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| Caritas Social Action Network | |
|---|---|
| Name | Caritas Social Action Network |
| Formation | 1985 |
| Type | Charity |
| Headquarters | London |
| Region served | England and Wales |
| Parent organization | Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales |
Caritas Social Action Network
Caritas Social Action Network is a Catholic social action agency in England and Wales affiliated with the Catholic Church in England and Wales. It brings together diocesan agencies, charities and diocesan bodies to support social justice, poverty relief and Catholic social teaching-informed services. The organisation liaises with institutions such as the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, engages with public bodies in Westminster, and works alongside faith-based and secular partners in the United Kingdom.
The organisation was established in 1985 amid discussions within the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales and in the context of wider faith-based responses to social need during the premierships of Margaret Thatcher and John Major. Early activity intersected with charities such as Catholic Relief Services, CAFOD, and diocesan charities across Liverpool, Birmingham, and Westminster. During the 1990s and 2000s it expanded services alongside agencies including Refugee Council, British Red Cross, and local Catholic charities in Cardiff, Leeds, and Manchester. Post-2010 austerity measures under successive administrations prompted collaboration with organisations like Citizens Advice, Shelter, and The Trussell Trust.
Its stated mission aligns with principles derived from papal documents such as Rerum Novarum and Caritas in Veritate, focusing on supporting vulnerable people through practical services and advocacy. Activities encompass refugee resettlement in partnership with bodies such as the Home Office and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, asylum seeker support working alongside Migrants’ Rights Network, and homelessness initiatives linked to Crisis and local diocesan homelessness projects in Dublin-adjacent communities. The organisation also engages with institutions like the European Commission on migration and with national debates in Westminster Hall.
The network is overseen by a board appointed by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales and includes representatives from diocesan agencies, national charities, and lay experts drawn from institutions such as St Mary's University, Twickenham, Oxford University, and professional bodies in London. Operational staff coordinate regional hubs in dioceses including Southwark, Northampton, and Hexham and Newcastle. Liaison occurs with episcopal offices at the Holy See level and with ecumenical partners such as the Church of England and organisations like The Salvation Army.
Programs have targeted refugee integration through resettlement schemes in collaboration with the Refugee Council and the International Organization for Migration, support for victims of modern slavery alongside Anti-Slavery International, and community projects focused on food poverty with partners such as FareShare and The Trussell Trust. Health and social care initiatives connect with the NHS and local clinical commissioning groups in boroughs like Tower Hamlets and Newham; education and training schemes have been delivered with further education providers including City and Islington College and university chaplaincies at University of Manchester and University of Birmingham.
Advocacy efforts engage with UK parliamentary processes at Westminster, submitting evidence to committees including the Home Affairs Committee, and interact with statutory frameworks such as the Immigration Act 2016 and welfare reforms debated during the Coalition government. Policy positions have referenced international instruments from the United Nations and regional frameworks of the Council of Europe. The network has campaigned alongside groups like Amnesty International and British Red Cross on refugee rights, and worked with faith and secular coalitions such as FaithAction and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on poverty policy.
Funding sources include diocesan contributions from cathedrals and diocesan agencies in Birmingham, grants from charitable foundations such as the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and partnerships with statutory funders including the Home Office refugee resettlement programmes. Collaborative work often involves national charities like CAFOD, local parish networks across Wales, and volunteer organisations such as Volunteers' Week-linked schemes. Corporate partnerships and charitable trusts supplement funding alongside philanthropic donors and European funding instruments prior to the Brexit.
The network has been credited with coordinating diocesan responses to emergencies, contributing to refugee integration, and influencing debates on welfare and migration alongside organisations such as Crisis and The Trussell Trust. Critics have queried effectiveness and transparency in relation to public funding and outcomes, referencing evaluations similar to those undertaken by the National Audit Office and academic studies from institutions like London School of Economics and University of Oxford. Debates have involved faith-secular tensions observed in cases linked to Charity Commission for England and Wales guidance and public controversies around faith-based provision during the administrations of Theresa May and Boris Johnson.
Category:Charities based in England Category:Catholic Church in England and Wales