The General Synod has voted to transfer most of the Church of England's national safeguarding staff to a new independent body while keeping diocesan and cathedral safeguarding officers as church employees.

Leaflets being handed out to members on Tuesday branded the Church’s attitude and processes to date a ‘safeguarding failure’.

The Synod is sitting for its first session since the resignation of the archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, after safeguarding failures. He quit after pressure following a revi