Safeguarding

                                                           PROMOTING A SAFER CHURCH

                                                           PARISH POLICY STATEMENT 

                                            The Parochial Church Council of St Giles Packwood………

agreed to adopt all of the House of Bishop’s safeguarding policy and practice guidance and The Church of England – Birmingham’s procedures for their implementation on 5th July 2023

All forms of abuse are wrong and must stop

The care and protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults involved in Church activities is the responsibility of the whole Church.  Everyone who participates in the life of the Church has a role to play in promoting a safer Church for all.

Our commitments:

1.      Promoting a safer environment and culture
2.      Safely recruiting and supporting all those with any responsibility related to children and vulnerable adults within the Church
3.      Responding promptly to every safeguarding concern or allegation
4.      Caring pastorally for victims/survivors of abuse and other affected persons
5.      Caring pastorally for those who are the subject of concerns or allegations of abuse and other affected persons
6.      Responding to those that may pose a present risk to others

We will implement good safeguarding practice by ensuring:

  • the welfare of the child, young person and vulnerable adult is paramount;
  • a leadership commitment, at all levels, to the importance of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults;
  • our safeguarding policy is available to all church officers;
  • a clear line of accountability within our church for work on safeguarding;
  • clear reporting procedures to deal with safeguarding concerns and allegations;
  • we report all concerns and allegations against church officers to the Bishop’s Safeguarding Adviser and statutory agencies;
  • clear roles for church officers;
  • we have clear arrangements for support and/or supervision of church officers;
  • all church officers working with or in contact with children, young people and/or vulnerable adults attend diocesan safeguarding training;
  • our practice and services are informed by on- going learning, review and by the views of children, young people, families and vulnerable adults;
  • safer recruitment procedures are in place;
  • effective working with statutory and voluntary sector partners;
  • we have publicly advertised arrangements for children, young people and vulnerable adults to be able to speak to an independent person, as required;
  • our complaints and whistleblowing procedures are well publicised;
  • effective information sharing;
  • good record keeping.

If you have any concerns or need to talk to someone

please contact:

Laura @ safeguardingstgiles@hockleyheath-packwood-churches.org.uk

OR

A church warden

If you cannot contact any of the people above and someone is being harmed or is not safe and needs immediate help, dial 999, or contact social care services, or, for a child, the NSPCC helpline 0808 800 5000

Other useful contacts:

Bishop’s Safeguarding Adviser 07342 993 844
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 Social Care Services:

0121 303 1888 (Birmingham)

0121 569 3100 (Sandwell)

0121 788 4333 (Solihull)

0800 1313 126 (Staffordshire)

01926 414144 (Warwickshire)

01905 822666 (Worcestershire)

 Local Authority Adult Social Care Services:

0121 303 1234 (Birmingham)

0121 569 2266 (Sandwell)

0121 704 8007 (Solihull)

0345 604 2719 (Staffordshire)

01926 412080 (Warwickshire)

01905 768053 (Worcestershire)