What happens after I make a claim to the Anglican Church Ministry?

The Registrar will investigate your complaint

Making a claim can bring up a range of emotions. We have some suggestions on help and support you can access for this process. 

After you have made a complaint, the Registrar will investigate your complaint and may contact you with questions.

When the Registrar of the Ministry Standards Commission receives your complaint, they will tell the alleged abuser about your complaint (if that person is still alive). They may give them your name, but they will not give them your contact details.

If you have been affected by issues raised on this page, please find out what support and help is available to you.

The Registrar will provide a report to the Bishop or Archbishop of the diocese

When they have finished their investigation they will report their findings, usually within 30 days of receiving your complaint or claim. The report will include what actions the Registrar thinks should be taken.

The Bishop or Archbishop of the diocese responsible, will receive the report and must follow the recommended action.  

You will then be told what action will be taken.

With complaints about abuse there will be a tribunal hearing

With a serious misconduct complaint such as abuse the recommended action will include a tribunal hearing.

You will be asked to attend and you may be asked to give evidence. You can bring a support person and/or a legal representative with you. You may also want to access additional wellbeing help and support.  

You can also ask for an interpreter or other help with communication at the hearing.

The abuser may also be at the hearing and give evidence. This may be upsetting and traumatising, so you may want to access wellbeing help and support.  

After the hearing, the Tribunal will decide whether to accept your complaint. If they accept your complaint, they will tell the Bishop or Archbishop what action they must take.

What is offered as redress is different depending on the diocese or affiliated organisation

Unfortunately, the Ministry Standards Commission approach complaints and claims as a disciplinary process. This means that they focus on disciplining the abuser rather than making things right for the survivor (redress).  

They do not currently have a national policy around redress.  

Before 2020 (when the Anglican Church changed their complaints process so that they would be handed by a Registrar), what forms of redress were offered depended on the diocese or affiliated organisation.

However, unfortunately we have no information about whether redress is offered since 2020, or in what forms.