Safeguarding is a priority focus says Bishop Peter

Bishop Peter Collins has recorded a safeguarding message in which he declares: “A personal and collective commitment to ensuring that the highest standards are maintained regarding adherence to national safeguarding policies and procedures.”

Here is the text of the video, which you can view below:

I am Bishop Peter Collins. I was appointed by Pope Francis as the fifth Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of East Anglia in the autumn of 2022.

The Diocese of East Anglia is committed to ensuring that the arena of safeguarding is a priority focus.

Early in 2023, the diocese volunteered to be the subject of a pilot baseline audit report conducted by the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency.

The final report, delivered in the autumn of 2023, graded the diocese as providing ‘comprehensive assurance’.

Such a finding is built upon the outstanding contribution of so many people who are dedicated to ensuring that our children and vulnerable adults are guarded and cared for in accordance with the highest standards for safeguarding.

As they strive to exercise their duty of care in service to parishioners and to the wider community, our network of clergy and parish safeguarding representatives has been well supported by our professional safeguarding team.

No form of abuse will be tolerated by diocesan authorities and I offer my assurance that the diocese will continue to work with all relevant civil authorities to ensure that best practice is followed, and that all cases will be addressed in accordance with civil and canonical legal processes.

I have been directly involved in the evolution of the church’s safeguarding work since 1994. We have come a long way over the past thirty years, however, there is never any place for complacency in the arena of safeguarding.

As bishop of the Diocese of East Anglia, I declare a personal and collective commitment to ensuring that the highest standards are maintained regarding adherence to national safeguarding policies and procedures.

I wish to offer all victims and survivors the assurance that they are at the heart of our prayers. If anyone has a concern regarding safeguarding matters that involve the Diocese of East Anglia, I urge them to contact the diocesan safeguarding coordinator, whose details are available on our website.

We are all children of God. In obedience to Christ, we are duty bound to protect and defend the value and dignity of every human person. Applying this duty to those who are most vulnerable must be forever our greatest concern, our greatest work.

See the video below or click here: https://youtu.be/87tBwukqaDc

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