Downside: regulatory compliance case conclusions
Published 28 November 2019
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The Charity Commission has approved the creation of a new charity to run Downside school, separately to the abbey which will continue as Downside Abbey General Trust.
In light of a report by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) into appalling historic abuse at the charity, which ran a school and abbey, the Commission has overseen its separation into two separate charities, the Downside Abbey General Trust and Downside School.
The report, published by IICSA on 9 August 2018, highlighted the evidence heard by the inquiry of appalling sexual abuse, inflicted over decades, on children as young as 11 at Downside school and abbey.
It concluded that there was a culture of acceptance of abusive behaviour and the prioritisation of monks and their reputations over the protection of children.
The report made a number of recommendations for the charity including the separation of the school and abbey to ensure safeguarding policies and practices could be implemented and maintained for the school, and that safeguarding arrangements were always free from the conflicting priorities of the abbey.
Following the report, the Charity Commission engaged with Downside Abbey General Trust to ensure the recommendations were carried out.
On the release of the report, the Commission held an initial meeting with the charity and agreed on a number of immediate actions including:
- the separation of the school and abbey
- a review of the charity’s log of safeguarding cases
- engagement with the local authority officer for safeguarding, to make sure that they were satisfied with the charity’s reporting of safeguarding incidents
A further, more in-depth fact-finding visit to the charity was then conducted by the Commission. The charity explained the safeguarding improvements that had been made so far and plans for the future. They confirmed all criticisms raised in the report would be taken seriously. The Commission sought verification of all information provided by the charity and identified no further concerns.
The separation of Downside Abbey General Trust was completed on 11 September 2019, and Downside School, a new charity was created to run the school, which came into operation on 12 September 2019.
Tracy Howarth, Head of Regulatory Compliance, said:
The abuse, and subsequent culture of cover-up at Downside was appalling, and so far removed from what charities exist for. It’s right that the history of this charity has been exposed.
The creation of two separate charities is part of a number of measures Downside have made in the interests of strengthening their safeguarding measures. We expect the trustees of both charities to make safeguarding an absolute and unwavering governance commitment and ensure the lessons from their past are never forgotten.
Ends
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