Past Cases Review 10 years on: culture change in the Methodist Church

By the Revd Michaela Youngson. Assistant Secretary of the Conference and Co-Chair of the Anglican/Methodist Safeguarding Group.

Ten years ago the report, ‘Courage, Cost and Hope’, was presented to the Methodist Conference. It reported on the independent Past Cases Review which had considered all safeguarding cases for which there were written records and those recalled from memory by ministers and members of the Church going back to 1950.

Ten themes and twenty three recommendations emerged from the Review and, as was stated at the time, the most challenging lesson to be learned was that the Church needed to set out on a journey of culture change.

Many aspects of the Church’s life demonstrate that change has happened, continues to happen and, sadly in some cases, still needs to happen.

Putting survivors at the centre of our processes is a key principle in the way we now work. Training in Foundation and Advanced Level Safeguarding has been undertaken by office holders and those in leadership roles across the life of the Church.

Safeguarding is now an item on agendas, highlighted on risk assessments when planning events, and is an everyday part of the life of the Church. Clear signposting as to where to report concerns and the employment of Officers for Safeguarding across the Connexion has made a difference to the ease in which people can raise concerns and be supported.

All ministers and those in roles that involve pastoral work on behalf of the Church are now required to receive reflective supervision. Hundreds of people have been trained as supervisors and I know, from my own experience as both a supervisor and supervisee, what a difference it makes to my own practice as a minister to have those spaces of listening, reflection and accountability.

Among the changes that continue to be rolled out across the life of the Church, the Methodist Conference has recently made changes to how complaints are dealt with. The principles that underpin those changes are built upon the culture-changing themes of the PCR.

It is hoped that the new way of working will enable safe and timely handling of complaints and concerns, which pays careful attention to the needs of all involved.

The Complaints and Safeguarding processes are now designed to work together to reduce the number of times a person might need to tell their story and through regular Complaints and Safeguarding Strategy Meetings case management and information sharing reduces the risk of matters being missed or getting stuck, as well as allowing mutual support for those undertaking such sensitive work.

I’m grateful that the Methodist Church was courageous enough to do this work and also to those who were courageous enough to share their stories in the PCR. I recognise the costly nature of this work for all who are involved in making our Church a safer space for all and I continue to hope that God’s love might be shown in how we all care for one another.