The identity of investigators tasked with probing allegations of sexual abuse by members of the Church will not be made public, to ensure no one tries to influence them, Times of Malta has learnt.

So far the Curia’s new Safeguarding Commission – which will take over from the Response Team this month – has recruited one investigator.

“The commission does not intend making the list of investigators public. The commission is accountable for investigations and recommendations and it does not anticipate that the investigators need to be front-facing, as their work should not be influenced by external factors,” a spokesman for the Curia said.

There will be no requirement for the investigator to be a priest or a member of the clergy

The names of the five members of the new Safeguarding Commission were announced last month. The commission’s role will include investigating any cases of sexual abuse by members of the Church, including clergy and lay people.

Its work will also include implementing measures to prevent abuse and create a culture where children and vulnerable adults feel protected.

The head of safeguarding, Andrew Azzopardi, said while the commission would be transparent on the procedures followed, it would maintain 100 per cent confidentiality in individual cases.

According to the procedures, once the commission receives an allegation of abuse, an investigator is appointed to gather all relevant information and establish the facts.

The investigator then presents a report to the head stating whether there exists the probability of abuse. The commission members then draw up recommendations. Investigators will be provided with training by the commission, the spokesman said. The focus of the training will be on risk assessment on alleged perpetrators of abuse. The head of safeguarding will also provide regular supervision to each investigator.

The spokesman said it would like to have a pool of two to three investigators with a variety of skill sets in order to allocate investigations to the most suitable person.

Asked what the professional background of investigators was, and whether the person could be a member of the Church, the spokesman said: “The commission is looking for experienced professionals with a background in risk assessments in child protection investigations. There will be no requirement for the investigator to be a priest or a member of the clergy.”

The commission will inherit five cases – three of which involve minors – from the Response Team it is replacing.

The outgoing Response Team, set up in 1999, recently faced renewed criticism for a delayed investigation into allegations of sexual abuse by a Dominican priest. The alleged victim, a woman in her 40s, reported the case to the team in 2006 and the investigation is still open.

The Safeguarding Commission can be contacted on safeguarding@maltadiocese.org or through helpline 2590 6421.