As Abbot of Ampleforth, I am committed to promoting the highest standards of safeguarding of children and adults at risk.
I take this opportunity to offer my sincere and heartfelt apology to anyone who suffered abuse while in the care of our schools, parishes, or other ministries.
We are deeply sorry, and we seek to ensure that this could never happen again. Feeling the pain and trauma that our past failures have caused has galvanised us to put into place safeguarding policies and protocols that put children and adults at risk at the very centre of what we do and the decisions we make. This includes a formal commitment to reporting of any suspected or actual case of abuse to statutory agencies as if mandatory reporting were in place.
We have worked hard, with the help and guidance of many professionals, on the process of creating a positive safeguarding culture, firstly because what happened was wrong and should never have happened, but secondly because safeguarding is at the core of our faith as Christians and our mission as monks. We are committed to continually looking for new opportunities to improve and embed a culture of committed leadership, vigilance, curiosity, care and kindness.
Abbot of Ampleforth