About the Independent Safeguarding Audits
In August 2023 INEQE Safeguarding Group was appointed by the Archbishops’ Council to carry out the next round of independent external audits of Church of England dioceses and cathedrals. The purpose of these audits is to make sure dioceses cathedrals and palaces are doing all they can to create environments where everyone feels safe, valued and respected.
The Independent Audit programme will run for 5 years from 2023 to 2028, with Audits commencing in January 2024. Audits will be carried out in the diocese and cathedral at the same time (previously this was done separately).
To ensure the most productive use of time, INEQE’s approach during the independent Safeguarding Audits will be to analyse all available information in advance of site visits.
This information will be collected using INEQE’s 360° Online Safeguarding Audit Tool.
Each Church body, with the exception of those being audited in early 2024, will receive their briefing pack, which will include INEQE’s 360° Safeguarding Audit Tool, at a minimum of three months in advance of their audit site visit.
Find Your Surveys
Click on the button below to visit the page that is relevant to your region. Each page contains the links to your surveys, the privacy notice for the Safeguarding Audit, a form by which you can contact the Audit Team and signposting to support if you need someone to talk to.
Contact the Safeguarding Audit Team
Any individuals who wish to contact the Audit team can do so using the audit’s confidential contact form below.
Submissions via the confidential contact form are received by the Independent Safeguarding Audit team at INEQE Safeguarding Group. Please note: these submissions are not monitored 24/7.
Meet the Independent Audit Review Team
Click their names for more information




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Further Support
Trauma Informed Practice
INEQE take a trauma-informed approach to ensure that the voice of victims and survivors is heard at all levels and measures are adopted to support them at all times before, during and after their engagement with the audit team.
Methods adopted to achieve a positive outcome for victims and survivors include providing choices to participants as to how they can engage with the Audit Team. Whether they feel more comfortable to engage via face-to-face discussions, share their experience via a confidential survey or confidential contact form or if they prefer to speak via an online video call, INEQE will gather their accounts in the method which provides them choice and empowerment.
Immediate Risks
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, it is important that you quickly get the right help – call the police on 999.