Safeguarding
PARISH POLICY FOR CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS
The Parochial Church council recognizes the importance of its ministry to children, young people and vulnerable adults and its responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults entrusted to the churches care.
As part of its mission, the church fully accepts the "Principles of the House of Bishops Policy for Safeguarding Children 'Protecting All God's Children'" which states:
We are committed to:
1. The care, nurture of, and respectful pastoral ministry with all children, young people and all adults
2. The safeguarding and protection of all children, young people and adults when they are vulnerable
3. The establishment of safe, caring communities which provide a loving environment where there is 'informed vigilance' as to the dangers of abuse.
We will carefully select and train all those with any responsibility within the church, in line with safer recruitment principles, including the use of disclosure and barring service checks and registration with relevant vetting and barring schemes.
We will respond without delay to every complaint made which suggest that an adult, child or young person may have been harmed, co-operating with the police and local authority in any investigation.
We will seek to work with anyone who has suffered abuse, developing with them an appropriate ministry of informed pastoral care.
We will seek to challenge any abuse of power, especially by anyone in a position of trust.
We will seek to offer pastoral care and support, including supervision and referral to the proper authorities, to any member of our church community known to have offended against a child, young person or vulnerable adult.
In all these principles we will follow statute, guidance and recognized good practice.
The council also fully accepts the Church of England Birmingham policy to protect and promote the interests of children and young people entitled "God's Children: Our Diocese".
All safeguarding policies are reviewed and renewed in July each year, this year on 15th July 2020.
For further information upon diocesan policy please visit www.cofebirmingham.com/safeguarding
For further information upon national policy and the House of Bishop's "Promoting a safer church; Safeguarding policy statement" please visit
www.churchofengland.org/more/safeguarding
For further information about parish practice and supervision please contact the Parish Office on telephone number 0121 559 0072
If you have any concerns about these safeguarding arrangements or need to talk to someone please contact our Parish Safeguarding Officer Co-Ordinator Karen Aldridge on telephone number 07727460721.
If you have any concerns about Disclosure and Barring Service applications please contact our Lead Parish Identity Verifier Mary Evans on telephone number 0121 561 3891.
For other concerns please contact our Incumbent Revd. Mike Sermon on telephone number 0121 559 1000, or our Church Wardens Peter Swannie or Jim Woodall via the Parish Office on telephone number 0121 559 0072.
Other useful contacts:
Bishop's Safeguarding Adviser 07342 993 844
Email: [email protected]
Childline 0800 1111
Family Lives Helpline 0808 800 2222
Samaritans 116 123
Elder Abuse 0808 808 8141
Domestic Violence Helpline 0808 2000 247
Men's Domestic Violence Helpline 0808 801 0327
LGBT Domestic Violence Helpline 0300 999 5428
National Association of People Abused in Childhood 0800 085 3330
Stop it Now! Helpline 0808 1000 900
Local Authority Children's and Adult Social Care Services:
01384 813061 or out of hours 0300 555 8574 (Dudley children and adults)
0121 569 2266 (Sandwell children)
0121 569 2266 (Sandwell adults)
PARISH POLICY FOR RESPONDING TO DOMESTIC ABUSE
The Parochial Church Council adopted the Church of England policy for responding to Domestic Abuse on 5th June 2018. This was reviewed and renewed on 7th May 2019.
We recognize that all forms of domestic abuse are wrong and must stop.
We are committed to promoting and supporting environments which:
- Ensure that all people feel welcomed, respected and safe from abuse;
- Protect those vulnerable to domestic abuse from actual or potential harm;
- Recognise equality amongst people and within relationships;
- Enable and encourage concerns to be raised and responded to appropriately and consistently.
If you have any concerns or need to talk to anyone please contact either Mrs Mary Evans Licensed Reader 0121 561 3891 or Revd. Mike Sermon Vicar 0121 559 1000
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