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IICSA published its final Report in October 2022. This website was last updated in January 2023.

IICSA Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

The Roman Catholic Church Investigation Report

Contents

Annex 3: Acronyms

CDF

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

The Roman Congregation with responsibility for passing on the Catholic faith and for exercising disciplinary responsibility for canonical crimes.

CICLSAL

Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life

Congregation responsible for everything that concerns institutes of apostolic life and consecrated life (religious orders and congregations) regarding their government, discipline, studies, goods, rights and privileges. CICLSAL is based at St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

COPCA

Catholic Office for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults

Recommendation 16 of the Nolan report led to the establishment of COPCA in 2002. This organisation was replaced by the Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service (see ‘CSAS’).

CoR

Conference of Religious

A membership organisation for Catholic religious orders throughout England and Wales. It promotes and represents the work, views and aims of those in Catholic religious life.

CSAS

Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service

The national agency for driving and supporting improvements in safeguarding practice within the Catholic Church in England and Wales. Replaced COPCA from 1 July 2008 on the basis of recommendation 3 of the Cumberlege report, and is responsible for implementation, training and advice.

DBS

Disclosure and Barring Service

Replaced the Criminal Records Bureau and the Independent Safeguarding Authority in 2012. The DBS carries out criminal record checks that result in DBS certificates being issued to an individual. Employers can then ask to see this certificate to ensure that they are recruiting suitable people into their organisation. There are currently three levels of criminal record check: basic, standard and enhanced.

EBC

English Benedictine Congregation

Autonomous Roman Catholic communities of monks and nuns with priories and abbeys in the UK, USA, South America and Africa.

NCSC

National Catholic Safeguarding Commission

Created in July 2008. It is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the Church’s safeguarding policy (with the agreement of the Bishops’ Conference and the Conference of Religious) and monitoring compliance to ensure that child protection standards are met and policies implemented.

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