The Church of England has accepted the majority of recommendations from an independent review into the abuse by John Smyth, a year on from its publication. 24 of the recommendations have been accepted fully with three accepted in part.

In a statement on the Church of England’s website, the lead safeguarding bishops Joanne Grenfell and Robert Springett acknowledged “again the deep harm caused by the abuse committed by John Smyth and the failures in the Church’s response.  

“We are profoundly sorry for the ways in which the Church failed to protect children and vulnerable adults and for the lasting impact of those failures.”

The bishops said they had spent the last year responding to the Makin Review’s recommendations, with survivors being “a key part of this work”.

John Smyth, who died in 2018 has been described as the Church of England’s “most prolific serial abuser” after abusing boys and young men he met at Christian summer camps in the 1970s and 80s.  He fled to South Africa and Zimbabwe where the Makin Review found he perpetrated further grooming and physical abuse.

Eight members of the clergy who were criticised in the review are currently subject to disciplinary proceedings, with another three set to take place.

The National Safeguarding Steering Group has produced a paper setting out progress and next steps which will be presented at the next meeting of General Synod in February 2026.

The Church of England is developing an independent scrutiny body to provide external oversight of safeguarding practices within the Church and hold Church bodies to account.

A programme of independent safeguarding audits of cathedrals and dioceses is already underway.