Past Cases Review 2
The Past Cases Review 2 (PCR2) is the most comprehensive safeguarding review our diocese has ever carried out. We asked reviewers who were independent of our diocese and the Church to sift through decades of paperwork to help us to deal appropriately with any outstanding safeguarding concerns from previous years.
The comprehensive review of every single personnel file held by the diocese took place from April 2021 until March 2022 – as part of a national project undertaken by the whole Church of England. It was called ‘Past Cases Review 2’ (known as PCR2), as a similar exercise took place in 2007-09.
The independent reviewers were given access to every single past and current personnel file held by the diocese, digital and physical. That meant examining thousands of items of paperwork about clergy, ministers, church officers, paid staff and volunteers working in all C of E churches across south-east Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
They also met, wrote to, or spoke to some survivors to ask them about their experiences, and to check if they were happy with the diocese’s response – both at the time and since.
And – although this was outside the official scope of the project – they also examined the files of clergy, minsters, staff and church officers who are now deceased. This meant looking at all personnel files that exist, dating back to the creation of our diocese in 1927.
As the independent reviewers discovered any concern that had not been handled appropriately, they raised a specific report about that case, including recommendations for further action. This could range from filing paperwork correctly or updating records, through to liaising with police or statutory agencies regarding potential risk. In any case where urgent action was needed to minimise any potential risk to children or vulnerable adults, that action was taken as soon as possible
The review is now complete and the full report has been handed over to the Church of England's National Safeguarding Team. It has also been given to our Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel (DSAP), which will monitor the implementation of the report's recommendations.
You can read more about our Past Cases Review 2 (PCR2) review here:
- The executive summary of the PCR2 report for our diocese, published on October 5;
- Our news story on this significant milestone in our safeguarding practice;
- The Church of England's national PCR2 report, which collates recommendations from each diocese and national church institutions;
- The Church of England's national press release about PCR2;
- Some frequently-asked questions about the PCR2 process.
In parallel with the PCR2 process was the creation of a survivor strategy, which seeks to make clear our commitment to listening to survivors of abuse and learning from their experiences. This is a living document, which will continue to be updated. You can read the current version of our survivor strategy document here.
If you have any questions about PCR2, or need any advice, please contact our diocesan safeguarding team, or for more information and/or guidance you can visit the Church of England website here.
If you would like to report safeguarding concerns, please fill in our safeguarding reporting form, which you can find here. If you have information about a safeguarding situation where a child or adult is in immediate danger, or requires immediate attention, call emergency services on 999.
