"Overzealous’ Church Vets 58,000 Workers in a Year
By Graeme Paton
Volunteer bell ringers, florists and organists risk being pushed out the Church of England because of a regime of “overzealous” criminal record checks, the Archbishop of Canterbury has been warned. Figures obtained through the Freedom of Information Act show that at least 58,000 people have been vetted by the Church in the last 12 months alone before being allowed to work in parishes or take back office roles. More than 80 per cent of the checks carried out by individual dioceses were on volunteers, it emerged. In many cases, vetting procedures are used in relation to adults working with children in Sunday schools and church creches – a target of the government’s Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). But research also found that large numbers of volunteers with positions including organists, choir members, bell ringers, altar servers, welcome stewards and tour guides had also been subjected to criminal record checks. Related Articles Cathedral flower ladies quitting over criminal record checks 12 Dec 2010 Archbishop: Volunteers who refuse CRB checks not welcome 24 Jul 2013 Archbishop of Canterbury warns of 'lynch mob' against bankers 22 Jul 2013 Parents 'treated like felons on remand' by school CRB checks 24 Feb 2013 Welby appoints ‘right-hand bishop’ as Lambeth Palace shake-up begins 25 Jun 2013 Justin Welby is elevating women in his Christian narrative 03 Apr 2013 It comes after the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, said earlier this year that the Church was being “utterly ruthless” in its approach to criminal record checks even though cases of abuse are “negligible”. The Archbishop said that volunteers refusing checks will be told: “You can’t come to church”. But campaigners warned that blanket checks were unnecessary would “breed suspicion and make long-time volunteers feel that they are not welcome”. It was also claimed that the move creates a “false feeling of security” and does little to weed out child abuse. The comments were made despite Government reforms designed to stop institutions such as schools, charities and churches imposing cumbersome vetting procedures. The Coalition pledged to scale back Labour’s “vetting and barring scheme” – introduced in the wake of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2002 – amid concerns the process had spiralled out of control. As part of the new service founded in late 2012, only those in sensitive posts with intensive contact with children or vulnerable adults need to undergo criminal record checks. But the Manifesto Club – which campaigns against the regulation of everyday life – said the Church was taking an “overzealous” approach. Josie Appleton, director, who obtained the latest data using FOI legislation, said: "There is simply no need to vet volunteers before they arrange flowers or welcome visitors at the church door. Blanket criminal record checks breed suspicion and make long-time volunteers feel that they are not welcome. “What happened to the Christian values of good will and good faith? General vigilance and adult responsibility would do far more to protect children." But the CofE insisted it would "make no apology for taking action to ensure our systems our as robust as possible". Figures show that 58,422 DBS checks were carried out in 2012/13 by individual dioceses or umbrella Church bodies, although the final figure is likely to be much higher. Some 25 CofE dioceses made 22,235 checks, 80 per cent of which were made on volunteers. Extrapolated for all 42 dioceses, it would have resulted in some 37,000. Of those, 80 per cent were carried out on volunteers, including those working as an organist, choir member, bell ringer, bell tower captain, bell ringing instructor, altar servers, befriender, welcome steward, night shelter worker, bereavement visitor and church tour guide. A further 36,187 checks were made by umbrella bodies, although this includes some organisations representing other Christian denominations. This includes 20,477 made through the Churches Agency for Safeguarding – set up to maintain a “safe environment” for children across a range of Christian churches. In a letter to the Archbishop, Lord Vinson, the Conservative peer, said criminal records checks “are not necessary on volunteers… who do not have an intensive relationship with children and whose contact is minimal”. “I think the Government realised the law was being over-enforced and having a wholly detrimental effect on volunteerism, community spirit and, above all, the nature of trust in our society,” he said. “Like myself, I am sure you regard the undermining of mutual trust as damaging to society’s cohesion – indeed it is the antithesis of Christianity.” A CofE spokesman said: "The Church of England does not tolerate any act of sexual abuse, and rigorously investigates any claims made. "At the meeting of its General Synod in July the Church issued a public apology for past safeguarding wrongs and pledged to further tighten its procedures, working closely with survivor groups. "New legislative proposals will be considered by the Synod in February. Other non-legislative work around training, safeguarding provision and governance is also in hand. "There is no room for complacency on this issue and we make no apology for taking action to ensure our systems our as robust as possible." CASE STUDY Annabel Hayter quit after more than a decade arranging the flowers at Gloucester cathedral after being ordered to undergo a criminal record check. Despite having minimal contact with children, church authorities were concerned that the volunteer and her fellow flower-arrangers – with an average age of around 70 – shared a lavatory with choirboys. The move – in 2010 – led to the resignation of six members of the cathedral’s flower guild. Mrs Hayter said she had been "deeply insulted" by the demands for criminal record checks. Speaking to the Telegraph this week, she said she was shocked by the scale of criminal record checks now being carried out nationally. “I had worked in that cathedral for 15 years – I’d had the clergy to dinner in my house – and I felt it was offensive to be told I’d have to go through a criminal records check,” she said. “It is an imposition that just creates suspicion and changes people’s perceptions of the church.” She added: “A DBS check is only as good as the day it is done as has been proved time and time again. What is required is awareness and vigilance by everyone. “A DBS check gives everyone a false feeling of security and people’s guard is down.”
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