Archbishop Stephen Cottrell’s statement about a safeguarding failure

29 June 2020

Ten years ago I was approached about a safeguarding allegation regarding a priest. I was able to see the survivor and begin to hear what was a difficult and harrowing story. However, I was moving between roles at the time and although I did speak with colleagues about the actions that needed to be taken, I failed to ensure that these were properly documented and followed through in the way I would expect.

Now that I have discovered that this incident was not followed up as it should have been, I am deeply distressed and extremely sorry.

Because this has recently come to light, I am both thankful that it is being addressed properly now, but also mindful that in my new position as Archbishop of York it is absolutely essential that I am open and transparent about the need for the whole of our church to be scrupulously honest with each other about any failings in safeguarding.

In the past, the Church of England has been too quick to protect its own reputation and slow to admit its failings. This must change. Those in public office should be subject to scrutiny. Good safeguarding is an absolute priority for the Church of England and for me personally.

In the diocese of Chelmsford where I have served for the past ten years, I have been helped by survivors I have worked with, as well as a first-rate safeguarding team, to have a much greater understanding of why safeguarding itself is so important and how we must be prepared to confront our failings and learn from them.

Therefore, although I am embarrassed that I did not follow this up as scrupulously as I should have done ten years ago, I want to go on the record about what has happened in order to demonstrate a new spirit of openness and transparency over how we ensure that the Church is as safe as it can be, that survivors are listened to and dealt with honestly, and perpetrators brought to justice.

Archbishop Stephen Cottrell
Official C of E Statement, June 2020

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Archbishop Stephen Cottrell addresses the General Synod in a a debate about the IICSA report

25 November 2020

I was ordained into a Church, and IICSA has showed us this so, so shamefully, but I realise now I was ordained into a Church that when it came to safeguarding was concerned, first of all, to protect its own reputation; secondly, to limit damage; and, thirdly, most shamefully, to ignore abuse and its consequences. Over the last 30 years or so, I have seen the Church change and I have been part of that change in different ways.

So, now, we do not ignore abuse. We train clergy and we have a way of protecting children and vulnerable adults. We have made some progress but there is still obviously a third stage of change that we need to go through. . .

The first and the most important is that we change our culture. There is a culture of clericalism and deference in our Church and that cannot continue because it is deeply, deeply unhealthy and it allows some of us to find ourselves in positions where people feel that somehow we have become above reproach and that we cannot be criticised.

This is really, really bad for us. Part of this culture change, therefore, must mean that, when we make mistakes – because we will make mistakes and things will go wrong, we will not always get it right – part of the culture change is to be open and transparent about that as followers of Jesus Christ. . .

Therefore, we welcome independent scrutiny and we look and reach out to the survivors and offenders who have reached out to us, saying “We want your help. We want to build a new culture. We want to stop being in this place where we have to keep saying sorry”. Goodness, I am deeply, deeply shamed and deeply, deeply penitent.

I am finding myself, in this new role, falling to knees in sorrow and shame for what has happened but, more importantly, I want to rise up and be the change and make the change we need to make, which is primarily one of culture but, therefore, must mean that we welcome independent scrutiny and that we get on urgently with the business of reparation.

Getting all this right, Synod, is going to cost us a lot of money. Getting it wrong is going to cost us our soul.

Archbishop Stephen Cottrell
General Synod, November 2020

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