A Safe Church. Policies, Procedures and Guidelines for Safeguarding Children Adults who may be vulnerable and responding to Domestic Abuse

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1 A Safe Church olicies, rocedures and uidelines for Safeguarding Children Adults who may be vulnerable and responding to Domestic Abuse A manual for parishes in the Diocese of Southwark irst edition published November 2008 Revised June 2010 ISBN

2 Acknowledgements Material for this manual has been used from a variety of sources, including the Archbishop s Council, other dioceses of the Church of England, and the NSCC. hanks are due to all those who have contributed to its production, and especially to the following: Working groups wo working groups met from January to July 2008 to contribute, review and redraft material in the light of their own professional and church experience: Children: Liz Newman, Honorary Curate at Charlton United Benefice, Social Worker Jess Quinlan, Youth Worker at St Michael s and St Stephen s Church, Southfields im Bryan, Independent Safeguarding Consultant and Co-ordinating Chaplain at Wandsworth rison Barbara Lane, Diocesan Director of Education Sylvia Morris, Head eacher of Cathedral School Adults who may be vulnerable: Jeanne Males, Vicar of St Mary s, Addington, Clinical sychologist Vickie Sims, riest in Charge of St Andrew s, Coulsdon Morwenna Orton, Reader at St eorge s with Christ Church and St aul s, erry Hill, former community worker with learning disabled people Nicky redennick, Diocesan Retirement Officer, convenor of amily Life roup Mitzi Isaacs, Southwark astoral Auxiliary, Holy Saviour, Croydon, working with older people. Consultation he first draft was considered by the following groups and individuals between July and October 2008, and changes made in response: Bishop s Staff Diocesan Children and Youth Development roup Steering Committee Diocesan amily Life roup Ecclesiastical Insurance Diocesan Advisers roup Diocesan Registrar Diocesan ersonnel Manager Chair of Diocesan Safeguarding Reference roup Andrew Wilson, chaplain of London and South Maudsley NHS rust Local Authority Designated Officer (Lewisham Children s Services) Metropolitan olice (Det Chief Inspector, Child Abuse Investigation Command) Southwark Cathedral A selection of parishes in the diocese Diocesan Ministry and raining Committee Bishop s Council. hotographs of children and adults who consider themselves vulnerable were submitted from parishes in the diocese, always with their express permission for publishing. articular thanks are due to Diana Mitchell, for her photography. Layout was undertaken by the Diocesan Communications and Resources Department. Adoption he manual was presented to Diocesan Synod on 8th November 2008 and, following a wide ranging discussion, was adopted unanimously for use within the Diocese of Southwark. Review he contents of the manual were reviewed, after consultation, by the Safeguarding Reference roup in Amendments were agreed by Bishop s Council in June 2010; revised sheets are dated accordingly. Jill Sandham, Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser. updated June 2010

3 Contents denotes a Diocesan rocedure, which is non-negotiable and you must adopt in order to comply with the law and/or national and Church of England policy denotes a uideline, which is the Diocese s recommendation for best practice. age Contents How to use this manual: a quick guide Contact details Section 1 Introduction heology - why does safeguarding matter in a Christian community? urpose - why these policies, procedures and guidelines? Vulnerability - who is included? Who are the policies, procedures and guidelines for? How should parishes apply them? What happens if a parish does not comply with them? Some definitions what do the terms mean? Section 2 he Diocesan policies Diocese of Southwark olicy for Safeguarding Children Diocese of Southwark olicy for Safeguarding Adults who may be vulnerable Diocese of Southwark olicy for Responding to Domestic Abuse Section 3 Responsibilities Responsibilities within the Diocese: he role of the Diocesan Synod with the Diocesan Bishop he role of the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser he role of the Diocesan Safeguarding Reference roup Responsibilities within the parish church: he role of the arochial Church Council he role of the Incumbent he role of the arish Safeguarding Officer he role of the Churchwarden Section 4 rocedures and uidelines: keeping safe Health and safety Identifying and assessing risk Activities with children and young people Activities with adults who may be vulnerable hysical contact irst Aid and administration of medication Holidays and residential trips Child care provision on your premises: Ofsted registration ransport minibuses, coaches and cars Electronic communication, and using the internet with children and young people aking and publishing photographs and videos, including on websites Drugs and alcohol use and children and young people Cont-1 How-1 Contact Cont-1 June 2010

4 Acceptable behaviour by children and adults who may be vulnerable Record keeping and personal data Insurance Hirers of church buildings Section 5 rocedures: selecting, recruiting and supporting staff Selection of ordinands, clergy and licensed and commissioned lay ministers Recruitment to Diocesan and parish paid and voluntary posts he Vetting and Barring Scheme (Independent Safeguarding Authority/ Criminal Records Bureau) low chart: CRB disclosure process Support, supervision and training Section 6 rocedures: allegations and concerns Complaints and grievances Whistle-blowing Receiving and responding to disclosures or observations of abuse low chart: responding to disclosures or observations of abuse Allegations against clergy and church officers low chart: allegations of abuse by a church officer Allegations of domestic abuse - a disclosure flow chart Information sharing, confidentiality and consent Sacramental Confession ress enquiries Section 7 uidelines: Care eneral standards of practice in pastoral care Care of survivors of abuse and their families Survivors of domestic abuse Care of perpetrators of abuse and their families age Section 8 rocedures: Supervision of offenders and those who pose risk Risk assessments Management and agreements Section 9 Information A summary of the law and guidance in safeguarding A range of theological perspectives on safeguarding What is child abuse and neglect? What is mistreatment, abuse and harm of vulnerable adults? What is domestic abuse? Accessible publicity Children with special needs Witchcraft and spiritual possession Diocesan contacts Organisations urther reading and websites June 2010 Cont-2

5 Section 10 orms () and templates () arish olicy for Safeguarding Children arish olicy for Safeguarding Adults who may be vulnerable arish olicy for Responding to Domestic Abuse arish Safeguarding Officer: Job Description and erson Specification Change of arish Safeguarding Officer orm Risk Assessment orm Registration orm for Activities ransport of Children & Adults who may be vulnerable Undertaking by voluntary driver assenger s consent for transport Consent orm for aking hotographs of Children Consent orm for aking hotographs of Adults who may be vulnerable orm for Regular Hirers of Church remises Application orm for paid post Application orm for voluntary post Confidential Declaration orm Roles in the Church and CRB Disclosure Employers of paid posts - checking on the right to work in the UK olicy Statement regarding Recruitment, Disclosures and the Security of Disclosure Information Agreement between SLC and SDB and parish on obtaining disclosures for the CRB A model complaints and grievances procedure A model disciplinary procedure age lossary Index lossary-1 Index-1 Cont-3 June 2010

BIRMINGHAM CATHEDRAL SAFEGUARDING OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE POLICY AND PROCEDURES. Reviewed and Accepted by Chapter Date August 2015

BIRMINGHAM CATHEDRAL SAFEGUARDING OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE POLICY AND PROCEDURES Reviewed and Accepted by Chapter Date August 2015 A. INTRODUCTION AND STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES The Cathedral Chapter