Black church leaders support call for tougher child protection measures

Black church leaders have come out in support of a call being made by the Churches Child Protection Advisory Service (CCPAS) asking the Government to ensure that ministers of religion are included in the list of individuals who must register with the Independent Safeguard Authority (ISA).

CCPAS also wants all pastors to receive safeguarding training and all churches to have child protection procedures put in place.

The group made the call following a meeting of black majority church leaders, NGOs and child protection professionals facilitated by the Evangelical Alliance and Churches Together in England.

The emergency meeting was held to address a recent episode of Channel 4’s Dispatches programme which looked at the physical abuse of children at some rogue African churches in the UK who believe them to be witches or demon-possessed.

Since “Britain’s Witch Children” aired on July 26, the Evangelical Alliance and CTE have issued a joint statement condemning the abuse of children by churches, particularly where those children had been deemed to be witches.

The Evangelical Alliance and CTE, which represent thousands of churches, including many African churches, both insist that the “vast majority” of African churches in the UK do not subscribe to such practices.

Steve Clifford, General Director of the Evangelical Alliance, said he remained disappointed that the Dispatches episode “implied such abusive behaviour is being committed by more than a very small minority”.

He said: “We are taking every step within our power to ensure exploitative practices conducted by a small minority of unaffiliated pastors are entirely stamped out and a higher expectation of accountability is firmly established.”

Dr Joe Aldred, Secretary of Minority Ethnic Christian Affairs for Churches Together in England, said the CCPAS had made huge strides in training around 5,000 African church leaders in child protection.

He admitted, however, that more needed to be done to ensure the safety of children in churches.

“In light of recent evidence shown in Dispatches we jointly re-affirm our wholehearted commitment to ensure excellent child protection standards are upheld within all UK churches,” he said.

“This should be delivered in the form of increased education and registration at the ISA and all other appropriate regulatory and ecumenical agencies.”

The Evangelical Alliance and CTE are to send a letter to thousands of churches reminding them of child protection policies implemented by the Alliance and CCPAS, and the need to have child protection procedures in place.

The letter will also call on churches to operate a “zero-tolerance” policy towards church leaders or members they suspect of abusing children.

The organisations stated: “It will reassure recipients that none of the churches or pastors featured in Dispatches is a member of the Alliance or CTE.”