In a significant move towards bolstering child protection within religious environments, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Safeguarding in Faith Communities (APPG) has initiated an inquiry to examine and enhance safeguarding policies in churches, mosques, temples, and other faith-based venues.
The inquiry seeks insights and experiences from a broad spectrum of individuals involved in faith communities, including leaders, safeguarding officers, volunteers, youth workers, survivors, and relevant organizations. Contributions can be made through a questionnaire, written submissions, and hearings, with a deadline set for July 2026. The findings will culminate in a comprehensive report offering practical recommendations.
Central to this inquiry is the concept of “regulated activity”. This legal term pertains to activities involving children that require strict adherence to legal standards, such as enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, due to the perceived risk level.
Within faith settings, there can be ambiguity regarding the necessity of such checks, particularly in informal situations like Sunday school or Bible study groups. The APPG aims to clarify these rules, ensuring faith communities understand their obligations.
The inquiry draws on findings from the 2022 Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, which suggested eliminating the supervision exemption. This exemption currently allows that constant supervision negates the need for regulated activity classification.
Christian charity Thirtyone:eight, supporting this initiative, emphasized the importance of redefining regulated activity. They stated, “Clarifying and expanding the definition of regulated activity would ensure comprehensive safeguarding across all contexts, including faith-based settings, and help educate these groups about their responsibilities, leading to better protection for children and vulnerable individuals.”
Significant gaps in the current understanding of regulated activity within faith communities remain a concern. Addressing these gaps is considered essential for the protection of children and vulnerable individuals.
Peter Wright, who leads the secretariat for the APPG, highlighted at the inquiry’s launch, “To date, there has been limited research, data, and formal scrutiny of how the regulated activity definition operates in practice within faith communities. As the APPG on safeguarding for faith communities, we feel we are uniquely placed to provide some of that crucial information.”
This initiative aims to gather both quantitative and qualitative data to inform governmental discussions on vital legislation like the proposed mandatory reporting duty, grounded in the experiences and insights of faith communities.
Recently, APPG announced the appointment of its new co-chair, Joanne Grenfell, who has served as the Church of England’s lead bishop for safeguarding over the past three years.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
