As a church St George’s take ‘safeguarding’ seriously. We will promote the welfare of children, young people and adults. We will work to prevent abuse from occurring. We will seek to protect those that are at risk of being abused and respond well to those that have been abused. We will take care to identify where a person may present a risk to others and offer support to them whilst taking steps to mitigate such risks
We have adopted the policies of the Church of England and a copy of our policy document can be downloaded below. You can also see our diocese's guidelines here
We have an excellent safeguarding officer (Bob Price) whose details can be found at both the church and hall. Bob's email address is [email protected] and you can phone him on 01243 530270. And if in doubt you can contact the Diocese Safeguarding Team at Church House, Hove on 01273 421 021
Recognising the risks inherent in modern social media we have signed up the Church of England’s voluntary pledge to help make social media and the web more widely positive places for conversations to happen and make the digital world as loving and generous as we would when speaking face to face:
1. Truth - we should hold ourselves to high ideals of checking that what we post online is fair and factual.
2. Kindness - we are all different and that makes the world an interesting place – and at times a challenging one. Think the best of people, whether they share our views or are speaking against them and aim to be constructive in the way we engage.
3. Welcome - in the language we use and the way we interact. It’s easy for Christians to speak in another language using words that those outside the Church might not relate to.
4. Inspiration - we are called to be witnesses of our faith and to use social media in a way that genuinely engages others.
5. Togetherness - we are one Church and other members of this Church are our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is crucial we treat those around us in this way.
6. Safeguarding - if you have any concerns about the wellbeing of children, young people and vulnerable adults, please contact the relevant diocesan safeguarding adviser.
And we have also agreed to follow guidelines to encourage conversations that reflect our values
Be safe. The safety of children, young people and vulnerable adults must be maintained. If you have any concerns, ask a diocesan safeguarding adviser.
Be respectful. Do not post or share content that is sexually explicit, inflammatory, hateful, abusive, threatening or otherwise disrespectful.
Be kind. Treat others how you would wish to be treated and assume the best in people. If you have a criticism or critique to make, consider not just whether you would say it in person, but the tone you would use.
Be honest. Don’t mislead people about who you are.
Take responsibility. You are accountable for the things you do, say and write. Text and images shared can be public and permanent, even with privacy settings in place. If you’re not sure, don’t post it.
Be a good ambassador. Personal and professional life can easily become blurred online so think before you post.
Disagree well. Some conversations can be places of robust disagreement and it’s important we apply our values in the way we express them.
Credit others. Acknowledge the work of others. Respect copyright and always credit where it is due. Be careful not to release sensitive or confidential information and always question the source of any content you are considering amplifying.