SAFEGUARDING

Parish Safeguarding Rep: Elizabeth White 01723 360358
Diocesan Safeguarding Co-ordinator: Jacqui Drysdale 01642 850505
Diocesan Safeguarding information page: CLICK HERE
Diocesan Safeguarding E-learning programme:
The Catholic Church in England and Wales is possibly the first Church in the UK, or indeed the world, to offer safeguarding e-learning to every parishioner free of charge. Go to:
https://middlesbrough-diocese.org.uk/safeguarding-e-learning-programme/
Safe Spaces Victim Support: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/home/our-work/safeguarding/safe-spaces-project/

Catholics recognise that every individual has intrinsic value and dignity, as it comes directly from God, who created all human beings in his own image and likeness (Genesis 1:26f). Scarborough Parishes therefore must be a place of welcome, where each person is respected, cherished and guarded. Parishes must be communities where we support and protect one another and take special care of those who may be vulnerable because of age, illness or disability or because of current or past-life experiences.

• What should I do if I think a vulnerable person is at risk of harm? Listen. Observe. Reassure. Don’t make judgements about the truth of a person’s concern. If there is an immediate risk of further harm contact police, ambulance, social services, or other relevant organisation, directly. Inform your Parish Safeguarding Representative, your Parish Priest or contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Office directly. Be as accurate as you can about what you know – Who? What? Where? When? Do not talk to anyone who might be involved in the abuse, or to anyone else that the matter should not concern.
• What happens after I have reported a concern? Your Safeguarding Rep/Parish Priest will consult the Safeguarding Office and any other statutory agencies to decide upon investigation and consider appropriate safeguarding or support plans for those affected by the allegation.

Reporting Abuse

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child or adult at risk, do not delay in contacting the police, using 999 if a child or adult is believed to be in immediate danger. It is the policy of the Catholic Church in England and Wales to report all allegations of abuse to statutory authorities, regardless of whether the abuse occurred recently or in the past, or whether the accused person is living or deceased.

If you are in any role within the Catholic Church in England and Wales, you must refer allegations directly to the safeguarding office for your diocese or religious congregation, or directly to the Police.

If you are a member of the public, please refer allegations directly to the police and also to the safeguarding office in your diocese; (the relevant Diocesan safeguarding office can be located using the interactive map on the links page of the CSSA website www.cssa.org.uk – contact details will be shown when you click on the relevant area of the map).

You can also contact us by telephoning 0207 901 1920 or via email at admin@catholicsafeguarding.org.uk. Any referrals made directly to the CSSA will be immediately passed to the local safeguarding office for further action as appropriate.  Where appropriate, the CSSA will refer matters directly to the statutory authorities.

Please note that neither the CSSA nor the safeguarding offices in England and Wales provide an emergency or 24 hour service.

What is Safeguarding?

Safeguarding is about promoting and ensuring the dignity, wellbeing and safety of those who participate in any activity organised in or by the Church. Church activities must therefore:

• be well planned in order to minimise risks and ensure sufficient support
• ensure all who work in Church ministries are carefully selected and are supported in their role

Safeguarding is about responding when there are concerns that someone may not be safe or secure by:

• responding confidently and proportionately when concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a vulnerable member of our Church are raised
• involving other organisations, when necessary, to ensure our response to concerns is robust
• caring for those hurt by abuse in the past
• managing those who have caused harm

Who’s Who in Safeguarding?

✔ Every member of the Catholic community!  We must all look out for one another, especially the more vulnerable members of our community
✔ Local Safeguarding Representatives (‘Parish Reps’). Every parish should have at least one (see top of page). Safeguarding Representatives will:

• help maintain a safeguarding awareness at all times
• maintain confidentiality
• understand who to contact in specific circumstances
• promote safe practices in all activities involving children, young people and vulnerable adults,
• liaise with the parish priest, those in specific ministries within a parish, and the diocesan Safeguarding Office

Middlesbrough Safeguarding Commission

The Safeguarding Commission is appointed by The Bishop and has advisory, support and monitoring responsibilities in relation to safeguarding people within the diocese. The Commission is accountable to The Bishop and The Trustees who hold overall responsibility for safeguarding within the Diocese. The Commission follows National Catholic Policies & Procedures by:

• overseeing the work undertaken by the Diocesan Safeguarding Office
  • promoting a safeguarding throughout the diocese.
  • ensuring timely and appropriate responses to allegations and concerns, and working with statutory agencies as necessary
  • ensuring that the voice of complainants, victims and survivors are heard and responded to
  • making recommendations to manage risks

The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency

The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) has been established to develop the highest calibre regime of safeguarding within the Catholic Church in England and Wales.

The CSSA holds a regulatory function extending to all dioceses and Religious Life Groups. It monitors compliance by Church bodies with the safeguarding standards adopted by the Church, using its own independent audit and review function and is empowered to undertake its role as a regulator through the freely entered into contractual relationships between it and the Church bodies it provides a service to. Through this, the CSSA has the powers to ensure that each Church body partnered with it, is complying with the published standards.

Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors

The Commission’s task is to propose the most opportune initiatives for protecting minors and vulnerable adults, in order that we may do everything possible to ensure that crimes such as those which have occurred are no longer repeated in the Church.

The Commission is to promote local responsibility in the particular Churches, uniting their efforts to those of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, for the protection of all children and vulnerable adults.