Meeting for Sufferings: IICSA report
'Finding people for roles might be hard, but it was a legal requirement.'
Deputy recording clerk Juliet Prager introduced a session on safeguarding by acknowledging that the subject made people worried, and consequently reluctant to discuss it. It was important to understand that each of us had different experiences, she said, and that the issue could trigger anxiety.
BYM had made three submissions to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, whose report had been published in September. This made specific recommendations for faith organisations on policy, procedures and training. Quakers had acknowledged incomplete record keeping, which was being addressed with a new national database. Quaker Life Central Committee had asked all AMs to consider adopting new model documents, and to send BYM an annual report. Juliet had some important questions for AMs to answer: do you have a safeguarding policy? Do you have a safeguarding officer? And do you have any issues that you need to report?
BYM could be patient with the answers, but it was important that AMs filed their reports – many had not done so, despite being asked three times. There was a national safeguarding officer who could deal with any enquiries.
Responding, one Friend had attended a briefing from the Charity Commiussion on this subject, and had been made aware of the responsibility on all Friends to be alert. Another hoped that AMs would not treat the subject as a box-ticking enterprise, noting that it was possible to rely on a policy that was not fit for purpose. One representative asked about training on the issue, and Juliet said this was being discussed with Woodbrooke.
A further Friend talked about being involved in a bad case, involving several people in her Meeting. Quakers felt they should support the offender, she said, and she had been excluded from the process. Friends needed to make sure they didn’t forget what was important.
Another worried about finding people to take on safeguarding roles when Meetings were small. Juliet suggested that smaller AMs consider approaching neighbouring ones for help. Finding people for roles might be hard, but it was a legal requirement. There are experienced people out there, she said. ‘It shouldn’t be so daunting that we don’t do it.’
