Summary of recommendations for national and local implementation
(The terms in brackets refer to the timescale for implementation.
ST: within 12 months of the date of publication and acceptance
of this report; MT: after 12 months from the date of publication
and acceptance of this report)
NATIONAL
Conference of Bishops and Conference of Religious
Recommendation 1 (para 2.6)
The Conference of Bishops and Conference of Religious should
publicly declare and renew their affirmation of the One Church
approach to safeguarding children, young
people and vulnerable adults through the promotion of a sustained
and sustainable culture of constant vigilance. (ST)
Recommendation 2 (para 2.35)
The Conference of Bishops and Conference of Religious should
develop Codes of Conduct for all clergy, non clergy religious
and those who work in the service of the
Church, including volunteers. Such Codes should not be confused
with, and should be separate from, any ‘terms and conditions’
handbook for clergy or any other group of Church workers.
(ST)
Recommendation 4 (para 3.18)
The Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service should sit within
the Department of Christian Responsibility and Citizenship
of the Bishops’ Conference. (ST)
Recommendation 5 (para 3.18)
An appointed member of the Conference of Religious should
be invited to join the Department as a permanent member. (ST)
Recommendation 6 (para 3.23)
The Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service should report and
be accountable to the Bishops’ Conference and Conference
of Religious through the new National Safeguarding Commission.
(ST)
Recommendation 7 (para 3.23)
The National Safeguarding Commission should be chaired by
a lay person of seniority and with real credibility appointed
by the Conference of Bishops and Conference of Religious;
there should be two vice chairs, one an appointed member of
the Conference of Bishops and the other an appointed member
of the Conference of Religious. (ST)
Recommendation 19 (para 3.40)
Going forward, the Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service
should be funded at least at the same or a higher level than
is the case now. (ST/MT)
Recommendation 34 (para 3.66)
Adequate resources should be made available to the CoR/ Regional
Religious Commissions’ link person, if necessary making
this a full-time post, with specific responsibility for co-ordinating
the work of the four Commissions (MT)
Recommendation 40 (para 4.21)
The Conference of Bishops and Conference of Religious should
reaffirm their commitment to a safeguarding agenda in which
the welfare of the child is paramount. (ST)
Recommendation 42 (para 4,21)
The Conference of Bishops and Conference of Religious should
give consideration to merging the proposed investigation and
review process with their internal disciplinary
processes to avoid unnecessary duplication. (ST)
Recommendation 67 (para 6.2)
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales
and the Conference of Religious should now adopt comprehensive
safeguarding policies and procedures that cover both children
and vulnerable adults. (ST)
Recommendation 68 (para 6.4)
The Conference of Religious, the Association of British Contemplatives
and the Union of Monastic Superiors should develop systems
for monitoring these communities and
ensuring that there is a way for people to report concerns.
(MT)
Recommendation 69 (para 6.9)
The policies and procedures adopted by the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of England and Wales and the Conference of Religious
for the protection of vulnerable adults should be based on
the definition of vulnerable adults set out in the Safeguarding
Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. (ST)
Recommendation 72 (para 7.5)
The Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, in consultation
with the Conference of Religious, should make the appropriate
decreta generalia and secure canonical recognitio of them
(c. 455), so that there will be a special territorial law
(c. 13§1) for England and Wales which would both give
juridical authority to the Church’s most important safeguarding
rules for children and vulnerable adults and also secure a
right of recourse to the Holy See against a diocese, religious
congregation or other juridical person which failed to fulfil
the obligations laid down in that law. (ST)
National Safeguarding Commission
Recommendation 6 (para 3.23)
The Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service should report and
be accountable to the Bishops’ Conference and Conference
of Religious through the new National Safeguarding Commission.
(ST)
Recommendation 7 (para 3.23)
The National Safeguarding Commission should be chaired by
a lay person of seniority and with real credibility appointed
by the Conference of Bishops and Conference of Religious;
there should be two vice chairs, one an appointed member of
the Conference of Bishops and the other an appointed member
of the Conference of Religious. (ST)
Recommendation 8 (para 3.23)
The National Safeguarding Commission should have both lay
and clerical representation, including 3 Bishops (one of whom
should be one of the Bishops in the Department of Christian
Responsibility and Citizenship with oversight of CSAS), 3
representatives of CoR (one of whom should be the CoR member
invited to join the Department of Christian Responsibility
and Citizenship to oversee the running of CSAS), 3 lay Chairs
of Commissions elected by all the Commissions to represent
them (including one Regional Religious), and 3 additional
lay members with relevant experience and knowledge. (ST)
Recommendation 9 (para 3.23)
If the Chair of the Department of Christian Responsibility
and Citizenship is not also the Bishop with day to day oversight
of CSAS then he should be invited to sit on the National Safeguarding
Commission as an ex-officio member. (ST)
Recommendation 10 (para 3.23)
The task of appointing the National Safeguarding Commission
should be carried out by the Chair and Vice-chairs. An open
and transparent process, including external advertisement,
should be used for the recruitment of the lay members. The
skills required on the Commission should be assessed (for
example safeguarding vulnerable adults and children issues,
knowledge of law and employment matters) and the results used
to inform the recruitment process. (ST)
Recommendation 11 (para 3.23)
National Safeguarding Commission members should be appointed
to terms of 3 years and should normally be able to serve no
more than two terms. A process of rotation should be applied
in terms of retirement to assist continuity. (MT)
Recommendation 12 (para 3.23)
The National Safeguarding Commission should meet at least
quarterly and both its agendas and minutes should be public
documents, with the use of confidential annexes where appropriate.
The NSC’s quorum should be a third of its membership.
(ST)
Recommendation 14 (para 3.29)
The NSC should make annual reports to the Bishops’ Conference
and Conference of Religious about its progress in ensuring
compliance. These reports should be open documents with the
use of confidential annexes where appropriate. (MT)
Recommendation 15 (para 3.29)
The NSC may commission the CSAS to undertake thematic investigations
to assist it in enforcing compliance with nationally agreed
policies and in making reports to the Bishops’ Conference
and Conference of Religious. (MT)
Recommendation 35 (para 3.66)
An audit should be carried out within the next three years
of any non-aligned congregations who have yet to take up one
of the three options. This exercise, in which Diocesan Vicars
for Religious can expect to play a key role, would need to
include all contemplative orders. (MT)
Recommendation 49 (para 4.67)
The members of the Review Panel should be appointed from a
panel, set up and administered by the CSAS on behalf of the
new National Safeguarding Commission. (ST)
Recommendation 60 (para 5.16)
The National Safeguarding Commission should commission the
Catholic Church Insurance Association to conduct an urgent
review of insurance arrangements with the aim of moving towards
a One Church policy on insurance matters. This review should
not be an impediment to a just resolution of current cases.
Individual dioceses and religious congregations should not
commit themselves to respond to allegations in a way that
contravenes national policies. (ST)
Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service
Recommendation 3 (para 3.11)
The national unit’s name should be changed to the Catholic
Safeguarding Advisory Service (CSAS) to reflect its primary
role in future as one of co-ordination, advice and support
in respect of the wider job of safeguarding children and vulnerable
adults. (ST)
Recommendation 4 (para 3.18)
The Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service should sit within
the Department of Christian Responsibility and Citizenship
of the Bishops’ Conference. (ST)
Recommendation 6 (3.23)
The Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service should report and
be accountable to the Bishops’ Conference and Conference
of Religious through the new National Safeguarding Commission.
(ST)
Recommendation 13 (para 3.23)
The Director of the Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service
should provide expert safeguarding advice to the NSC. (ST/MT)
Recommendation 15 (para 3.29)
The NSC may commission the CSAS to undertake thematic investigations
to assist it in enforcing compliance with nationally agreed
policies and in making reports to the Bishops’ Conference
and Conference of Religious. (MT)
Recommendation 16 (para 3.31)
The Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service should focus specifically
on the following activities:
- Providing advice to members of the Church about safeguarding
issues. (ST/MT)
- Overseeing and co-ordinating safeguarding training within
the Church. (ST/MT)
- In the shorter term completing the development of policies
that Lord Nolan recommended and others that are outstanding,
including policies on vulnerable adults, whistleblowing,
information sharing and the national database (see below).
(ST)
- Ensuring the Church’s policies on safeguarding
children and vulnerable adults are kept up to date with
good secular practice and are accessible to people at all
levels in the Church, with an emphasis on people in parishes.
This will require a better balance than has been achieved
to date between the professional language and the pastoral
language of the Church to communicate the importance of
safeguarding. Current policies ought to be reviewed and
rationalised wherever possible, taking account of experience
on the ground, and short ‘lay versions’ produced.
A Parish Pack, specifically informed by parish experience,
and in particular the experiences of children and young
people themselves, should also be made available as soon
as possible following the publication of this report. (ST)
- Identifying, disseminating and celebrating good safeguarding
practice in the Church. (ST/MT)
- Being the point of liaison with other national stakeholders
- both safeguarding units in other Churches and secular
organisations concerned with safeguarding children and vulnerable
adults, including Government. (ST/MT)
- Co-ordinating the work of the Review Panels and maintaining
up to date lists of appropriately trained investigators
and risk assessors. (ST/MT)
- Producing an annual business report for the public and
wider Church community which reviews the work of the CSAS
as a whole and reflects on the achievements of the Diocesan
and Religious Commissions. Consideration should be given
to making this document less of a statistical abstract and
with greater emphasis on the softer, preventive end of safeguarding
so that it becomes less labour-intensive to produce, both
for staff at the centre and staff in the Dioceses and Religious
Congregations. (MT)
Recommendation 17 (para 3.36)
The CSAS should continue to run the central database for the
time being. This should continue to include both paid staff
and volunteers. (ST)
Recommendation 18 (para 3.36)
The CSAS should give priority to developing a national database
policy and guidance that is fully informed by user group experience.
(ST)
Recommendation 19 (para 3.40)
Going forward, the Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service
should be funded at least at the same or a higher level than
is the case now. (ST/MT)
Recommendation 27 (para 3.50)
Commissions, working in partnership with the CSAS, should
actively engage with children and young people to ensure their
views are taken account of in developing, implementing and
evaluating safeguarding arrangements that directly affect
them. (MT)
Recommendation 29 (para 3.52)
Each CPC/CPO must be trained and inducted to an agreed standard
set by the Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service. (ST/MT)
Recommendation 30 (para 3.52)
Central support for CPCs/CPOs should be enhanced by national/regional
meetings with an emphasis on training and sharing good practice.
(ST/MT)
Recommendation 32 (para 3.54)
A minimum standard of induction for LCPRs should be set by
Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service. (ST)
Recommendation 38 (para 3.73)
Seminaries and other formation houses responsible for the
training of priests and religious must agree in consultation
with the CSAS the core components of a common safeguarding
curriculum that raises awareness, familiarises seminarians
and those in religious formation with the national policies
and in particular seeks to develop core competencies to give
priests the confidence to manage safeguarding matters in their
parish. This should be achieved within 12 months of the publication
of this report. It will be the role of the CSAS to support
this programme and advise on sources of training to deliver
it. (ST)
Recommendation 43 (para 4.25)
The Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service should develop
an information sharing policy as soon as possible and no later
than 12 months from the publication of this report. (ST)
Recommendation 49 (para 4.67)
The members of the Review Panel should be appointed from a
panel, set up and administered by the CSAS on behalf of the
new National Safeguarding Commission. (ST)
Recommendation 50 (para 4.67)
A Review Panel should comprise a minimum of 3 members and
a maximum of five members and should include those with appropriate
professional experience in law and safeguarding of children
and/or vulnerable adults, investigation processes and Canon
Law where practicable. An independent person should chair
the Review Panel. (ST)
Recommendation 56 (para 5.9)
The national policies for responding to allegations of abuse
should indicate the timescale within which appropriate action
should normally be taken, and to whom the matter should be
referred if a satisfactory response is not received. (ST)
Recommendation 59 (para 5.13)
The CSAS should ensure the co-ordination of support for victims
where the alleged abuse covers several dioceses and religious
congregations. (ST/MT)
Recommendation 71 (para 6.11)
The current training for priests and religious (both in formation
in the seminaries and as part of ongoing formation and study
days) and other workers in the church should be expanded to
include awareness of abuse of vulnerable adults – not
least because they may be a very significant source of protection
for those adults who are at risk. Commissions and seminaries,
supported by the CSAS, will be responsible for undertaking
and facilitating such training. (ST/MT)
LOCAL
Dioceses and Religious Congregations
Recommendation 20 (para 3.44)
Dioceses must ensure that their safeguarding functions are
adequately resourced. The budget allocated is for local determination
but has to be justified in terms of safe processes and minimisation
of risk. (ST)
Recommendation 21 (para 3.46)
There must be clear accountability and governance arrangements
for each safeguarding role, e.g. Local Child Protection Representative/CPO/CPC/Chair/Commission
member.
(ST/MT)
Recommendation 22 (para 3.46)
Recruitment to each of the above safeguarding roles must be
transparent. The number and type of posts should be agreed
locally. (ST/MT)
Recommendation 23 (para 3.46)
The Bishop should attend a full Commission meeting at least
once a year and should meet with the CPC/CPO/Chair at least
three times a year. (ST)
Recommendation 24 (para 3.46)
Each Commission should have an independent lay Chair with
extensive safeguarding experience in working with children
and/or vulnerable adults, e.g. Social Care, Probation and
Family Law within 12 months of the publication of this report.
An external assessor should be used as a matter of routine
on their appointment panel. (ST)
Recommendation 25 (para 3.46)
The composition of the local Commissions should allow for
sufficient members with safeguarding experience in work with
children and/or vulnerable adults to ensure appropriate expertise
available at all meetings of the Commission. The exact numbers
and experience can be determined locally. (ST/MT)
Recommendation 26 (para 3.50)
The work of Commissions should be as transparent as possible;
the names of Commission members should be included in the
diocesan directory and website; notices of meetings, agendas
and non-confidential minutes should be published on the website.
(ST)
Recommendation 27 (para 3.50)
Commissions, working in partnership with the CSAS, should
actively engage with children and young people to ensure their
views are taken account of in developing, implementing and
evaluating safeguarding arrangements that directly affect
them. (MT)
Recommendation 28 (para 3.52)
When a vacancy arises Commissions should ensure that at least
one CPC or CPO postholder in each diocese has an appropriate
professional qualification and experience. Professional consultancy
from experts in safeguarding must be made available to CPCs/CPOs
at agreed regularity and as agreed with the Chair of the Commission.
(ST/MT)
Recommendation 29 (para 3.52)
Each CPC/CPO must be trained and inducted to an agreed standard
set by the Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service. (ST/MT)
Recommendation 30 (para 3.52)
Central support for CPCs/CPOs should be enhanced by national/regional
meetings with an emphasis on training and sharing good practice.
(ST/MT)
Recommendation 31 (para 3.54)
LCPRs should be nominated by the parish priest but with a
system for approval and appointment by the CPC/CPO. Where
a parish has a safeguarding team, each member should be recruited
and inducted to the level of a LCPR. (ST/MT)
Recommendation 35 (para 3.66)
An audit should be carried out within the next three years
to any non-aligned congregations who have yet to take up one
of the three options. This exercise, in which Diocesan Vicars
for Religious can expect to play a key role, would need to
include all contemplative orders. (MT)
Recommendation 36 (para 3.66)
Congregations which have their own Commission should be willing
to have their arrangements appraised by one of the four regional
Commissions. (MT)
Recommendation 37 (para 3.66)
Appropriate training should be made available to contemplative
congregations either through their respective Regional Commission
or through the local diocese. (ST/MT)
Recommendation 39 (para 3.74)
Church leaders, both Bishops and Congregational Leaders, and
all clergy should commit themselves to a full day’s
study and/or training concerning safeguarding during the first
12 months after this Commission has reported and thereafter
to a day’s ‘top up’ study once every three
years. (ST/MT)
Recommendation 41 (para 4.21)
Bishops and Congregational Leaders and those acting on their
behalf should apply the civil standard of proof in the investigation
and determination of any matter relating to the abuse of children
and vulnerable adults. (ST)
Recommendation 44 (para 4.55)
Where an external risk assessment is considered necessary
for a member of the church accused of abuse against a child
or vulnerable adult he or she should not be expected to participate
in a group risk assessment unless he or she has pleaded guilty
to, or has been convicted of, the offence. (ST)
Recommendation 45 (para 4.57)
Each Diocesan Commission, and for a religious congregation
dealing with an allegation, the relevant Religious Commission,
should arrange for a Panel to examine the enquiries of an
appointed independent investigator and make recommendations
to the Bishop or Congregational Leader. An independent person
should chair the Commission Panel. (ST)
Recommendation 46 (para 4.57)
For the occasions where it is considered beneficial for non
Commission members to sit on the Panel convened by the Diocesan/Religious
Commission, a register of those willing and suitable to serve
on the Panel should be kept either within a Diocesan or Religious
Commission or in collaboration with another Diocesan or Religious
Commission as part of any reciprocal arrangements. (ST)
Recommendation 47 (para 4.67)
A Bishop or Congregational Leader should be able to seek of
his/her own volition a review by a specially convened Review
Panel of the recommendations made and the process of enquiry
following the investigation of an allegation of abuse. He/she
must seek such a review in response to a request from the
accused and he/she may do so at his/her own discretion in
response to a request from the victim/complainant. (ST)
Recommendation 48 (para 4.67)
The Review Panel should review the investigations and recommendations
of the Commission Panel as required and make recommendations
to the Bishop or Congregational Leader. (ST)
Recommendation 51 (para 4.67)
Careful records should be kept by the CPC/CPO, the appointed
investigator, the Commission panel, the Review Panel and by
the Bishop or Congregational Leader to satisfy the Church’s
need for a proper audit of its decision making processes.
(ST)
Recommendation 52 (para 5.3)
Those with pastoral responsibility should be ready to listen
to those who have suffered abuse, and to learn from them because
they have much to teach the Church. Bishops, Congregational
Leaders, priests and religious must take a lead in ensuring
that the Church is a safe place for vulnerable people and
in showing pastoral concern for all who have suffered abuse.
This duty is particularly pressing when the abuse has taken
place within the family of the Church. (ST)
Recommendation 53 (para 5.8)
The Church should encourage those who have been abused by
someone working in the name of the Church to come forward
and disclose the abuse. (ST)
Recommendation 55 (para 5.8)
If a complaint or allegation is made to a member of a team
responsible for safeguarding who believes that he or she is
not competent to deal with the matter, either because the
alleged perpetrator is not a member of the diocese/congregation
for which that office is responsible, or because the alleged
victim does not come under the heading of “children”
or “vulnerable adult”, the person making the complaint
must nevertheless be received with care and the concern must
be heard and recorded. The officer concerned should offer
to pass the matter on to the person who is competent to deal
with it and the complainant should be told to whom the information
is being passed. If there is uncertainty about who is competent
to deal with the matter, the Catholic Safeguarding Advisory
Service may be asked for their advice. (ST)
Recommendation 57 (para 5.12)
Particular attention should be given to the role of an appropriate
“support person”, recommended by the Nolan report
(recommendations 71-74). It should be made clear to the person
who is being supported that:
(a) Any disclosure of harm, or danger of harm, to a child
or vulnerable adult must be reported to the appropriate
authorities;
(b) In other cases, information and opinions voluntarily
given to the “support person” may only be passed
on to the local Commission, or other bodies, with the express
consent of the person being supported;
(c) Any statement required for legal or safeguarding purposes
should be taken by someone from the appropriate investigating
agency, not from the “support person”. (ST)
Recommendation 58 (para 5.13)
The person receiving support may request that the “support
person” should not be a member of the clergy of that
diocese or of the congregation in question, and wherever it
is possible the diocese or congregation should respect that
request. (ST)
Recommendation 62 (para 5.21)
When a priest is asked or required to withdraw from active
ministry on account of an allegation being made against him,
or when a priest is allowed only restricted ministry, it must
be made clear in a written agreement what sacramental ministry
is permitted to him, bearing in mind the circumstances and
the place where he will be located. (ST)
Recommendation 63 (para 5.21)
When a priest or religious is asked or required to live in
a different place on account of an allegation being made against
him or her, it is imperative that he or she should not have
access to the victim/complainant or other children or vulnerable
adults pending the resolution of the case. (ST)
Recommendation 64 (para 5.21)
An allegation made against a person who is dead or not capable
of responding to the allegation should be listened to by the
Church and investigated as far as possible. This should be
done even though it will often be difficult to establish the
truth; the statutory authorities may not be willing to investigate
the matter; and even though it may be impossible to sustain
claims for compensation. (ST)
Recommendation 65 (para 5.21)
The information given by the victim in any statement to the
statutory authorities and/or Church investigating an allegation
of abuse should be made available routinely to those involved
in the risk assessment and treatment of the abuser. (ST)
Recommendation 66 (para 5.21)
If a person has been removed from working for the Church because
of concerns about his suitability for work with children,
this should be stated if a reference is given for that person.
(ST)
Recommendation 70 (para 6.11)
The Diocesan Child Protection Commissions and Regional Religious
Child Protection Commissions should become Safeguarding Commissions
responsible for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.
(ST)
Parishes
Recommendation 21 (para 3.46)
There must be clear accountability and governance arrangements
for each safeguarding role, e.g. Local Child Protection Representative/
CPO/CPC/Chair/Commission member. (ST/MT)
Recommendation 22 (para 3.46)
Recruitment to each of the above safeguarding roles must be
transparent. The number and type of posts should be agreed
locally. (ST/MT)
Recommendation 31 (para 3.54)
LCPRs should be nominated by the parish priest but with a
system for approval and appointment by the CPC/CPO. Where
a parish has a safeguarding team, each member should be recruited
and inducted to the level of a LCPR. (ST/MT)
Recommendation 32 (para 3.54)
A minimum standard of induction for LCPRs should be set by
Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service. (ST)
Recommendation 33 (para 3.54)
As well as a clear job description for LCPRs, an agreed level
of support should be provided for them by the parish priest
in addition to the training and support provided by the diocese.
(ST)
Recommendation 39 (para 3.74)
Church leaders, both Bishops and Congregational Leaders, and
all clergy should commit themselves to a full day’s
study and/or training concerning safeguarding during the first
12 months after this Commission has reported and thereafter
to a day’s ‘top up’ study once every three
years. (ST/MT)
Recommendation 52 (para 5.3)
Those with pastoral responsibility should be ready to listen
to those who have suffered abuse, and to learn from them because
they have much to teach the Church. Bishops, Congregational
Leaders, priests and religious must take a lead in ensuring
that the Church is a safe place for vulnerable people and
in showing pastoral concern for all who have suffered abuse.
This duty is particularly pressing when the abuse has taken
place within the family of the Church. (ST)
Recommendation 53 (para 5.8)
All churches and other institutions run by the Church should
have notices giving the names, photographs and contact details
of those who may be contacted by anyone who
has a concern about the abuse of children and vulnerable adults.
These details should also be put on websites that children
and the vulnerable are likely to visit. There should be at
least two names given: one of a person who is near at hand,
one of a person who is not directly connected with the church
or institution in question. The telephone number of “Childline”
should also be given and made clearly visible for children
to see. (ST)
Recommendation 55 (para 5.8)
If a complaint or allegation is made to a member of a team
responsible for safeguarding who believes that he or she is
not competent to deal with the matter, either because the
alleged perpetrator is not a member of the diocese/congregation
for which that office is responsible, or because the alleged
victim does not come under the heading of “children”
or “vulnerable adult”, the person making the complaint
must nevertheless be received with care and the concern must
be heard and recorded. The officer concerned should offer
to pass the matter on to the person who is competent to deal
with it and the complainant should be told to whom the information
is being passed. If there is uncertainty about who is competent
to deal with the matter, the Catholic Safeguarding Advisory
Service may be asked for their advice. (ST)
Seminaries and other formation houses
Recommendation 38 (para 3.73)
Seminaries and other formation houses responsible for the
training of priests and religious must agree in consultation
with the CSAS the core components of a common safeguarding
curriculum that raises awareness, familiarises seminarians
and those in religious formation with the national policies
and in particular seeks to develop core competencies to give
priests the confidence to manage safeguarding matters in their
parish. This should be achieved within 12 months of the publication
of this report. It will be the role of the CSAS to support
this programme and advise on sources of training to deliver
it. (ST)
Recommendation 71 (para 6.11)
The current training for priests and religious (both in formation
in the seminaries and as part of ongoing formation and study
days) and other workers in the church should be expanded to
include awareness of abuse of vulnerable adults – not
least because they may be a very significant source of protection
for those adults who are at risk. Commissions and seminaries,
supported by the CSAS, will be responsible for undertaking
and facilitating such training. (ST/MT)
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