Archbishop of Canterbury: Justin Welby is standing down from his job
Image source, PA Media
Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has announced that he is standing down from his job.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop and an important leader of the Church of England.
A report came out which criticised the way the Church, and Justin Welby, handled child abuse.
He has accepted the criticisms and said: "Having sought the gracious permission of His Majesty The King, I have decided to resign as Archbishop of Canterbury.
“I believe that stepping aside is in the best interest of the Church of England which I dearly love and which I have been honoured to serve.”
Justin Welby added that it was clear he "must take personal and institutional responsibility" for what happened and called for a "commitment to creating a safer church".
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What is the Archbishop of Canterbury?
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Image caption,The Archbishop of Canterbury is involved at royal weddings, funerals and coronations
Although the King is the head of the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop and is appointed by the King.
It's a very important job and the person doing it has crowned most UK monarchs over the past 1,000 years, including King Charles, and has lead the religious services at royal weddings and funerals.
The day-to-day job is to run the Church of England, supervising the work of thousands of vicars and other Church officials across the country, including those in the armed forces.
They are a leader of the Anglican Communion, a group of Christian churches with almost 80 million members across the world.
The Archbishop also sits in the House of Lords and leads the Church's relations with other faiths.
Children have the right to be safe
Speaking out and keeping safe: NSPCC talk to kids about their right to be safe from abuse
Child abuse is when someone treats a child or young person badly.
That can be bullying, family problems, neglect or children being forced to do something that they don't want to do.
The NSPCC told Newsround: "It could be hitting, which can leave marks or bruises. And some people might want children to do things with their bodies which make them feel uncomfortable or unsafe."
If they are worried about any of these things the NSPCC say the most important thing is to tell an adult you trust, who can help you. This could be a parent, a guardian or a teacher. They can get you the support you need.
You can also contact Childline - a counselling charity for people aged 18 and under - on 0800 1111 for free at any time.
Or you can visit the Childline Kids website., external
