1. Reporting serious incidents to the Charity Commission
Briefing for Parishes

2. Some starting points Housekeeping

3. Purpose of briefing
To give an overview of the new House of Bishops approved guidance on the reporting of serious incidents to the Charity Commission (CC)
To ensure that trustees are aware of their responsibilities in light of the new guidance
To provide an opportunity for trustees or those acting on their behalf, to ask questions regarding implementation of the new guidance

4. Why do the Charity Commission require trustees to report serious incidents?
Trustees are held responsible for compliance with the law and the CC guidance in relation to their charity
Serious incident reporting and an explanation of how they are being dealt with is a trustee responsibility
The role of the CC is regulatory and limited to scrutinising the conduct of the charity and its trustees, and the steps they are taking to protect the charity, its beneficiaries, assets, reputation and services

5. Reporting serious incidents to the Charity Commission (i)
2014 CC Guidance
Updated September 2017 & October 2018
Compulsory to make a declaration in CC annual return that there are no serious incidents that should have been reported but which have not been
It is an offence under section 60 of the Charities Act to provide false or misleading information to the CC

6. Reporting serious incidents to the Charity Commission (ii)
Early 2018 – series of serious incident charity scandals in the media
CC internal audit:
- only 1.5% of charities had reported a serious incident
(ie believed to be underreporting)
- many reports late and did not include sufficient information to satisfy CC that trustees were acting properly
Concern about non-reporting…

7. New Church of England guidance and templates
To make it easier to comply with existing reporting obligations by providing relevant C of E guidance on what is and what is not a serious incident, and when and how to report
Separate guidance for safeguarding & non- safeguarding incidents
Approved by the CC
Guidance and templates approved by House of Bishops
NB compliance with House of Bishops approved guidance

8. Who does the CofE guidance apply to?
All PCCs, religious communities and DBFs - whether registered with CC or excepted (ie because annual income is less than £100k)
Contact Finance Adviser re registration queries
[Note that you are not expected to review your files to identify and report Serious Incidents from previous financial years that were not so reported]

9. Why have the new House of Bishops Guidance and changes in reporting requirements been introduced?
Continued concern for churches to be (seen as) a safe environment
Continued concern to safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults in our churches
Continued concern for trustees to understand and fulfil their responsibilities, and to have robust systems in place
Evidence of under-reporting

10. What is a serious incident?
An incident is a Serious Incident if it results in, or risks significant financial loss to a charity, damage to a charity’s property, or harm to a charity’s work, beneficiaries or to its reputation

11. What is a safeguarding serious incident?
An adverse event, whether actual or alleged, which results in or risks significant harm to the charity’s beneficiaries, employees, office holders, volunteers or to others who come into contact with the charity through its work, loss of the charity’s money or assets, damage to the charity’s property or harm to the charity’s work or reputation.
‘Significant’ is for the trustees to determine, depending upon context, operations, staff, finance and reputation

12. Serious Incidents (i) Fraud Cyber crime Theft
Significant financial loss
Data protection breach
Link to terrorism or extremism
Unverifiable or suspicious donations
Trustees disqualified from acting as a trustee
Charity subject to an investigation by the police, agency or regulator

13. Serious Incidents (ii)
Major governance event renders charity unable to operate eg mass resignations
Insolvency
Incidents involving partner charities/organisations that materially affect a charity, its reputation, staff, finances or operations etc
Safeguarding *
Protecting people (HR issues) *
* changes in reporting these

14. Reporting Serious Incidents: what and who
Safeguarding
(incl Protecting People)
Non-Safeguarding
Non-
serious
Not reported to the CC
Reported to the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) by the CSO/incumbent within 24hrs for ongoing management/advice
Managed by the PCC with diocesan advice as required
Serious
Diocese report to CC (subject to delegation)
Reported to the DSA by the CSO/incumbent within 24hrs for ongoing management/advice
PCC reports to CC

15. Reporting Non-Safeguarding Serious Incidents
No changes to how these are reported
PCC report as previously to the CC
Responsibility rests with PCC trustees but can be delegated
See guidance at
Any questions to Finance Advisors

16. Reporting Safeguarding Serious Incidents (including Protecting People)
Delegating the authority:
At next PCC meeting, delegation of reporting authority for safeguarding serious incidents to the General Secretary of the LDF
Using the delegation form (for LDF template see
Send completed delegation forms to

17. Reporting Safeguarding Serious Incidents (including Protecting People)
Once authority has been delegated:
PCC (usually the Safeguarding Officer) reports to Diocese (call Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor or by
Diocesan advisors assist PCC with appropriate next steps
See handouts - examples to assist with navigating

18. Safeguarding serious incidents: DBFs reporting on behalf of PCCs – what happens next?
Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (or the HR Manager) prepares Serious Incident Reports in consultation with the trustees
Dovetails with the management of serious safeguarding incidents – the PCC must inform the DSA who then manages the incident for the PCC
Aim to improve quality and quantity of reporting – DSA best placed to prepare the report
Requirement for LDF to report to CC only triggered by the PCC informing the DSA
The Director of HR and Safeguarding (on behalf of the General Secretary) submits Serious Incident Reports for PCCs in line with the standard delegation by the PCCs trustees
Reporting also to the national safeguarding team

19. Next steps – how are the Diocese of London managing implementation
National guidance in place from 1 January 2019
Engagement and communication to support understanding of the changes
Set up new systems at Diocesan House to manage and monitor reporting and its impact
Implementation from June 2019
January – June 2019 use this guidance
Registered charities – declaration in annual return to the CC for last financial year
Excepted PCCs - from start of this financial year
Guidance available on our website
Further help available…

20. Where do I start with this?
Speak with key people - what is the best way to discuss this at your PCC?
What are the concerns likely to be? How can you prepare?
How will arrangements work best in your parish? Which PCC members will need to know about any SIs?
Once the PCC agree the delegation – complete it and send it to:

21. Further help available
incident-reporting/ (CofE)
ing-serious-incidents/
Diocesan Safeguarding Advisers
Diocesan HR Advisers
Area Finance Advisers

22. Any questions ?