Church of England’s General Synod approves motion to strengthen safeguarding

At the core of the reforms set out in GS2429 is the creation of a new national safeguarding charity. This organization will operate independently of church hierarchy, governed by a majority-independent board.

In a move to ensure greater independence of professional safeguarding decisions, the charity’s lead safeguarding professional will oversee “protected” operational powers. This will ensure that day-to-day safeguarding decisions remain entirely independent of church leadership.

The reforms are being driven by the Safeguarding Structures Program Board, led by independent Executive Chair Dame Christine Ryan. Ryan, a specialist in regulation and governance, was appointed in October 2025 to provide the external rigor necessary to deliver the changes.

The Rt. Rev. Joanne Grenfell, the Church of England’s lead bishop for safeguarding, said, “This is a significant day for the church. What has been agreed is a single, unified system that brings independence and scrutiny together. This is needed to rebuild trust. It will deliver consistency of practice at every level of the church – from parish to palace. I am grateful for Dame Christine Ryan’s clear-eyed perspective; the work to turn this vision into reality begins now.”

Ryan said, “I am pleased that Synod has today agreed to the strategic vision we have outlined. It builds on existing expertise, while inviting the external scrutiny and rigor that will make the church a safer place. It is the pragmatic and sensible solution that will remove complexity and deliver much-needed change, strengthening and restoring trust in church safeguarding.”

The Safeguarding Structures Program will now begin its detailed design phase, with extensive stakeholder consultation scheduled for Spring 2026, with operational changes introduced as early as the end of this year.