The CSSA judges Clifton as ‘Results Being Achieved’ in safeguarding people.
3 October 2024
The Catholic Diocese of Clifton, in the first audit of their safeguarding practice today, has been judged by the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) to be graded as ‘Results Being Achieved.’ The regulatory agency for England and Wales report that the Diocese demonstrate clear evidence of working towards the eight national safeguarding standards. The Diocese was able to satisfy independent auditors from within the CSSA about how it keeps people safe.
Clifton was strongest in areas relating to leadership, governance, ministry, and culture. Since the Bishop’s ordination to the Diocese in May 2024, his leadership has already started to show safeguarding being embedded as part of the culture. The Diocese received the strong grade of ‘Results being achieved’ in six of the other standards.
Auditors identified a strong safeguarding communications plan, designed to allow consistent communication safeguarding messages in a variety of ways. Safeguarding training and vetting of active clergy meets Diocesan expectations. There has been a significant recent improvement in volunteer DBS checks. Safeguarding plans are reviewed in a timely way. Risks are managed well by the safeguarding team.
The CSSA auditors identified further scope for development around developing KPI’s for volunteer training compliance, continuing to improve ways of learning from allegations and concerns, and strengthening safeguarding on all pilgrimages associated with the Diocese.
The CSSA’s recommendations for Clifton include: to ensure safeguarding plan timescales are compliant with CSSA national policy, to develop a list of Canon Law experts, and importantly, to consider alternative methods of engaging with survivors.
Steve Ashley, Chief Executive Officer, CSSA says: “These results show that Clifton is achieving the standards expected, and they should be satisfied with their progress in helping keep people safe in their churches and communities across the Catholic diocese. The Bishop in Clifton has been ordained to the Diocese relatively recently, and results are already in evidence. They must keep improving. Only this way can they assure a wider public that everything possible is being done to help prevent harm.
Having exceeded potential lower gradings (in a scale ranging from ‘below basic,’ ‘basic’ ‘early progress’ and ‘firm progress’) Clifton have further work to do to achieve either of the two higher gradings possible (namely ‘Comprehensive Assurance’ and ‘Exemplary’). The overall grading of ‘Results Being Achieved’ represents a combination of the Diocese’s scoring across eight areas of work relating to safeguarding standards.
The CSSA publish the Executive Summary of safeguarding audits from every Catholic Church body in England and Wales. You can find the Executive Summary of Clifton’s audit here.
ENDS
More information about the CSSA’s audit process can be found HERE.
Journalists: to speak with Steve Ashley, CEO, please initially contact Sarah Gleadall: sarah.gleadall@catholicsafeguarding.org.uk