ALL SAINTS', SANDON -Policy on the Safeguarding of Adults/Children
This statement was adopted by .All Saints Church, Sandon by Churchwardens on 9 January 2018 and ratified at a Parochial Church Council meeting held on 27 February 2018. Last Reviewed March 2025
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 power when working and leading with 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 people 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 people 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 ensure that leaders of activities involving children or vulnerable adults have appropriate enhanced DBS checks, within the framework of the Diocesan policies.
· We will ensure that those who care for people in our parish attend appropriate safeguarding training.
· We commit to discuss safeguarding and support to 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 adopt good safeguarding practices in accordance with this policy when carrying out work with children and vulnerable adults for example bell ringing, children’s activities during and outside services.
4. We commit ourselves to promoting safe practice by those in positions of trust.
· We commit to discuss safeguarding and support to 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 activities involving vulnerable children etc have appropriate enhanced DBS checks within the framework of the Diocesan policies, and that these are updated every 3 years.
· We will review any declared convictions normally considered as ‘spent’ and make a decision as to whether we should prevent the individual from carrying out the role or restrict their duties.
· 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.
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 assist them so they can 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 through discussion the views of others and 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 vulnerable adults and we 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, within the framework of the Diocesan policies, and that these are updated every 3 years.
· We will review any declared convictions normally considered as ‘spent’ and make a decision as to whether we should prevent the individual from carrying out the role or restrict their duties.
· 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 their knowledge all PCC members, wardens and ministry leaders are of good standing.
· The PCC undertakes to appoint and up-skill a dedicated Safeguarding coordinator```.
· The Safeguarding coordinator undertakes to maintain a relationship with diocese level safeguarding team and ensure 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, within the framework of the Diocesan policies, and that these are updated every 3 years.
· We will review any declared convictions normally considered as ‘spent’ and make a decision as to whether we should prevent the individual from carrying out the role or restrict their duties.
· 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 their knowledge all PCC members, wardens and ministry leaders are of good standing.
· The PCC undertakes to appoint and up-skill a dedicated Safeguarding coordinator.
· The Safeguarding Coordinator undertakes to maintain a relationship with diocese level safeguarding team and endure that this policy is followed.
9. The parish adopts the guidelines of the Church of England and the Diocese.
· The Parish will report and record in line with Diocese policies and comply with local guidance 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 Mrs Anne Stringer (07791 - 097502) to represent the concerns and views of vulnerable people at our meetings and to outside bodies as Parish Safeguarding Coordinator.
The Code of Safer Working Practice
The Code of Safer Working Practice expresses our commitment to demonstrating God’s love by placing the highest priority on the safety of those to whom we minister. It sets out what we expect from anyone who ministers in our church, in both paid or voluntary roles, and is one of the ways we ensure high standards of safeguarding in all we do.
Upholding the Code
All members of staff and volunteers are expected to report any breaches of this code to the Parish Safeguarding Officer. Staff and volunteers who breach this code may be subject to disciplinary procedures or asked to leave their role. Serious breaches may also result in a referral made to the relevant statutory agency.
All those working on behalf of the parish with children, young people and adults must:
• Treat all individuals with respect and dignity;
• Respect people’s rights to personal privacy;
• Ensure that their own language, tone of voice and body language are respectful;
• Ensure that children, young people and adults know who they can talk to about a personal concern;
• Record and report any concerns about a child, young person or adult and/or the behavior of another worker with their activity leader and/or the Parish Safeguarding Officer. All written records should be signed and dated;
• Obtain written consent for any photographs or videos to be taken, shown, displayed or stored.
In addition, those working with children and young people must:
• Always aim to work with or within sight of another adult;
• Ensure another adult is informed if a child needs to be taken to the toilet;
• Respond warmly to a child who needs comforting but make sure there are other adults around;
• Ensure that the child and parents are aware of any activity that requires physical contact and of its nature before the activity takes place.
All those working on behalf of the parish with children, young people and adults must not:
· Use any form of physical punishment
· Be sexually suggestive about or to an individual
· Scapegoat, ridicule or reject an individual or group
· Permit abusive peer activities e. g. initiation ceremonies, ridiculing or bullying
· Show favoritism to any one individual or group
· Allow an individual to involve them in excessive attention seeking
· Allow unknown adults access to children young people and adults who may be vulnerable.
Visitors should also be accompanied by an approved person
· Allow strangers to give lifts to children, young people and adults who may be vulnerable in the group.
· Befriend children, young people and adults who may be vulnerable on social media
· Take photographs on personal phones or cameras as this means images are stored on personal devices.
In addition, for children and young people, must not:
· Give lifts to children you are supervising, on their own or your own (unless there are exceptional circumstances e.g. in an emergency for medical reasons or where parents fail to collect a child and no other arrangements can be made to take a child home. In such situations, the circumstances of your decision must be recorded and shared with an appropriate person at the earliest opportunity)
· Smoke or drink alcohol in the presence of children and young people, except when this is a social situation with family members/ carers present, e.g. a parish party *
· Arrange social occasions with children and young people (other than events which also include family members/carers) outside organised group occasions.
Acceptable Touch
Sympathetic attention, encouragement and appropriate physical contact are needed by children and adults.
Some physical contact with children, particularly younger children, can be wholly appropriate. However,
Abusers can use touch that appears safe to ‘normalise’ physical contact which then becomes abusive. As a general rule, the use of touch between adults in positions of responsibility and those with whom they are working or volunteering should be initiated by the person themselves and kept to the minimum. In addition to this, always follow the guidelines below:
· Ask permission before you touch someone.
· Allow the other person to determine the degree of touch except in exceptional circumstances (e.g. when they need medical attention)
· Avoid any physical contact that is or could be construed as sexual, abusive or offensive.
· Keep everything public. A hug in the context of a group is very different from a hug from behind closed doors.
· Touch should be in response to a person’s needs and not related to the worker’s needs.
Touch should be age appropriate, welcome and generally initiated by the child, not the worker.
*For the avoidance of doubt this document does not apply to church services including Holy Communion
Adopted by Mid Trent Team Council July 2021
Reviewed April 2025 Next Review April 2026