[Church Times by Madeleine Davies and Gavin Drake and Ed Thornton]The General Synod has apologised for the failure of the Church of England's systems to protect children, young people, and vulnerable adults from physical and sexual abuse, and to listen properly to those abused. The apology has been received as potentially "meaningless" by a group of abuse survivors.

On Sunday afternoon, members of the Synod voted unanimously in favour of a motion endorsing the "unreserved" apology written by the Archbishops, and inviting the Business Committee to draft legislation toughening up the Church's safeguarding procedures.

Before introducing the motion, the Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham, the Rt Revd Paul Butler (above), who co-chairs the Safeguarding Liaison Group, read out a statement from the Stop Church Child Abuse Group, some of whose members were present in the public gallery. The statement criticised the Church for not permitting survivors to "speak for themselves" and for failing to consult survivors on the motion. It suggested that an apology made "without the costly engagement of reaching out to the victims" was "meaningless". It questioned whether the apology was the "first step to something more" or "a game… to present a Church responsive to its past failings… until the next time". It called for an independent public inquiry.

The full article can be found here