Source: The Guardian
BY Harriet Sherwood Religion correspondent
The Church of England has appointed a former government minister as its first independent chair of safeguarding in a move cautiously welcomed by abuse survivors.
Meg Munn, a former Labour MP and minister for women and equality from 2005 to 2007, has taken over from Peter Hancock, the bishop of Bath and Wells, as chair of the church’s national safeguarding panel.
Munn, whose role will be to scrutinise and challenge the church, immediately called for “deep cultural change” within the C of E. “Apologies for past wrongs will mean nothing” without effective protection for the vulnerable, she said.
Survivors and campaigners have repeatedly called on the C of E to introduce independent oversight of issues relating to abuse and the way the church has handled cases. They have argued that the church’s record in covering up abuse and failing to report it to statutory authorities has disqualified it from effectively enforcing good practice.
Categories: Church, Europe, The Muslim Times