Last updated 8th October 2024

PCR2-Updates

Further updates on Past Cases Review 2 will be placed here and in the meantime you can see previous updates from during the Review period itself here. 

Past Cases Review 2, including Executive Summary

In 2019, the National Safeguarding Team of the Church of England asked all 42 Dioceses, including the Diocese of Blackburn, to undertake 'Past Cases Review 2' (which became known as PCR2).

• For an FAQ giving background to PCR2 click here. 

In fulfilling our responsibilities to PCR2, and in common with all Dioceses, we followed the national guidelines set out in the ‘Protocol and Practice Guidance PCR2’ issued in July 2019 and the process was managed by a PCR2 Reference Group.

Two independent reviewers were commissioned by the diocese to undertake the review. Both were experienced former senior police officers.

In Blackburn Diocese the Review commenced in July 2020 and was completed in January 2021. Over this period the country was in the midst of the Covid-19 outbreak. The pandemic, and especially the related series of lockdowns, affected the timescale for completion.

Our final report was submitted in May 2021 and since then other Diocese have also completed their final reports. As of October 5, 2022 all local Diocesan summary reports alongside a collated national report have been published. 

• The PCR2 Executive Summary (including a link to our Survivor Care Strategy) for our Diocese is available here. 
• A statement from Acting Diocesan Bishop, Rt Rev. Philip North following the release of the national and local reports is available on our website here. 
• This page on the Church of England national website features the national PCR2 report and these are the related statements in response to the national report from the Archbishops, Lead Bishop on safeguarding and a key survivor representative. 

Finding support

If you or anyone you are in contact with are affected by the publication of this report and want to talk to someone independently please call the Safe Spaces helpline on 0300 303 1056 or visit www.safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk

Alternatively, you may wish to contact our diocesan safeguarding team on safeguarding@blackburn.anglican.org or nationally at safeguarding@churchofengland.org

There are also other support services available here. 

Check back for further updates on this page in due course and there will be prompts to do so in future editions of the Parish Update ebulletin which is sent to all clergy, LLMs, ALMs, treasures, churchwardens and other parish officers every two weeks.

If you don't already receive Parish Update you can subscribe via this page, which also contains a check box to subscribe to the Safeguardfing Matters ebulletins issued every quarter.