BishopAccountability.org
	Latest UK Safeguarding Report Released Total Catholic June 19, 2008 http://www.totalcatholic.com/tc/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id= 76:latest-uk-safeguarding-report-released&catid=14:uk-and-ireland&Itemid=34 The latest report detailing safeguarding work within the Catholic Church of England and Wales has been released. Highlights in the COPCA Report for 2007 include the fact that the number of parishes with at least one local child protection representative is at its highest point ever at 2,494. In addition, nearly 19,500 further Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks have been made throughout the year to ensure the Church's recruitment procedures are consistent with government guidance and good practice in secular organisations. Archbishop Vincent Nichols, chairman of the COPCA management board, said: "This report presents the detailed evidence of steady and solid work. "Anyone reading it will see how much the Catholic community has achieved over these last six years and will be proud of that achievement." In 2007, returns received for diocesan and religious congregations reported that 46 allegations of abuse (of all types and relating to 44 alleged abusers including volunteers, employees, religious and clergy) were passed on to the police. These cases involved 53 alleged victims. In total, 43 of the 53 alleged victims in the reports of 2007 reported abuse taking place prior to 2007, some as long ago as 60 years previously. This included incidents where the alleged abuser is now deceased. The 10 remaining alleged victims reported abuse occurring in 2007 – seven were allegations of sexual abuse (four by clergy, two by volunteers and one by an employee); two of emotional abuse (one each by a priest and a volunteer) and one of physical abuse by a priest. Archbishop Nichols said that from July 1, responsibility for the safeguarding work would pass to the National Catholic Safeguarding Commission (NCSC), which has been established following the review led by Baroness Cumberlege and its report Safeguarding with Confidence – Keeping Children and Vulnerable Adults Safe in the Catholic Church. The recommendations of this review build on the work of child protection in parishes, dioceses and nationally in the activities of COPCA. "The central office is to be known as the Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service with its duties duly refined and refocused," Archbishop Nichols added. "The work in parishes and dioceses will also come under the title of safeguarding and gradually the recommendations made in the report will be examined, refined and taken forward."
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