Recommendation 31: DBS and training compliance for Church officers
From The Anglican Church Case Studies Investigation Report, published 9 May 2019.
Recommendation
Individuals engaged in regulated activity who have failed to undergo a DBS check or complete compulsory training should not be permitted to hold voluntary offices within the Church. Failure by ordained clergy to comply with either requirement should result in disciplinary proceedings.
In brief (written by this site)
The recommendation calls for barring untrained or unvetted volunteers and disciplining noncompliant clergy. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, summarising a June 2019 response from the Church of England on a web page archived in August 2023, reported that its National Safeguarding Team would review guidance by December 2019 (The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, Aug 2023). In that August 2023 account, it noted that the review of the Parish Safeguarding Handbook was intended to ensure that the position was reflected (The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, Aug 2023).
Sources
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 19 Oct 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
No government response to this recommendation is on the record yet.
Delivery
No statement on delivery from Church of England has been found in the sources searched (last checked 2 October 2026). This is separate from the response above.
What other bodies have found
In their own words. These do not change the delivery statement above.
Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (2 August 2023)
On 27 June 2019, the Church of England stated that the National Safeguarding Team would review the Parish Safeguarding Handbook and key pieces of guidance by the end of December 2019 to ensure that this position is reflected clearly.
From: Recommendations - Anglican Church Case Studies: Chichester/Peter Ball investigation report
Site note: These are the Inquiry's own words, from its recommendations page for the Anglican Church Case Studies investigation report, captured by the Internet Archive on 2 August 2023. They are the Inquiry's account of what the body told it, not the body's own words.
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse
Finding