Safeguarding at St Matthew's Updated May 2023
Policy on the Safeguarding of Adults/Children for St Matthew’s Parish Church
St Matthew’s is committed to Safeguarding and has adopted the National
and Diocesan Safeguarding Policies. Our Safeguarding Coordinator is
Louise Inwood who can be contacted on 07519171685
The PCC of this Church agreed and adopted the above Policy at its meeting on
2nd May 2023. and will review it prior to the end of April 2024.
1. This policy will be reviewed each year to monitor the progress which
has been achieved. We recognize that everyone has different levels of
vulnerability and that each of us may be regarded as vulnerable at
some time in our lives.
We recognise that a position of power in relation to another creates a
risk of vulnerability. As a consequence we strive to ensure that we
consider the existence of power when working with and leading people.
We recognise that children by virtue of legal status and dependency on
adults for their emotional and physical needs will always be vulnerable
and at a disadvantage. We commit to considering this in our children’s
activities– undertaking supervision of leaders working with them and
risk assessing activities and groups as a check and balance in our work.
We understand that illness, disability, race, mental health and other
issues can put adults in a position of vulnerability. We accept that these
can be long term (ongoing), or temporary. We commit to considering
this in our adults activities and events – undertaking supervision of
leaders and risk assessing activities and groups as a check and balance in
our work.
We commit to transparency in our actions and accountability for our
work.
2. As members of this parish we commit ourselves to respectful pastoral
care for all adults and children to whom we minister.
• We will consider issues relating to spiritual care in prayer activity,
ensuring that Ministers, Servers and Junior Church leaders consider
power, control and spiritual abuse issues in their ministry.
• We will ensure that leaders of Junior Church as well as other
ministries that involve working with vulnerable persons have
appropriate enhanced DBS checks.
• We will ensure that those who care for people in our Parish undergo
safeguarding training.
• We commit to discuss safeguarding as a standing PCC agenda item.
3. We commit ourselves to the safeguarding of people who may be
vulnerable, ensuring their well-being in the life of this church.
We will ensure that leaders of groups as well as other ministries that
involve working with vulnerable persons have appropriate enhanced
DBS checks.
We will encourage participation in worship and in social activities and
enable all God’s people to use their gifts as appropriate for the benefit
of the whole worshipping community .
4. We commit ourselves to promoting safe practice by those in positions
of trust.
• We commit to discuss safeguarding and support of safeguarding as a
standing PCC agenda item
• We will ensure that those in positions of trust (such as wardens), and
those with remits or leadership of groups involving children etc have
appropriate enhanced DBS checks and that these are updated every 3
years.
• We will engage with appropriate training and seek to develop
relationships with other agencies and the diocese on safeguarding.
• Safeguarding including revision of policy will be a regular PCC agenda
item and agree that whilst we have a named co-ordinator we will
accept collective ownership for this important issue.
We will be transparent, open and not have secrets.
• We commit to discuss safeguarding and support of safeguarding as a
standing PCC agenda item.
5. The parish commits itself to promoting the inclusion and empowerment of
people who may be vulnerable.
We will consider the impact of power, disadvantage, inclusion, disability,
age and race on how we provide and plan for our ministry.
We will actively (but appropriately), challenge each other in our work in
order to ensure we consider a wide range of perspectives and views–
ensuring that we do not oppressively impose our own values or views to
another’s detriment.
Where a person struggles with an activity due to disadvantage, disability
or illness we will go the extra mile to enable them to participate and
contribute as a full part of the church.
6. It is the responsibility of each of us to prevent the physical, emotional,
sexual, financial and spiritual abuse of vulnerable people and to report any
such abuse that we discover or suspect.
We will not collude, keep secrets or make decisions when we have
suspicion of abuse. We will seek appropriate action to ensure through
use of external agencies and the diocese safeguarding service that we
engage and welcome external perspectives in order to promote a
healthy accountable culture.
We will report without being bias to our personal view. We will report
and not investigate.
We will record concerns factually in diocese suggested formats (as per
recording with care policy 2017)
We will not take chances with the welfare of children or vulnerable
adults.
We are open to scrutiny and encourage this in others.
We have zero tolerance to abuse and put the welfare of vulnerable
children and adults first.
We take seriously training and activities relating to the safeguarding of
Children and seek to engrain this in our congregational culture.
7. We undertake to exercise proper care in the appointment and selection of
those who will work with people who may be vulnerable.
• We will ensure that those in positions of trust (such as wardens), and
those with remits or leadership of groups involving vulnerable
children etc have appropriate enhanced DBS checks and that these
are updated every 3 years.
• We will engage with appropriate training and seek to develop
relationships with other agencies and the diocese on safeguarding.
• Safeguarding including revision of policy will be a regular PCC agenda
item and agree that whilst we have a named co-ordinator we will
accept collective ownership for this important issue.
We will be transparent, open and not have secrets.
• Our incumbent undertakes to ensure that to the best of his or her
knowledge all PCC members, wardens and ministry leaders are of
good standing.
• The PCC undertakes to appoint and upskill a dedicated Safeguarding
co-ordinator.
• Safeguarding co-ordination undertakes to maintain a relationship
with diocese level safeguarding team and endure that this policy is
followed.
8. The parish is committed to supporting, resourcing, training and regularly
reviewing those who undertake work amongst people who may be
vulnerable.
• We will ensure that those in positions of trust (such as wardens), and
those with remits or leadership of groups involving vulnerable
children etc have appropriate enhanced DBS checks and that these
are updated every 3 year.
• We will engage with appropriate training and seek to develop
relationships with other agencies and the diocese on safeguarding.
• Safeguarding including revision of policy will be a regular PCC agenda
item and agree that whilst we have a named co-ordinator we will
accept collective ownership for this important issue.
We will be transparent, open and not have secrets.
• Our incumbent undertakes to ensure that to the best of his or her
knowledge all PCC members, wardens and ministry leaders are of
good standing.
• The PCC undertakes to appoint and upskill a dedicated Safeguarding
co-ordinator.
• Safeguarding co-ordination undertakes to maintain a relationship
with diocese level safeguarding team and endure that this policy is
followed.
9. St Matthew’s Church is committed to Safeguarding and has adopted the
National and Diocesan Safeguarding Policies.
The Parish will report and record in line with Diocese policies and comply
with local guidance’s for implementing national policies as defined in
diocese polices. These include the diocese safeguarding policy,
recording with care policy, social media policy and safer recruitment
policy.
10. Each person who works with vulnerable people will agree to abide by these
recommendations and the guidelines established by this church.
Those working with vulnerable adults or children will sign a declaration
to state that they have read and agree to abide by the points outlined in
this policy.
This church appoints Louise Inwood to represent the concerns and views of
vulnerable people at our meetings and to outside bodies as Parish
Safeguarding Co-ordinator.
She can be contacted Via email At [email protected] or 07519171685
Rural Dean Original signed Rev’d D Loughran
Churchwarden Original signed J. Gardner
Date May 2022.