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“Survivors do not experience safeguarding through policies alone. They experience it through people, communication, continuity, clarity…”
(CSSA thematic inspection of survivor engagement, July 2026).

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Are you a victim or survivor of abuse in a Catholic Church setting? If you have lived experience of abuse in this context, could you consider working alongside the CSSA (Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency) to help improve safeguarding standards in the Catholic Church?

As the only Inspectorate of Catholic safeguarding in England and Wales, the CSSA would like to hear more survivor perspectives to help inform, influence and impact its work. Some of this work will involve constructive challenge at a strategic level.

The CSSA is currently looking for new members to join their survivor panel.  You would attend at least four panel meetings a year (usually three online and one in-person), currently led by the CSSA board, alongside a group of maximum ten survivors. There will be opportunities to be involved in other meetings on specific projects. You would be willing to draw on your lived experience of abuse in the Catholic Church to help inform the CSSA's direction and decisions in how it inspects safeguarding standards across religious life groups, dioceses, eparchies and ordinariates.

This is a remunerated role, and out-of-pocket expenses are also paid. The CSSA works work with survivors to help ensure this is a confidential, respectful, safe forum for all.

To apply, please email a document, maximum 2 sides of A4 outlining your interest to Sarah Gleadall, Head of Communications and Survivor Engagement: E: sarah.gleadall@catholicsafeguarding.org.uk. It would be helpful if you could please get this to them by 5pm on Friday 16 October.

For an informal, confidential conversation about the role or a copy of the panel’s Terms of Reference or working agreement please contact Sarah Gleadall. If you would like to speak with another survivor working with us please initially contact Sarah as above.

You can read more about the CSSA's work with survivors, including the board’s commitment here.

If you get in touch, your details will be treated in confidence, and completely without obligation.  Should you express an interest in writing, the CSSA will be in touch by 23 October to explain next steps.
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Notes:

• Should you respond with an expression of interest, there is no requirement to divulge details of your harm by the Catholic Church. But should you do so, it would be treated in strict confidence.
• The CSSA inspects safeguarding standards related to a range of physical, emotional, sexual spiritual abuse or neglect which may have impacted individuals of any age.
• Your harm may have been caused at any point in your life, your perspective on safeguarding is valid.
• You may or may not have direct experiences of safeguarding teams in the Catholic Church. Your perspective is welcome either way.
• Although the CSSA inspects religious life groups, dioceses, eparchies and ordinariates, if you are a survivor of abuse in a different Catholic setting, please do talk to the agency.
• At present, the CSSA is unable to accept members of the panel who are also current members of Catholic clergy. This is because of potential conflict of interest and possible impact for others.  If you are in active ministry and are also a survivor of abuse in the Catholic Church, please do feel free to get in touch about working with the CSSA in other ways. Your views are welcome.