The CSSA confirms safeguarding audit judgements on ten religious life groups

7 July 2025

In the first audit of their safeguarding practice today, ten religious life groups have been judged by the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) with the following grades:

Comboni Missionaries – Results Being Achieved

Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament – Early Progress

Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph of Peace – Results Being Achieved

Daughters of St Paul – Exemplary

Dominican Sisters of St Joseph – Results Being Achieved

Marist Sisters – Met With Recommendations

Poor Clares Arundel – Met With Recommendations

Religious of Mary Immaculate – Met With Recommendations

Religious of the Assumption – Results Being Achieved

Sisters of Mary Morning Star – Met With Recommendations

The Inspectorate for England and Wales report that these religious life groups demonstrate varying progress towards the eight national safeguarding standards. They offered different levels of 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 ten church bodies, including one – Daughters of St Paul – with the highest grade possible, which we are very pleased to report.

“In some cases, there is a significant amount of work to be done.

“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 Church body 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