The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency finds that the Archdiocese of Southwark is Exceeding Expectations in Safeguarding
The Archdiocese of Southwark welcomes the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency's (CSSA) Inspection Report. We are grateful to the CSSA for the thoroughness and professionalism of their inspection.
We are pleased that the report finds the Archdiocese is Exceeding Expectations overall, with six of the eight standards achieving this rating and one, Standard 3, awarded Substantial Assurance.
In recent years, we have fundamentally transformed our approach to safeguarding. We have built a highly experienced, professionally qualified Safeguarding Team, embedded a zero-tolerance culture across all parishes and ministries, and ensured that the voices of those harmed by abuse are always heard and acted upon with compassion.
As part of our commitment to transparency and continuous improvement, Southwark volunteered to be the first diocese to be audited under the CSSA's baseline programme in 2023, and was again the first to be inspected under their new, more stringent Maturity Matrix in 2025. We believe accountability and commitment to excellence require us to be open to improvement and challenge, which is why we have always chosen to lead rather than wait.
We will implement the report's recommendations in full and within the timescales set out. We will continue to pursue excellence so that every parish, ministry and community in the Archdiocese is a place of safety and welcome for all, especially the most vulnerable.
The report is available to read on the CSSA website.