Safeguarding Policy

St Olave's Church York

A Safer Church

Parish of St Olave’s York

The following policy was agreed at the Parochial Church Council (PCC) meeting held on 27th July 2022

In accordance with the Church of England Safeguarding Policy our church is committed to:

  1. Promoting a safer environment and culture.
  2. Safely recruiting and supporting all those with any responsibility related to children, young people 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.

The Parish will:

  1. Create a safe and caring place for all.
  2. Have a named Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) to work with the incumbent and the PCC to implement policy and procedures.
  3. Safely recruit, train and support all those with any responsibility for children, young people and adults to have the confidence and skills to recognise and respond to abuse.
  4. Ensure that there is appropriate insurance cover for all activities involving children and adults undertaken in the name of the parish.
  5. Display in church premises and on the Parish website the details of who to contact if there are safeguarding concerns or support needs.
  6. Listen to and take seriously all those who disclose abuse.
  7. Take steps to protect children and adults when a safeguarding concern of any kind arises, following House of Bishops guidance, including notifying the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (DSA) and statutory agencies immediately.
  8. Offer support to victims/survivors of abuse regardless of the type of abuse, when or where it occurred.
  9. Care for and monitor any member of the church community who may pose a risk to children and adults whilst maintaining appropriate confidentiality and the safety of all parties.
  10. Ensure that health and safety policy, procedures and risk assessments are in place and that these are reviewed annually.
  11. Review the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy, Procedures and Practices at least annually.

Each person who works within this church community will agree to abide by this policy and the guidelines established by this church.

This church appoints Mike Thunder as the Parish Safeguarding Officer appointed March 2022

Incumbent

Rev Liz Hassall

Churchwardens

Jane Lockley
Buff Reid
Roger Button

Date: 27th July 2022

1. Recruitment

Any paid or voluntary position in the church which involves working with children or vulnerable adults (this includes the members of the PCC) will be subject to a DBS check. Please contact the Parish Safeguarding Officer (Mike Thunder) to arrange this. The church follows the Safe Recruitment Policy; please contact Rev Liz Hassall or Mike Thunder if there are any concerns.

2. People who pose a Risk

If there is good reason to believe that someone attending the church may pose a risk, either as result of criminal conviction or for any other reason, the first concern will be a commitment to the protection of all. Whilst extending appropriate pastoral care to an individual, the Incumbent and Church wardens and the Parish Safeguarding Officer will discuss with the Diocese Safeguarding Advisor and then meet with the individual and discuss boundaries that the person will be expected to keep. A written agreement may well be appropriate in such cases, and the PCC, Parish Safeguarding Officer and Diocese Safeguarding Advisor and maybe other agencies will be involved in drawing up this agreement.

3. Safeguarding - Procedures for Referrals

What to do in the event of concerns about safeguarding, actual or possible inappropriate conduct. Allow the person to speak, but be very careful not to say anything that may suggest or prompt a particular answer. Anything said by the person should be recorded, using the actual words used.

Reassure the person that you are listening carefully to them, but refrain from promising to ’keep a secret’. Make it clear that you may have to tell someone else who can help to sort things out.

Concerns or an allegation must be shared with the nominated Parish Safeguarding Officer as soon as possible, or in their absence, with either the Incumbent or Church warden or another trusted adult, or with the Diocese Safeguarding Advisor. If the concern or allegation is about any of these people DO NOT share the concern with them. The concerns must be recorded, as must the decisions of how to proceed, including rationale for those decisions and consultation with any other persons.

If there are concerns that a person is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm or is in immediate danger of harm, then a referral to Social Services or the Police should be made at once by the church member or the Parish Safeguarding Officer. Identify yourself and the church you are representing. You must also advise the Diocese Safeguarding Advisor and if she or he is not available the Archdeacon.

Local contacts to speak to if you have any concerns

 

Parish Safeguarding Officer

Mike Thunder Tel: 07800 992866 Email: safeguarding@stolaveschurch.org.uk

Diocese of York Safeguarding Adviser

Tel: 01904 699524 – 07551 124951 Email: safeguarding@yorkdiocese.org

LOCAL AUTHORITY SOCIAL SERVICES

Tel: 01904 551900 (outside office hours, at weekends and on public holidays contact the emergency duty team on 01609 780780)
For child protection see https://www.york.gov.uk/ChildProtection
For adult safeguarding see https://www.york.gov.uk/safeguarding-adults

Archdeacon

The Venerable Sam Rushton Tel: 01904 758241

Local Police

101

HELPLINES

  • NSPCC 0808 800 5000
  • Childline 0800 1111
  • Stop it Now 0808 1000 900
  • Churches Child Protection Advisory Services Helpline: 0845 1204550
  • Samaritans 116123
  • Family Lives 0808 800 2222
  • National Domestic Violence Helpline 0808 2000 247
  • Action on Elder Abuse 080 8808 8141

Diocese of York safeguarding

www.dioceseofyork.org.uk/safeguarding

Ecclesiastical Insurance Group

NB: Contact with EIG should only be undertaken following discussion with the Archdeacon or Diocesan Secretary if it is with regard to a confidential child protection related complaint or concern

Write to:
The managing Director
Ecclesiastical Insurance Group
Beaufort House
Brunswick Road
Gloucester
GL1 1JZ

and marked “Strictly Private and Confidential”

If it is an emergency, telephone 01452 528533