POLICY FOR SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
OAK CHURCH STEVENAGE IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND DIOCESE OF ST ALBANS
The following policy was initially agreed at the Trustees meeting held on 6 August 2023. The trustees continue to support this policy.
In accordance with the Church of England Safeguarding Policy our church is committed to:
Promoting a safer environment and culture.
Safely recruiting and supporting all those with any responsibility related to children, young people and vulnerable adults within the church.
Responding promptly to every safeguarding concern or allegation.
Caring pastorally for victims/survivors of abuse and other affected persons.
Caring pastorally for those who are the subject of concerns or allegations of abuse and other affected persons.
Responding to those that may pose a present risk to others.
The church will:
Create a safe and caring place for all.
Have a named Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) to work with the incumbent and the PCC to implement policy and procedures.
Safely recruit, train and support all those with any responsibility for children, young people and adults to have the confidence and skills to recognise and respond to abuse.
Ensure that there is appropriate insurance cover for all activities involving children and adults undertaken in the name of the parish.
Display in church premises and on the Parish website the details of who to contact if there are safeguarding concerns or support needs.
Listen to and take seriously all those who disclose abuse.
Take steps to protect children and adults when a safeguarding concern of any kind arises, following House of Bishops guidance, including notifying the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (DSA) and statutory agencies immediately.
Offer support to victims/survivors of abuse regardless of the type of abuse, when or where it occurred.
Care for and monitor any member of the church community who may pose a risk to children and adults whilst maintaining appropriate confidentiality and the safety of all parties.
Ensure that health and safety policy, procedures and risk assessments are in place and that these are reviewed annually.
Review the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy, Procedures and Practices at least annually.
Each person who works within this church community will agree to abide by this policy and the guidelines established by this church.
This church appoints Jodie Laing as the Parish Safeguarding Officer
Incumbent - Adam Prior (email link)
Trustees – Kerry Louw (Chair - email link), Rev. Tim Horlock, Rev. Charles Burch (Treasurer), Rev Dave Middlebrook
Date: 2 December 2024
Oak Church Stevenage is a member of thirtyone:eight (previously CCPAS Churches Child Protection Agency Service). We expect that every volunteer or paid member of our Team attends Safeguarding Training in keeping with the level of access that these workers have to children, young people and vulnerable adults.
It is the expectation that each person informs our Safeguarding Administrator of the date and level of training that they undertook and gives a copy of their certificate to note attendance. Any person who has not valid and accredited training in the last 12 months is not allowed to work face to face with children or young people until this is achieved.
All staff and volunteers are expected to follow the Parish Safeguarding Handbook which can be accessed here: https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/ParishSafeGuardingHandBookAugust2019Web.pdf
POLICY FOR SAFEGUARDING ADULTS WHEN THEY ARE VULNERABLE
OAK CHURCH STEVENAGE IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND DIOCESE OF ST ALBANS
We recognise that everyone has different levels of vulnerability and that all adults should be offered respect and given inclusion and empowerment within the Church.
We are committed to implementing a safeguarding policy for adults when they are vulnerable accepting the Church of England Policy on Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults (Promoting a Safer Church 2017) and be responsive to St. Albans Diocese Safeguarding Advisor, Jeremy Hirst.
We will review and endorse all safeguarding policies annually so that all members are aware of their responsibilities.
We will carefully select those working with vulnerable groups and these workers will be given appropriate support and opportunities for training.
We will respond without delay to every complaint made that a vulnerable adult for whom we are responsible may have been harmed or be at risk.
Oak Church Stevenage will co‐operate fully with the statutory agencies in every situation and will not conduct its own investigations.
We will seek to offer informed pastoral care to any adult who has suffered abuse.
We will care for and supervise any member of our church community known to have offended in a manner which could affect adults who are vulnerable.
Oak Church Trustees acknowledges its responsibility for all work with vulnerable adults carried out in the name of the Church and requires all those engaged in such work to be properly appointed and supported in accordance with the Church of England Practice Guidance: Safer Recruitment (14 June 2021).
The Trustees of Oak Church Stevenage have signed a formal Safeguarding Statement to adopt the House of Bishops’ “Promoting A Safer Church; Safeguarding Policy Statement” Please follow this link to access the policy: https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/PromotingSaferChurchWeb.pdf
Oak Church Stevenage is a member of thirtyone:eight (previously CCPAS Churches Child Protection Agency Service). Our membership (Oak10267) is password accessed by Laura Perrett and Adam Prior. We expect that every volunteer or paid member of our Team attends Safeguarding Training in keeping with the level of access that these workers have to children, young people and vulnerable adults.
It is the expectation that each person informs our Safeguarding Administrator of the date and level of training that they undertook and gives a copy of their certificate to note attendance. Any person who has not valid and accredited training in the last 12 months is not allowed to work face to face with young people until this is achieved.
All staff and volunteers are expected to follow the Parish Safeguarding Handbook which can be accessed here: https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/ParishSafeGuardingHandBookAugust2019Web.pdf
RESPONDING WELL TO DOMESTIC ABUSE
Diocesan Statement on domestic abuse
All forms of domestic abuse are wrong and must stop. We are committed to promoting and supporting safer environments which:
Ensure that all people feel welcomed, respected and safe from abuse;
Work to protect those experiencing domestic abuse;
Recognise equality amongst people and within relationships;
Refuse to condone any form of abuse;
Enable and encourage concerns to be raised and responded to openly and consistently.
We recognise that:
All forms of domestic abuse cause damage to the survivor and express an imbalance of power in the relationship;
All survivors (regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity) have the right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse;
Domestic abuse can occur in all communities;
Domestic abuse may be a single incident, but is usually a systematic repeated pattern which escalates in severity and frequency;
Domestic abuse, if witnessed or overheard by a child, is a form of abuse against the child by the perpetrator of the abusive behaviour;
Working in partnership with children, adults and other agencies is essential in promoting the welfare of any child or adult suffering abuse.
We will respond to domestic abuse:
In all our activities –
By valuing, listening to and respecting both survivors and alleged or known perpetrators of domestic abuse, whilst appreciating the need to ensure a distance is kept between the two and refusing to condone the perpetration or continuation of any form of abuse.
In our publicity –
By raising awareness about other agencies, support services, resources and expertise, through providing information in public and women-only areas of relevance to survivors, children and alleged or known perpetrators of domestic abuse.
When concerns are raised –
By ensuring that those who have experienced abuse can find safety and informed help;
By reporting abuse in line with our training and guidance and working with the appropriate statutory bodies.
In our care –
By ensuring that informed and appropriate pastoral care is offered to any child, young person or adult who has suffered abuse;
By identifying and outlining the appropriate relationship of those with pastoral care responsibilities with both survivors and alleged or known perpetrators of domestic abuse.
We are committed to reviewing our policy and procedures regularly.
December 2024
SAFEGUARDING TEAM
Safeguarding Officer
Jodie Laing
Jodie is the first person to speak to if you have any concerns whatsoever around the welfare of a child, young person or adult. Jodie has responsibility for our safeguarding practice.
Please contact Jodie by emailing safeguarding@oakchurchstevenage.org
Safeguarding Phone Number: 07990094234
DBS and Safeguarding Training Administration
If you would like to speak with someone outside the church:
St Albans Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser: Jeremy Hirst
The Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser deals with children, young persons and vulnerable adult issues and is available, at any reasonable time, for advice and guidance.
Jeremy’s Contact Details:
01727 818107 & 07867 350886
safeguarding@stalbans.anglican.org
Community Safeguarding contacts:
NSPCC for adults concerned about a child - 0808 800 5000 or www.nspcc.org.uk
Childline for children and young people - 0800 11 11
24-hour national domestic violence helpline - 0808 2000 247
Local Authority Social Services - 0300 123 4042