Safeguarding

If you are concerned that someone you know is at risk of, or is being abused, or presents a risk to others, please seek advice from the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser, or if necessary, report the matter to your Local Authority Social Care Services or the Police

Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser: 

Carl Steventon 

Mobile:  07593817717

Diocesan Assistant Safeguarding Officer:

Lisa Anderson

Mobile:  07999028076

Diocesan Safeguarding Administrator:

Rachel Arnold-Kent  01432 373317

Local to this area :-

The Safeguarding Officer for the United Benefice of Ironbridge, Coalbrookdale and Little Wenlock Mrs. Alicia Jones   07817740887 email:-    alicia.r.carter@cloud.com

or:

Priest in Charge Revd Ernest Okeke  01952 432482  email:- ifyernestok@yahoo.com

Safeguarding Information                                                    April 2019

Hereford Diocesan Safeguarding Team: -

Carl Steventon, Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (07593817717).

Lisa Anderson, Diocesan Assistant Safeguarding Officer (07999028076)

Rachel Arnold-Kent, DBS Administrator/Safeguarding Administrator (01432373317)

For non-urgent safeguarding inquiries, or in the event of Carl not being available, please contact Diocesan Office 01432373300

Information relevant for a Parish

New - Parish Safeguarding Handbook

The new national Parish Safeguarding Handbook is your first port of call for information on all aspects of safeguarding in a parish.  The most up to date version of it is available to download from both the Diocesan website and directly from the Church of England website.  This is a very useful document and is essential for all parishes to read and take direction from.  If you require a hard copy, please get in touch with any member of the Diocesan Safeguarding Team.  Please do not purchase printed hardcopy versions of this document as the National Safeguarding Team intend to update it on a regular basis.  

Parish Safeguarding Policy

There is a requirement for each PCC to formally adopt and work to all the House of Bishop’s Safeguarding Policies.  Furthermore, each PCC is required to sign up to the safeguarding policy statement:  ‘Promoting a Safer Church’, this is very basic and only 7 pages long!  It explains the principles of safeguarding, details the fundamental requirements, refers to larger and specific policies and finally details action points that need to be undertaken in order to ensure that the ‘Promoting a Safer Church’ Policy is valid and active.  This Policy is available to download from the Diocesan website, the Church of England website or from any member of the Diocesan Safeguarding Team.  It is also referred to in the new Parish Safeguarding Handbook.

Items to be displayed on notice boards and parish websites

There is a requirement for each PCC to display relevant safeguarding notices on church notice boards. These come in the form of 2 posters.  One poster details who to contact if there are any safeguarding concerns and the second poster is a one page summary of the above ‘Promoting a Safer Church’ Policy.  Both posters can be obtained from any member of the Diocesan Safeguarding Team or can be downloaded from the Diocesan website. Where a parish has its own website there is a requirement to display information about who to contact if someone has a safeguarding concern. This should mirror the information displayed on your poster.

Parish Safeguarding Action Plan

The easiest way for a Parish/Benefice to meet its safeguarding responsibilities is for the PCC to draw up a Parish/Benefice Safeguarding Action Plan.  This is a document that details all the actions that need to take place in the form of a checklist.  It is also an effective means of tracking a parish’s progress.  A template for such an Action Plan is available from any member of the Safeguarding Team or can be downloaded from the Diocesan website.  

Safer Recruitment

A key way of protecting children and adults from harm is to ensure the careful recruitment and support of those working with them.  The National Church of England Safeguarding Practice Guidance on Safer Recruitment sets out safer recruitment practices for people working or volunteering with children and adults.  The most important and legally binding aspect is the completion of the criminal record checks known as Disclosure and Barring Service Checks (DBS).  The guidance outlines who should undertake a criminal record check in accordance with their role.  The guidance is available from any member of the Diocesan Safeguarding Team or via the Diocesan website or the Church of England website.   

You can obtain a DBS application pack, which contains full details to aid completion and where to return the forms to, from either the Diocesan Offices in Hereford or from Rachel Arnold-Kent at Diocesan Offices in Ludlow.

Each parish must adhere strictly to the requirements of the Safer Recruitment Practice Guidance and must take full responsibility in obtaining a DBS Check for all relevant paid and volunteer workers within the church, PRIOR to them commencing their church roles and activities. This is a legal requirement and not optional.

Advice and Guidance regarding Safer Recruitment

Each parish will be different in terms of the activities it does, and hence it will have different requirements in terms of what it needs to do to adhere to safer recruitment principles.  If you are unsure of what your parish is required to do, please get in touch with the Diocesan Safeguarding Team who will be happy to advise.

Safeguarding Training

National safeguarding policy dictates that the church ‘will train and equip church officers to have the confidence and skills they need to care and support children, young people and vulnerable adults and to recognise and respond to abuse.’

Attendance at Diocesan Safeguarding Training is mandatory for anyone performing certain roles connected with church activity.  It is also a requirement to refresh training every three years.  Details about what is required in relation to safeguarding training can be found within the new Parish Safeguarding Handbook and is detailed within the template for a parish safeguarding action plan.  

Advice and Guidance and how to book on to Safeguarding Training

Information on all available Diocesan Safeguarding Training will be published on the Diocesan website and advertised within the regular Diocesan monthly e-bulletin.  If you wish to book a space on a safeguarding course or have any queries in relation to any aspect of safeguarding training, please contact any member of the Diocesan Safeguarding Team.

Parish or Benefice – C1 Foundation Training

The Church of England website provides the C1 Foundation training with an on-line version www.churchofengland.org  This is often a better way for people at parish level to access this material. It is delivered in a stimulating way with a mix of styles to engage the person completing the training. When on the Church of England website, please go to Safeguarding/Training/E-learning (at present it only refers to C0 training but keep following the link and you will be able to access C1)/Visit the website and view the instructions/On-line Courses/Create new Account (if you need to).

Support for Parish Safeguarding Officers/Reps

The Diocesan Safeguarding Team value and appreciate the work of Parish / Benefice, Safeguarding Officers / Reps.  We acknowledge how difficult and challenging the role can be, and we are keen to help support you in your roles.  We are planning to hold a number of safeguarding engagement events for Parish Safeguarding Officers during the year.  They will consist of a briefing on all current and emerging issues relating to church safeguarding but will also represent an opportunity for Safeguarding Officers / Reps to raise concerns and highlight issues and feedback to us.  If there is something particular that you would like included at an event, please do let us know.

Attendance at other Parish / Benefice/ Deanery Meetings

Carl and Lisa from the Diocesan Safeguarding Team are very happy to attend any meeting in order to answer any queries or questions that you may have in relation to safeguarding including any aspect of safer recruitment. 

Useful Summary Points for Parish / Benefices - 

• Be aware of the roles and responsibilities relating to safeguarding at a parish/ benefice level.  A copy of Key Roles and Responsibilities Guidance is available from either website.
• Check to see that all employees and volunteers have been recruited in line with Safer Recruitment Practice Guidance.
• Check to see that everyone who needs to be DBS checked is and when it is due for renewal.
• Check to see who needs to attend Safeguarding Training and ensure they attend every 3 years. Start by encouraging everyone to complete the C1 Online module.
• Ensure you have a nominated Safeguarding Officer / Rep on your PCC.
• Ensure you know about and adhere to ALL National Safeguarding Policy and Practice Guidance.
• Formally adopt the National Policy Statement on safeguarding and display it in a prominent place.
• Display the ‘Who to Contact Poster’ in your church.
• Ensure you know how and when to contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser for advice.

Diocesan Perspective – Safeguarding Management and Strategic Oversight

Diocesan Safeguarding Strategy and Action Plan

The Diocese has formulated a Safeguarding Strategy and a Safeguarding Action Plan. These are two in depth documents setting out exactly what the Diocese needs to do to ensure all activities connected with the church are safe for both children and adults.  The Hereford Diocese Safeguarding Strategy explains the strategic objectives.  It is reviewed, refreshed, and presented to Diocesan Synod on a yearly basis.  The Hereford Diocese Safeguarding Action Plan details every element of safeguarding delivery and serves as the blue print for all future activity and is updated every other month.  It also provides an effective means by which to record our progress.  All levels of the organisation including parishes are referred to in this action plan.  Both documents are available to view on the Diocesan website, any queries - please do get in touch.

Diocesan Safeguarding Working Group

The Diocese has formed a Safeguarding Working Group.  This group’s membership consists of key personnel from within the Diocese and Cathedral; and both lay and clergy parish representatives (including Parish Safeguarding Officers).  We are currently seeking to gain wider representation from all the key Statutory Partnership Agencies and other relevant charities.  The working group meets quarterly and is led by an Independent Chair who has a background in safeguarding at a senior level.  The working group’s role is to oversee all work streams detailed within the Diocesan Safeguarding Strategy and Action Plan.

In May 2017, the Diocese underwent an Independent Safeguarding Audit.  The Audit was commissioned by the Archbishop’s Council and was part of a national programme of diocesan audits.  The Audit involved an inspection of safeguarding case files, clergy files and diocesan staff files, detailed interviews with key diocesan staff and a focus group drawn from parish representatives.  The Diocese received a detailed Audit Report containing a series of findings and corresponding recommendations.  The Diocese welcomed the feedback it received and has incorporated its response to all its findings and recommendations in its ongoing activities detailed in the Diocesan Safeguarding Strategy and Action Plan.

Safeguarding Complaints Procedure

The Diocese has a procedure for people to use, if they wish to make a complaint about how a safeguarding issue has been handled.  This procedure is detailed on the Diocesan website.

The Bishop wants to support people who feel genuinely aggrieved to make a complaint and will ensure that all complaints are taken seriously and are handled fairly and promptly.  All information about a complaint will be treated in the strictest confidence.  Complaints should relate to the process followed, not to the original incident which gave rise to the allegation.

National Perspective

National Safeguarding Policy and Practice Guidance 

The Archbishop’s Council funds a National Church of England Safeguarding Team.  This is a team of expert safeguarding professionals based at Church House, in Westminster, London. One of the many functions of the National Safeguarding Team is to produce National Safeguarding Policy and Practice Guidance.  This is done by extensive research and lengthy consultation with internal and external safeguarding experts.  All Policy and Practice Guidance is regularly updated and reviewed.  You can learn more about the National Safeguarding Team and their activities by accessing the Church of England website.

We, in Hereford Diocese, will always adhere strictly to all National Safeguarding Policy and Practice guidance.  We will not seek to develop our own policy and practice guidance but may produce additional supplementary information leaflets and pro-forma documents to assist in safeguarding activity.

Important - Word of CAUTION. The Ecclesiastical Insurance Group have made it clear that their insurance cover is only valid where National Safeguarding Policy and Practice Guidance is being followed. In addition, the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016, requires all clergy authorised to officiate; other relevant Church Officers (e.g. Church Wardens) and parochial church councils to have “due regard” to safeguarding policy and practice guidance issued by the House of Bishops.  A duty to have due regard to guidance means that a person under that duty is not free to disregard it but is required to follow such guidance unless there are cogent reasons for not doing so.

All Current National Safeguarding Policy and Practice Guidance:

Parish Safeguarding Handbook (2018).  This is a new document and is the starting point for any parish in terms of knowing what to do regarding safeguarding in church.

Protecting All God’s Children (2010) - (Safeguarding Policy for children and young people).  This is the main policy document regarding safeguarding children and young people within the church.

Promoting a Safe Church (2006) - (Safeguarding Policy for adults). This is the main policy document regarding safeguarding adults within the church.

Key Roles and Responsibilities of Church Office Holders and Bodies – Practice Guidance (2017).  This makes clear every church officers’ responsibilities in relation to safeguarding. 

Safer Recruitment (2016). This is the Church of England’s current guidance on what steps need to be taken to recruit and work with paid or volunteer church workers.  Every PCC is required to adhere fully to this practice guidance.

Responding to, assessing and managing safeguarding concerns or allegations against church officers (2017).  This policy outlines how to respond to safeguarding allegations involving church officers.

Learning and Development Framework – Practice Guidance (2017).  This is the Church of England’s framework for learning and development in respect of safeguarding, outlining key roles and responsibilities and training modules to be undertaken.

Responding Well to those who have been sexually abused (2011).  This outlines how the Church of England will respond to those who are survivors of sexual abuse.  If you are giving pastoral care to a survivor, this is a useful point of reference for information relevant to that activity.

Responding to Domestic Abuse (2017).  This outlines how pastoral responsibilities of those responding to domestic abuse within the church.  If you are giving pastoral care to someone you believe may be experiencing domestic abuse; again this may be a useful source of information.

Joint Safeguarding Guidance for Single Congregational Local Ecumenical Partnerships (2015).  This outlines the responsibilities of single congregational LEPs in coming under the safeguarding policies of their respective denomination.  This is a joint policy with the Methodist Church.

Safeguarding in Religious Communities – Practice Guidance (2015).  This outlines expectation of religious communities to come under the umbrella of local diocesan safeguarding policies and training.

Joint Safeguarding Records – Practice Guidance (2015).  This outlines good practice in respect of recording safeguarding incidents.  This is a joint policy with the Methodist Church.

Glossary Reference Guide (2017), this offers a useful guide on terminology and language used within its work and policies.

Responding to Safeguarding Concerns or Allegations that relate to Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults (2018). This is new guidance on dealing with allegations.

New Guidance on Reporting to the Charity Commission:

How to make a Safeguarding Serious Incident report to the Charity Commission – Practice Guidance (2019).

Guidance for DBFs, PCCs and Religious Communities: Identifying and Reporting Safeguarding Serious Incidents to the Charity Commission (2019).

Guidance for PCCs: Reporting non- safeguarding Serious Incidents to the Charity Commission (2019)