Safeguarding
St Barnabas is committed to being a safe place for everyone — children, young people and adults alike. Safeguarding is the responsibility of all of us, not only of those who hold an office.
The Parochial Church Council has adopted the House of Bishops’ Promoting a Safer Church safeguarding policy statement, and we follow the safeguarding policy and practice guidance of the Church of England and the Diocese of Chelmsford.
If someone is in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police.
Report a safeguarding concern
If something has happened, or you are worried about a child, a young person or an adult at risk, please tell us. You do not need to be certain, and it is not for you to investigate. Bringing the concern to us is enough.
→ Report a safeguarding concern using our online form
The form asks for your name and contact details so that we can respond to you properly, and it goes only to those responsible for safeguarding in the parish.
What happens next
- Our Parish Safeguarding Officer or one of the clergy will be in touch with you, normally within two working days.
- Where the guidance requires it, the concern will be passed to the Diocesan Safeguarding Team.
- We will treat what you tell us with care and discretion, but we cannot promise confidentiality: some concerns have to be shared in order to keep people safe.
The form is not monitored overnight or at weekends. If a concern cannot wait, please telephone one of the numbers below.
Who to contact
Our Parish Safeguarding Officer is Marion Ketley, who can be reached on 01268 211009 or through the form above.
Diocese of Chelmsford Safeguarding Team — duty line 01245 294444, or [email protected]
Other sources of help
If you are concerned about a child or young person, contact Essex County Council Children’s Social Care on 0345 603 7627 (Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm) or 0345 606 1212 (Emergency Duty Team, out of hours), or email [email protected].
If you are concerned about an adult at risk, contact Essex County Council Adult Social Care on 0345 603 7630 (Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm) or 0345 606 1212 (Emergency Duty Team, out of hours), or email [email protected].
If you are a child or young person and would like to talk to someone in confidence, contact Childline on 0800 1111.
For advice about a particular child, or to speak to someone anonymously, contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0800 800 5000.
If you have experienced abuse in a church context and would rather not approach the Church directly, a dedicated telephone helpline operated independently by the NSPCC is available on 0800 80 20 20.