When people hear that a safeguarding panel spent a whole meeting talking about data, I suspect their eyes glaze over a little. Spreadsheets and statistics can feel a long way from what safeguarding is really about, keeping people safe and supporting those who have been harmed.
But here's the thing: behind every number is a person. Data tells us who is coming forward, what they're experiencing, and whether the help they receive actually makes a difference. If the Church doesn't collect and understand that information well, it can't spot problems early, put resources in the right places, or be honest with the public about how it's doing. That's why our Panel spent our June meeting scrutinising how the Church of England gathers and uses its safeguarding data.
There's genuinely good news. Two years ago, the Church's approach to safeguarding data had real weaknesses. Since then, we've seen sustained effort and strong leadership turn that around. The systems for collecting and analysing information are far more robust, which means the Church is in a much better position to understand what's happening across its parishes and dioceses, and to act on it. We heard from the National Safeguarding Team and from safeguarding professionals working in dioceses, and we looked at five years of national data on safeguarding concerns.
Good progress isn't the same as job done, so we've made a set of recommendations. A few stand out as things I think the public would want to know about.
First, transparency. The Church publishes some safeguarding data already, but we've asked for a more open and proactive approach. People shouldn't have to dig for this information, it should be visible, clear, and honest.
Second, listening to survivors. Numbers can tell you how many cases there were; they can't tell you whether people felt heard, supported, or safe. We've asked for survivors' experiences and views to be gathered and genuinely used, and for survivors to help shape the language the Church uses, starting with reviewing the rather cold term “disclosing person.”
Third, understanding new patterns. The data shows a marked rise in abuse between children, often connected to the online world. We've asked for deeper analysis so the Church can respond in the right way. It should be said that the National Police Chiefs say child on child abuse makes up half of all abuse they see, so don’t be surprised to see this rise in church datasets
Finally, a significant gap: the current data tells us nothing about equality, diversity, and inclusion. Without that, we can't know whether everyone is being served fairly. We've asked for this to be fixed as a priority, and it is being addressed
I'm pleased to say our recommendations have been welcomed by the National Safeguarding Steering Group, and the Panel will keep watching to see they're acted on. Scrutiny only works if it leads to change, and we'll keep asking questions until it does.
Data will never be the whole story of safeguarding. But done well, it helps the Church see clearly, act early, and be accountable. That's something everyone, inside and outside the Church, has a right to expect.
Nazir Afzal OBE CHAIR, NATIONAL SAFEGUARDING PANEL
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