This is the comprehensive audit by independent safeguarding group INEQE of safeguarding practice in the Diocese of Portsmouth and Portsmouth Cathedral. The audit was conducted by means of a survey during the first half of 2025, and a week-long visit in June 2025. The auditors examined 360 documents, analysed 642 anonymous surveys, conducted interviews with 130 people and held six focus groups. 

Their conclusion was: “Portsmouth Diocese has undergone a substantial and positive transformation in its safeguarding culture, establishing a firmly embedded and robust framework. This success is primarily attributed to the diocesan bishop's clear, committed, and effective leadership, which has strategically positioned safeguarding as a core theological concern and gospel imperative.”

This is one of a series of audits of safeguarding across the Church of England that were commissioned by the Archbishops' Council. Read more about it here: https://www.portsmouth.anglican.org/news/2025/09/1...