The Church of England General Synod has approved ongoing work to introduce a national redress scheme for victims and survivors of Church-related abuse.
Synod members considered a draft of the Redress Scheme on Tuesday and cleared the way for the proposals to move to the revision stage, which will take into consideration their feedback.
A written update will be made at the next meeting of Synod in February 2024. It is expected that rules for the scheme's implementation and the revised Measure will be brought back before Synod at the July group of sessions next year. This will then be followed by final drafting and final approval stages.
In June it was announced that £150m in funding was being allocated for the scheme by the Church Commissioners' board.
The Church of England said Tuesday's vote was "a tangible way of saying sorry to victims and survivors for past failings in safeguarding".
The Bishop of Winchester and chair of the Redress Project Board, Philip Mounstephen, said, "I hope we will continue to work constructively across Synod and the wider church – and, crucially, with survivors, to put in place a Redress Scheme that is robust, fit for purpose and, above all else, provides survivors of Church-based abuse with the redress they most certainly deserve."
