“I am proud to be bishop of a diocese that has pioneered work with victims and survivors.” Bishop Helen-Ann called on General Synod for a decisive response to the Jay Report on safeguarding in the Church of England.
Read Bishop Helen-Ann's speech below:
Members of Synod I wish to speak in favour of this amendment (30).
My diocese was one of the 6 dioceses that Professor Jay engaged with directly with in the creation of her Report. My DSA welcomes the Report and its recommendations, as do I. I am proud to be bishop of a diocese that has pioneered work with victims and survivors, has a reputation for best practice and innovative initiatives and has acted prophetically regarding historic issues. This will continue, and indeed only yesterday I was delighted to provide a foreword for a resource written by a survivor in my diocese that will enable better understanding of survivor experience and narratives.
While I hear the concerns of colleagues and others who wish to proceed with caution regarding the recommendations of the Jay Report. I do not believe that we have a choice here: we must implement the recommendations in full and do so urgently so that we might restore our credibility as a Church and place the needs of victims and survivors at the core of who we are and what we do. Furthermore the establishment of independent bodies may in time be itself a resource for other denominations. To lead the way in this regard is surely an opportunity to show leadership as the established Church. To propose measured engagement might be seen as delay, and that is not acceptable.
Please support this amendment.
You can read the result of the vote here.