Safeguarding
The parish of Cleckheaton: Whitechapel is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO). The Diocese of Leeds’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSOs. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.
Safeguarding Statement: Parish of Whitechapel, Cleckheaton.
The Parochial Church Council (PCC) of Whitechapel Church, Cleckheaton, takes seriously its responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of children and vulnerable adults.
The parish’s Safeguarding Statements apply to all who make up the church ‘workforce’ which includes clergy, holders of Bishop’s license or permission, those commissioned or authorised by the Bishop, those, paid or unpaid, who hold positions of responsibility in a parish and work with children or vulnerable adults, and those with representational parish ministry.
For the purposes of these documents the term ‘Parish’ is used to denote the PCC and Incumbent who are together responsible for ensuring that diocesan safeguarding policies and procedures are implemented.
Whitechapel Church, Cleckheaton PCC has adopted the Diocese of Leeds Safeguarding Policy 2016.
Further information about safeguarding in the Diocese is available at: https://www.leeds.anglican.org/safe
The Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO), appointed by the PCC at Whitechapel Church, Cleckheaton, is Adam O’Neil
Contact Details: 07984 340 565 or [email protected]
Diocesan Safeguarding Team
Contact Details: Jenny Price
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0113 3530 258
Local Authority Contacts in Kirklees
Children: 01484 456848 (normal working hours)
01484 414933 (out of hours)
Adults: 01484 221000 (normal working hours)
01484 414933 (out of hours)
National Helplines
Childline: 0800 1111
NSPCC: 0808 500 8000
Samaritans: 08457 909 090
Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 200 0247
OUR SAFEGUARDING POLICY FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Whitechapel Church aims to provide a safe, secure and supportive environment in which children can develop and be helped towards a mature faith in Christ, through worship, activity and play.
All leaders of ‘Minnows’ and Messy Church have enhanced DBS Disclosures.
The PCC of St. John’s have formally accepted the Diocese Safeguarding Policy and the Code of Good Practice relating to work with children and young people and have accepted its recommendations and are working to implement them.
The PCC aim to:
- Provide a safe and respectful environment in which children and young people can explore and develop their faith.
- Actively safeguard and promote the welfare of all children who come to Church in partnership with parents/carers whenever possible; to ensure there is a culture of ‘informed vigilance’ to the dangers of abuse.
- Promote and foster positive and trusting relationships with parents.
- Develop workers’ (volunteers and paid) awareness and expertise on Child Protection issues by supporting, resourcing, training and regularly reviewing.
- Formulate procedures and systems to secure the safety and welfare of children and young people and to report any abuse that is discovered or suspected.
- To ensure the safety and welfare of Leaders, particularly through the annual review.
- Ensure regular safety inspections of the building by the Church Wardens.
- Seek to work with anyone who has suffered abuse with a ministry of informed pastoral care.
Challenge abuse of power, especially by anyone in a position of trust.
OBJECTIVES
During the year 2020-21 the PCC intend to ensure that:
- They continue to develop procedures and systems to secure the safety and welfare of children and young people in line with the Diocesan Policy.
- All volunteers and paid staff are fully aware of child protection issues and are confident about the Church’s child protection procedures and systems including DBS disclosures.
- Parishioners are made aware of the Parish and Diocesan Safeguarding Policies.
- Pastoral care and supervision is available to any member of the church community known to have offended against a child or young person.
OUR POLICY ON THE SAFEGUARDING OF ADULTS
Every person has a value and dignity which comes directly from the creation of male and female in God’s own image and likeness. Christians see this potential as fulfilled by God’s re-creation of us in Christ. Among other things, this implies a duty to value all people as bearing the image of God and therefore to protect them from harm.
We will endeavour to safeguard vulnerable adults by:
- Recognising that everyone has different levels of vulnerability and that each of us may be regarded as vulnerable at some time in our lives.
- Committing ourselves to respectful pastoral care for all adults to whom we minister and promoting their inclusion and empowerment.
- Committing ourselves to ensuring their wellbeing in the life of the church and recognising that each of us is responsible for the prevention of physical, emotional, sexual, financial and spiritual abuse by reporting any such abuse we discover or suspect.
- Promoting safe practice by those in positions of trust and challenging any abuse of power.
- Exercising care in the appointment and selection of those who will work with people who may be vulnerable.
- Following Church of England policies and practice guidance relating to safeguarding and establishing a culture of ‘informed vigilance’ as to the dangers of abuse.
- Ensuring each person who works with vulnerable people will agree to abide by these recommendations and guidelines established by this church and to support, resource training and review their work.
The principles underlying our safeguarding practice can be found in this document:
https://media.acny.uk/media/venues/page/attachment/2020/03/A_Safer_Church.pdf
Further guidance for implementing these principles is available at:
https://www.leeds.anglican.org/safe-diocesan-policy-guidance