The Strategic Council for Catholic Safeguarding (SCCS) was formed with representatives from Dioceses and Religious Life Groups.
Safeguarding in the Church is the commitment to create safe, respectful, and protective environments where all who have contact with the Church are safe from harm, and where all people are treated with dignity and care.
It is more than just responding to concerns: safeguarding is a culture, a way of being Church that reflects the Gospel values of love, justice, and respect for every person.
To ‘care for the other as a person for whom God has made us responsible’ is at the heart of the Church’s responsibility to safeguard all the people she encounters in the exercise of her mission, particularly those who are most at risk of abuse or exploitation in any form.
The Strategic Council for Catholic Safeguarding (SCCS) exists to ensure a One Church, One Voice approach to safeguarding across the Catholic Church in England and Wales.
The SCCS provides a strategic framework that strengthens safeguarding arrangements across the Catholic Church. Our mission is to ensure coherence, consistency, and accountability in safeguarding practice, guided by national standards and continuous learning.
Our role is to:
We are committed to serving:
The Council comprises experienced safeguarding leaders, senior Church representatives, lay experts, and individuals with specialist knowledge in statutory safeguarding, regulation, governance, and survivor engagement.
The Council:
To deliver its remit, the Strategic Council for Catholic Safeguarding may connect with several advisory groups across the Church, including those who focus on:
Do you have a question? Please use our Contact Us form.
In 2001, Lord Michael Nolan was commissioned by the then Archbishop of Westminster to conduct an independent review into safeguarding in the Catholic Church. This timeline starts at this point and continues to the present day.
This simple diagram (organogram) shows how the Strategic Council for Catholic Safeguarding (SCCS) fits with regard to other Church safeguarding organisations and the independent auditor.
Some of the questions we are commonly asked with regard to safeguarding. You can use our 'Contact Us' page should you need further information.
Organisations related to the Church in England and Wales, affiliates, partners and service providers.
