In the first ever audit of our safeguarding practice by the regulatory body for England and Wales, the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA), the Diocese of Leeds has been given a grade of ‘Results Being Achieved’.
The CSSA’s independent auditors were satisfied with how the Diocese keeps people safe, demonstrating clear evidence of working towards the eight national safeguarding standards.
Auditors identified ‘a culture of safeguarding underpinned by a strong leadership ethos that ‘safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility’. Safeguarding was found to be a key consideration across all Diocesan activity’.
Our Diocese was particularly strong in the area relating to leadership and governance, this area receiving the higher grading of ‘Comprehensive Assurance’ with special mention being made of the Bishop’s ‘ownership’ of our safeguarding messages, policies and engagement with victims and survivors.
Although the current Diocesan Safeguarding Co-ordinator has only been in post since 2023, she was complimented for building and leading a strong and respected team, implementing several new initiatives, including a compassionate ‘Charter for the Care of Victims and Survivors’, some highly-appreciated training for parish volunteers and clergy and encouraging close collaboration between the Safeguarding Team and all other Curia departments.
‘Communications was found to be a strength in the Diocese’, with a clear and comprehensive website, Bishop’s homilies and engagement with the National Day of Prayer.
The ‘areas for development’ were primarily to build on existing work which had already been identified as part of the Diocese’s self-assessment process at the start of the audit. These include developing a separate and specific Safeguarding Complaints Policy, continued progress in, and monitoring of, Safer Recruitment and a greater increase in the take-up of training. Further promotion and use of the Safeguarding Feedback Form available via the Safeguarding pages of the diocesan website will encourage continuing feedback from both internal and external stakeholders.
The CSSA’s audits have seven possible grades: from ‘Below Basic’ and ‘Basic’, through ‘Early Progress’ and ‘Firm Progress’, to the top three grades which are ‘Results being Achieved’, ‘Comprehensive Assurance’ and ‘Exemplary’ – so we still have to make even more improvements as we work towards the next CSSA Audit in two years’ time!
Here’s the full Executive Summary of the CSSA’s audit of the Diocese of Leeds:
CSSA Audit - Leeds-Executive-Summary-11-Dec
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