The Church of England has recently been made aware of a deeply concerning data incident involving the independent Redress Scheme, which is administered by Kennedys Law LLP. This incident has resulted in the unintended disclosure of email addresses belonging to individuals who had registered for updates on the scheme. The Church of England wants to acknowledge the distress and concern this has caused, particularly for survivors who had trusted the scheme to handle their information with care and confidentiality. The Church recognizes that this breach of trust has likely caused significant anxiety and worry for those affected, and they want to assure them that they are taking this incident very seriously.
The Church of England is not the data controller for the Redress Scheme and does not hold or manage the data in question. However, they are deeply concerned about the incident and are in discussions with Kennedys to understand how this breach occurred and to ensure that robust steps are taken to prevent anything similar from happening again. Kennedys has taken full responsibility for the incident and is contacting all those affected directly to apologize and offer support. They have also reported the breach to the Information Commissioner’s Office and are investigating the circumstances thoroughly. The Church of England will continue to monitor the situation closely and support efforts to restore trust and confidence.
For those who have been impacted by this data breach, the Church of England wants to provide support and guidance. If you are in the Diocese of Norwich and have been affected, please do not hesitate to contact the Diocesan safeguarding team at [email protected] or call 01603 882345. Alternatively, you can contact Safe Spaces, a free and independent support service for anyone who has experienced abuse in relation to the Church of England, the Church in Wales, or the Catholic Church of England and Wales. If you would like to talk to someone within the Church of England, please email [email protected]. The Church of England is committed to supporting those who have been affected and to ensuring that their concerns are heard and addressed.
In addition to the data breach involving the Redress Scheme, some Dioceses and parishes have been contacted by APCS about a separate data breach. APCS has a processing arrangement with some Church of England parishes, dioceses, and other organizations across the country to process DBS checks. However, the Diocese of Norwich does not use APCS for DBS checks and has not been affected by this data breach. If your parish receives an email from APCS, please get in touch with [email protected] or call 01603 880853 immediately. The Church of England wants to assure its members that they are taking all necessary steps to protect their personal data and to prevent any further breaches.
The Church of England understands that data breaches can be a cause of significant concern and anxiety, particularly for those who have already experienced trauma or abuse. That is why they are committed to being transparent and open about what has happened and to taking all necessary steps to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. The Church of England values the trust that its members have placed in it and is committed to upholding the highest standards of data protection and confidentiality. If you have any questions or concerns about the data breach, please do not hesitate to contact Kennedys Data Protection Officer at [email protected].
In conclusion, the Church of England wants to apologize again for the distress and concern caused by the data breach involving the Redress Scheme. They recognize that this incident has likely caused significant anxiety and worry for those affected and want to assure them that they are taking this incident very seriously. The Church of England is committed to supporting those who have been affected and to ensuring that their concerns are heard and addressed. They will continue to monitor the situation closely and support efforts to restore trust and confidence. If you have been impacted by this data breach, please do not hesitate to contact the Church of England or one of the support services mentioned above. The Church of England is here to support you and to ensure that your personal data is protected and respected.
