Victim/survivor members for Makin Recommendations Task and Finish Group

Introduction

Victim/survivor members for Makin Recommendations Task and Finish Group 

The National Safeguarding Team is looking for five people with lived experience of abuse to advise the Church of England on its response to the recommendations made in the Makin Report. We would especially value advice from victims and survivors of the abuse committed by John Smyth. These are volunteer roles; victims and survivors’ time will be honoured and any reasonable expenses will be covered in line with the National Safeguarding Team’s Survivor Participation expenses and honorarium policy. 

About the role 

On 7 November 2024, the Church of England published a report authored by Keith Makin, which presented the conclusions of his review into the Church’s handling of allegations of serious abuse by John Smyth. The report concluded that “the Church must learn lessons from the organisational and institutional failings detailed in this Review,” and made 27 specific recommendations for the Church of England. 

The Makin Recommendations Task and Finish Group is a newly established group, which will advise the Church of England how to respond to the Makin Review’s recommendations, translating recommendations into actions. 

We want to include up to five victims/survivors of abuse within this group, alongside external safeguarding experts and some Church officers. We believe that including victims/survivors of abuse in this group is the only way we can be sure that the Church is taking the right actions. 

This is a voluntary role. Reasonable travel and other expenses will be covered, and an honorarium will be offered for the time and commitment to the group and its activities, in accordance with the Survivor Participation expenses and honorarium policy. The role will require approximately 30 hours over a 12 month period.

Further information 

There is a role description attached to this advert, which explains in more detail what we are looking for. We also attach draft terms of reference for the Makin Recommendations Task and Finish Group, which explains how the group will work and what its membership will be.  

If you have any questions about this role, please write to Alastair Hale at makinrecommendations@churchofengland.org.  

We will be seeking expressions of interest in this role until 4pm on Thursday 24 April. Follow-up conversations with candidates will take place on 30 April and 1 May. The first meeting of the Task and Finish Group will take place on Friday 9 May. Specific timings will be agreed with the members joining the group.