In September 2021 an independent safeguarding audit of the Cathedral was carried by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), as part of the Church of England’s commitment to good safeguarding practice.
Two SCIE Auditors visited the Cathedral, examining safeguarding files, policies and training, as well as interviewing safeguarding professionals, members of Chapter and the staff team and hearing the views and experiences of members of our community through an online survey.
The final report, available to download below, details the SCIE team’s findings and their recommendations on how Chichester Cathedral can further improve its practice to make its environment safer still.
The Dean of Chichester, The Very Reverend Stephen Waine, said:
“We are committed to Chichester Cathedral being a welcoming and safe place for all and are grateful for the expertise and insights provided by the SCIE Auditors, and the collaborative approach that they brought. We are pleased that their report highlights plenty of areas of strength and also recognise and understand the areas of improvement that they have identified. The preparation for the audit was helpful in itself and we have begun to action some of the suggested changes. Working with the Diocesan Safeguarding Team, Chapter will soon be responding with its Safeguarding Action Plan that will help to keep visitors and worshippers safe into the future.”
We would like to take the opportunity to thank those who contributed to the audit, whether that be through direct interviews or completing the survey, and to all those who play a part in our safeguarding every day. Your involvement supports us in continuing to be a safer Christian community.