In safeguarding matters, parishes are the responsibility of the local diocesan bishop. Safeguarding policy and practice in all parishes are the remit of the local diocesan safeguarding committee.
The Jesuit Safeguarding commission will work in partnership with the diocesan committee, guided by the CSSA protocol when agreeing who has the lead responsibility, in the functions of the respective safeguarding commissions, in particular by:
1. The promotion of a culture of safeguarding in all Jesuit run parishes.
2. Making training available to parish staff.
3. Ensure that DBS and PVG checks are kept up-to-date.
4. Auditing the application of safeguarding requirements required by diocesan committee.
5. Cooperating with any criminal or canonical investigations.
6. Preparing the ‘preliminary investigation’ and other procedures required by canon law.
In the British Province, eight schools carry the description “Jesuit School”. Each school has its own governance structure, and the governors of each school are responsible for the school’s safeguarding policy and procedures. The governing bodies are required to follow the statutory codes of practice laid down by Parliament: KCSIE (Keeping Children Safe in Education) in England and GIRFEC (Getting It Right for Every Child) in Scotland. The school leadership team and governing bodies are responsible for ensuring that safeguarding policies and guidance are followed, along with advice from the LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) and other statutory services. The Province will only become involved in historical cases of abuse if the matter concerns a member of the Society of Jesus. The schools are inspected by OFSTED (Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills) for the voluntary aided schools, by ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate) for the independent schools in England, and by Education Scotland for the independent schools in Scotland.
Because the trustee and legal proprietor of Donhead Preparatory School is the Jesuit Provincial, he is ultimately responsible for safeguarding compliance in this school. However, in practice this is delegated to the governing body of the school.
There is at least one Jesuit on each governing body, but this is not laid down in the governing statutes. Having a Jesuit as a governor does not have any bearing on the safeguarding policies and procedures in any school, nor on who is responsibility for safeguarding.
The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency have asked every Religious Life Group to share a public survey inviting survivors to contribute their experiences. The purpose of this public call is to gather information from anyone who has had recent contact with a Diocese or a Religious Life Group (RLG).
This includes experiences that are new or ongoing, as well as those connected to non-recent abuse. While our primary focus is the period from July 2024 onwards, we do not wish to limit what survivors choose to share.
Information regarding this survey can be found here, and if you have any questions, please contact the CSSA Quality Assurance team at qualityassurance@catholicsafeguarding.org.uk