Sheffield church charity apologises after homophobia probe finds 'historical misconduct'

But City Hearts says it has acted to ensure there is no repeat of the ‘emotional harm’ to which women it was supposed to be supporting were subjected between 2011 and 2012, and the Charity Commission found there was no ‘live risk’ to those it is helping.

The Charity Commission launched a probe into the charity, which was set up by Hope City Church and is based just off Sheffield Parkway near Park Hill, after a Channel 4 investigation last year exposed how staff had been homophobic towards victims of human trafficking they were supposed to be helping.

One woman revealed how after letting staff know about her sexuality she was told ‘you have a devil in you and you have to change that’, while another said about her experience with the charity ‘I realised I had gone from one controlling relationship to what felt like another’.

As well as homophobic attitudes, the news report revealed allegations of controlling behaviour and of counselling being delivered by people without training.

In a report published today, the regulator said it had found ‘historical misconduct and/or mismanagement’ at the charity, which among other services provides accommodation for women overcoming addiction and those escaping exploitation.

But it said the allegations raised dated from 2011-12 and there were no ‘live risks’, and it found that the charity had acted appropriately after they were brought to light, by setting up and independent investigation, reviewing its systems and putting its own action plan in place.

The commission found that City Hearts had already improved some of its procedures before the allegations were made public, but raised concerns about how safeguarding incidents were escalated to senior managers and potential conflicts of interest or loyalty for members of the trustee board, who at the time of the news report were all also members of the church.

In June this year, the regulator issued the charity with formal regulatory advice and guidance, setting out the measures needed to address those concerns, and said it would now monitor how City Hearts complies with that action plan.

Kate Waring, head of risk at the Charity Commission, said: “The women who used the services of this charity as a refuge and as support, had an expectation and a right to feel safe. The charity should have delivered on this expectation. Instead, a small number of women in real need of support felt at risk and exposed to emotional harm.

“We hope and expect the charity to learn from this experience, and understand that it matters as much how it delivers services to people at risk, as much as what service is being delivered.

“The trustees have made a series of commitments to improve their organisation, but our intervention and the resulting action plan has set clear continuing objectives to ensure these changes are realised.”

Responding to the report, City Hearts said it had co-operated with the commission throughout its investigation and ‘demonstrated the charity's full commitment to strengthening its safeguarding procedures and governance’.

The charity said it worked nationwide to support some of the most vulnerable and exploited members of society and is currently helping over 600 women, men and children.

Ed Newton, City Hearts’ CEO, said: “We offer a profuse and heartfelt apology that a small number of clients were let down by insufficient reporting and channelling of complaints within the charity.

“The commission verified that we had already improved a number of our processes, policies and procedures before the allegations were in the public arena. Throughout this process, we have also continued to make improvements, including all recommendations from the Charity Commission.”

He added that the charity had improved staff training, worked to ensure its values on inclusion, equality and diversity were ‘followed throughout the organisation’ and appointed new and independent trustees.