for recruitment are often in place for staff, those for volunteers can be less consistent. While many religious life groups are open to learning and improvement, safeguarding reports and action plans were often found to be limited.

Said Paul Threlfall, Quality Assurance Manager, CSSA: “Religious life groups are a fundamental part of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. How they keep people safe is critical. There are huge variations across England and Wales, from large institutions which serve thousands of people, to tiny, closed orders. Safeguarding must be tailored to context. But each one matters, and each one must assure us about their safeguarding.

“This was the first time we have audited religious life groups – a new experience for almost every one of them. So, we were pleased to receive in most cases an openness and willingness to learn. We will next look for, in some cases, significant improvement and consistency of practice. This way we can help offer assurance that safeguarding in any religious order is effective and responsive.”

You can find the overview report at-a-glance version HERE and the full report HERE.

ENDS

Notes:

For individual audits of religious life groups, please search HERE.

You can find more information about how we audit religious life groups HERE.