The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Safeguarding in Faith Communities is proud to announce that it has had its first formal meeting post-general election. Now it’s sixth year it continues its unwavering commitment to promoting and safeguarding the welfare of individuals within faith communities.
The inaugural meeting, held on 27th January was attended by MPs from the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties, and representatives from the House of Lords, marking an important new chapter for safeguarding faith communities. Focusing on key issues such as grooming gangs and mandatory reporting, the group laid the groundwork for future work to create faith spaces free from harm and abuse.
The APPG is committed to driving forward change by:
- Exploring the effectiveness of partnership working between faith settings and statutory agencies and other voluntary sector organisations in safeguarding;
- Encouraging the implementation of recommendations arising from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), and in particular;
- Supporting the implementation of robust measures to support the introduction of effective mandatory reporting legislation.
Speaking about the group, Ruth Jones MP, Co-Chair of the APPG, said: "It's an honour to be part of a group that is making a significant impact. Safeguarding in faith communities is crucial, and now is the time to continue to raise awareness, enact change, and provide support to survivors.”
Bishop Viv Faull, Co-Chair of the APPG, says: "The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Safeguarding in Faith Communities has achieved remarkable progress in the last six years. By working together, we have tackled some of the most pressing issues related to safeguarding in faith communities, especially regarding positions of trust and mandatory reporting. We remain committed to our mission to ensure that faith communities are safe spaces for all."
Justin Humphreys CEO of Thirtyone:eight, (who provide the secretariat for the APPG) says, “Faith communities provide a unique network of support and services for all sorts of people and situations. While they haven’t always got safeguarding right – something we need to acknowledge – they’re often the unsung heroes when the country faces tough times. Our aim is to ensure this is recognised by the government. Faith-based organisations have a real opportunity to create safer communities for everyone, but with that comes a big responsibility. If we’re serious about making a difference in people’s lives, we all need to play our part and make sure both the opportunity and responsibility are taken seriously.”
The APPG for Safeguarding in Faith Communities welcomes interest from all those who share its commitment to join them in their important work to create safer places in any faith setting or community. For more information about the group and its activities, please visit https://www.thirtyoneeight.org/about-us/appg
The next meeting is 25th March.
- Thirtyone:eight is the leading independent Christian safeguarding charity in the UK.
- We work with a network of faith and non-faith based charities and organisation across the country, to help support, train and equip their workers and volunteers to effectively safeguard children and adults at risk.
- We work in partnership with government and statutory agencies, as well as leaders from across church denominations to embed best practice.
- We do this by providing professional advice, support, training and resources in all areas of safeguarding and child protection for children, adults and for those affected by abuse.
- Thirtyone:eight is not affiliated to any single church denomination or tradition.
- We are a partner agency with CEOP (the Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre), members of the government National Working Group on Child Abuse Linked to Faith or Belief, and associate members of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS).
- Thirtyone:eight provides the secretariat to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Safeguarding in Faith Communities which aims to increase awareness of issues relating to safeguarding within faith settings and to provide an opportunity for faith communities to inform safeguarding discourse, share best practice and work together to create safer places.
- From 2018 to 2021 this All Party Parliamentary Group was known as the APPG Safeguarding in Faith Settings