Safeguarding

by Helen Clemow — last modified 01 May, 2020 06:04 PM

Ensuring the Diocese of Salisbury provides a safe and caring environment for everyone but especially children, and adults who may be at risk of abuse and neglect. Victims and Survivors are at the heart of our safeguarding work. Contact the team below.

"Every organisation has responsibilities for safeguarding, but this is particularly important for us as a Church.
"We need to ensure the safeguarding of everyone but especially of children and vulnerable adults."

The Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam Bishop of Salisbury

PAST CASES REVIEW

The Diocese of Salisbury has been carrying out a Past Cases Review since the beginning of 2019. The purpose is to make sure we have not missed any instances of abuse and/or harm against vulnerable people whether adults or children by clergy or any church officers. The role of church officer includes, Readers (Licensed Lay Ministers), Lay Pastoral Assistants, Youth Workers or helpers, Churchwardens, Organists, Choir Leaders, in fact anyone appointed to any role by the Church of England in parishes or dioceses. If you are a victim or survivor of abuse, regardless of how long ago it happened, and you have not had the chance to tell your story or seek help or justice, we do want to hear from you so we can offer proper support.

The Diocese commissioned two Independent Reviewers to carry out the review. These are retired senior police officers who have worked in child and adult protection for many years and they are still available for you to talk to should you wish to do so. This can be arranged through the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisers (Heather Bland or Jem Carter) whose contact details are below. There is also a national helpline run by the NSPCC which will take calls and make sure they get put through to the correct diocese for ongoing support and help. The information about this can be found here. The NSPCC phone number is 0800 802020.

Safeguarding: Guiding Principles

We are all in need of protection from harm and as a Christian community it is the responsibility of every one of us to protect those less able to protect themselves.

The safeguarding and protection of children, and adults at risk is everyone’s responsibility, not just parents, guardians and carers.

The Diocese of Salisbury is committed to:

  • The safeguarding and protection of all children and young people.
  • Safeguarding adults who may be at risk of abuse or neglect
  • The care, nurture of, and respectful pastoral ministry with all adults and children.
  • The establishing of safe, caring communities which provide a loving environment where there is a culture of ‘informed vigilance’ as to the dangers of abuse

We will respond without delay to every concern raised which suggests that an adult, child or young person may have been harmed or is at risk of harm, co-operating with the police and local authority in any investigation.

From our Diocesan Safeguarding Strategy, 2019

Your Latest Safeguarding Updates Safeguarding Microsite Past Cases Review

Click here for the very latest resources.

There are now 2 Diocesan Safeguarding Advisors (DSAs), who work together on a job-share basis to provide safeguarding cover throughout the week. They are:

Heather works 9am-5pm, Monday-Wednesday inclusive, predominantly from Church House. She should be the first point of contact for urgent safeguarding advice from 8am-9pm on Mondays and Tuesdays and from 8am until 12pm on a Wednesdays (via mob 07500 664800), after which she will handover to Jem Carter as below.

Service provider ‘thirtyone:eight’ provides cover from 5pm on Friday until 8am the following Monday – Tel 0303 0031111.

Jem works 9am-5pm Tuesday-Friday inclusive largely from Church House, although one day a week (predominantly Tuesday) will be spent providing dedicated Safeguarding support to the Cathedral.  Jem should be the first point of contact for urgent safeguarding advice from 12pm on Weds through until 5pm on a Friday. He is available on an ‘on call’ basis until 9pm on Wednesday and Thursday evenings – on mobile 07469 857888.

Service provider ‘thirtyone:eight’ provides cover from 5pm on Friday until 8am the following Monday – Tel 0303 0031111.

Main contacts for training courses:

Adrian is the first point of contact for all Safeguarding training and DBS matters.
NB: PLEASE DO NOT use his 'adrian.smale@' email for Safeguarding queries.

 

We recognise that, to achieve a safe environment, we need to create an informed, caring atmosphere where the unthinkable can be thought and discussed. If you cannot find what you need, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

If you need a safeguarding policy for your parish we strongly recommend that you adopt ‘Promoting a Safer Church’ which is also the policy of the national church and the diocese.  It can be found here.

First things first:

24-hour safeguarding advice is available from thirtyone:eight on 0303 003 11 11.
Visit the thirtyone:eight website here or our Child Protection page here.

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The Disclosure and Barring Service

Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks are now called Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. You may need to check someone’s criminal record if they apply for certain jobs or voluntary work with children or adults at risk of abuse. 'Working Together' is a guide to inter-agency work.

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Photography

Click here for our Parish Policy for Use of Photographs and Video Recordings.

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Training

The way we deliver safeguarding training in the Church of England is changing. New practice guidance on how this should look over the coming years (click here) has been approved by the House of Bishops. The purpose is to develop and ensure a framework of consistent learning and development of safeguarding practice in the context of the church. We will continue to deliver training around the diocese and across the year. You are urged to look at who in your parishes needs to do this training and make sure they sign up to one of the courses being laid on.

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Click an icon below for a page, external website or other resources.

 
BSL

Are you a British Sign Language user? Click here to access a message offering help and support to anyone who is suffering abuse now or has done in the past; you can also view the British Sign Language version of the NSPCC's "underwear rule" guide here.

 British Sign Language British Sign Language- Video message British Sign Language- NSPCC Underwear Rule

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