Request to abuse survivors for help with an independent review of Safeguarding arrangements within the R C Diocese of Aberdeen.

Introduction:

The Social Care Institute for Excellence/ Children in Scotland (SCIE/CiS) is currently undertaking an audit of the Safeguarding arrangements with the Diocese of Aberdeen and the Diocese of Motherwell. They bring significant experience of conducting safeguarding audits in English Diocesan context and adult as well as children safeguarding in England and CiS bring significant expertise in child protection in the Scottish context.

The Auditors:

The independent review will be undertaken by 2 auditors:

Jane Scott (CiS Associate) who has extensive experience supporting learning and improvement work in the field of Child Welfare in Scotland and has worked closely with SCIE in developing methodology for Serious Case Reviews and conducting Serious Case Reviews.

Jane Bee, an accredited SCIE lead reviewer for Serious Case Reviews. She was a member of the Diocese of Gloucestershire’s Safeguarding Children Board (GSCB) for 4 years and is now an independent safeguarding consultant.

You can find out more information about SCIE and CiS on their websites: www.scie.org.uk and www.childreninscotland.org.uk

The focus:

The independent team want to hear from people with first-hand experience of how the Diocese has responded or failed to disclosures of abuse or sharing concerns regarding Safeguarding arrangements made within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Aberdeen.

They want to understand what is working well and what has gone wrong in the past.

They are looking at the responses of people in Diocesan roles who have had knowledge of abuse by clergy and others or risks posed by clergy and others in Church related roles, paid or voluntary.

At this stage they are only focusing on responses by people in the Diocese of Aberdeen and the Diocese of Motherwell.

An independent, confidential process

The Diocese will have no role in this except to help to publicise that the audit is taking place and that the external team want to hear from survivors of abuse and/or their families.

We recommend that you speak to SCIE and CiS staff directly.

Nobody at any level in the Church will be told that you are taking part.

What you tell SCIE/CiS will be confidential and will not be shared with the diocese except as part of an overall report which will absolutely not identify you.

SCIE/CiS expect the diocese to publish the report. Copies of the report will be made available to survivors.

 

Contact Details:

If you feel able to contribute, please contact SCIE directly:

By email on learningtogether@scie.org.uk

By phone on 07921 251614

SCIE will then get in touch to arrange a time at your convenience to meet with the auditors. Thankyou for your help it is much appreciated.

Thankyou

Taking part is likely to have an emotional cost for you. Please draw on all the support you need. SCIE/CiS and the Diocese of Aberdeen thank you sincerely in advance for your help. We are anxious to ensure that lessons are learnt, and injustices of the past are put right and not repeated in the future,

We would again emphasise that this is an external independent audit. If you have any questions about the review or taking part, please get in touch, using the contact details above.