Protection Policy – Salisbury Diocese
REFERRALS
You are not expected to be an expert in these areas so refer on.
ALL ALLEGATIONS AND DISCLOSURES MUST BE REFERRED TO THE DIOCESAN SAFEGUARDING ADVISERSIf you believe a person is at immediate risk of harm when they leave you, make a referral directly to the appropriate agency – Police or Social Services.
All disclosures, allegations, concerns should be referred initially to the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisers who will inform other appropriate people (such as the bishop, vice-dean safeguarding) etc.
No concern is too small – all disclosures, issues or concerns seen or that you are made aware of must be acted on as soon as possible. Do not investigate yourself.
CONTACTS
Principles of the House of Bishop’s Safeguarding Policy for Children and Vulnerable Adults
We are committed to:
- The care, nurture of, and respectful pastoral ministry with, all children and all adults.
- The safeguarding and protection of all children, young people and adults when they are vulnerable.
- The establishing of safe, caring communities, which provide a loving environment where there is a culture of informed vigilance’ as to the dangers of abuse.
- We will carefully select and train all those with any responsibility within the Church, in line with safer recruitment principles, including the use of criminal records disclosures and registration with the relevant vetting and barring schemes.
- We will respond without delay to every complaint made which suggests that an adult, child or young person may have been harmed, co-operating with the police and local authority in any investigation.
- We will seek to work with anyone who has suffered abuse, developing with him or her an appropriate ministry of informed pastoral care.
- We will seek to challenge any abuse of power, especially by anyone in a position of trust.
- We will seek to offer pastoral care and support, including supervision and referral to the proper authorities, to any member of our church community known to have offended against a child, young person or vulnerable adult.
- In all these principles we will follow legislation, guidance and recognised good practice.
(H.O.B. Safeguarding Children Policy p.vii)
Data Protection Consent
Please contact:
The Rector, Tim Neill
T:484678
Mbl: 07797-815591
Statement of good practice
Our Statement of Good Practice for all paid and voluntary workers
YOU MUST:
- Treat all children, young people and adults with respect;
- Provide an example of good conduct that you wish others to follow;
- Ensure that, wherever possible, there is more than one adult present during activities with children, or at least that you are within sight or hearing of others;
- Respect a young person’s right to personal privacy;
- Encourage children and adults to feel comfortable and caring enough to point out attitudes or behaviour they do not like;
- Remember that someone else might misinterpret your actions or words, no matter how well intentioned;
- Be aware that even caring physical contact with a child or young person may be misinterpreted;
- Recognise that special caution is required in moments when you are discussing sensitive issues with children or young people. “Sensitive” can also refer to talking about Mum or Dad to a child with one parent;
- Operate within our Church’s Code of Conduct.
YOU MUST NOT:
- Have inappropriate physical or verbal contact with children or young adults;
- Allow yourself to be drawn into inappropriate attention-seeking behaviour;
- Make suggestive or derogatory remarks or gestures in front of children or young people;
- Jump to conclusions about others without checking facts;
- Exaggerate or trivialise child abuse issues;
- Show favouritism to any individual;
- Rely on your good name or that of the Church to protect you;
- Believe “it could never happen to me”;
- Take a chance when common sense, policy and practice suggest another more prudent approach;
- Ignore the Code of Conduct operating within the Church.
Child Protection Policy
To read our Child Protection Policy please click here
Code of Conduct
Contents:
- Purpose of the Code
- Responsibility and Enforcement
- Compliance with Laws, Rules and Regulations
- Behaviour
- Dignity at Work
- Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults
- Dealing with Personal Problems
- Gambling
- Crime or Offence
- Conflicts of Interest
- Bribery and Corruption
- Health and Safety
- Accident Reporting
- Alcohol and Drugs
- Notifiable Events
Our Code of Conduct is designed to promote:
- honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships;
- full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in reports and documents that the Rector files and in other public communications made by the Rector;
- protection of children and vulnerable adults;
- compliance with applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations;
- prompt internal reporting of violations of the Code to an appropriate person or persons;
- accountability for adherence to the Code.
- In this Code,
- “Church” means “The Parish Church of St Mary”,
- “Rector” means the “Rector of the Parish Church of St Mary”
- “Employee” includes voluntary and unpaid workers.
2. Responsibility and Enforcement
All Church employees are bound by this Code. In addition, this Code also applies to all those engaged by the Rector or the Church Officers, but who are not employees, such as contractors and those engaged through external agencies.
The Rector will have primary authority and responsibility for the enforcement of this Code.
If an actual or apparent conflict of interest arises, you must handle that conflict of interest in an ethical manner in accordance with this Code.
3. Compliance with Laws, Rules and Regulations
We are strongly committed to conducting our business affairs with honesty and integrity and in full compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations. No Church employee shall commit an illegal or unethical act, or instruct others to do so for any reason.
You are expected to comply with the reasonable instructions of other employees and to behave professionally and courteously to colleagues, the congregation and visitors at all times.
5. Dignity at Work
We strive to maintain a working environment that realises the full potential of employees and encourages their creativity and productivity. All of our people have the right to be treated with consideration and respect at work and we are committed to eliminating each and every form of bullying and harassment. It is our firm intention to maintain a climate free from these unwanted forms of behaviour; one where all people feel confident to raise concerns of this kind and will have them dealt with quickly, sensitively and effectively.
6. Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults (see also Summary of good practice)
The Christian Church has a deep concern for the wholeness and well-being of all individuals within congregations and communities. In the context of healthy relationships, we seek to safeguard the welfare of all, regardless of age, who come into contact with the Church and its organisations. In particular, it is the responsibility of each individual within the fellowship of the Church to prevent the physical, sexual or emotional abuse of children and young people.
7. Dealing with Personal Problems
We recognise that at times you may have to deal with difficult personal problems and our policy is to enable you to deal with these in a constructive and sympathetic manner. We want to maintain a climate of confidence whereby anyone with personal problems has access to relevant help and support and is able to be open and not conceal, deny or cover problems up.
Any gambling that results in insolvency or financial problems may render an individual unfit to carry on in their position and will be treated as a serious matter.
Our policy is to help compulsive gamblers overcome their problem before it leads to financial difficulties.
If you find yourself charged by the police with a crime or offence you must inform the Rector for any action that may be deemed necessary. A crime or offence as far as the Church is concerned is any breach of common law or enacted law other than road traffic offences.
It is not automatic that you will be subject to any action as a result of a criminal offence committed outside church affairs. The following issues will be taken into consideration when making the decision as to what level, or indeed, if any action is even appropriate:
- Seriousness of offence;
- Impact on church duties, for example there would be implications for employees or volunteers who have access to cash and have been found guilty of stealing;
- Whether the Church’s reputation is likely to be adversely affected as a result of your actions;
- Nature of offence and potential impact. For instance, an individual guilty of grievous bodily harm could make colleagues feel compromised about their safety.
So that you can undertake your paid or voluntary job properly, maintain your objectivity and impartiality and ensure that your judgement could not be compromised, you should not put yourself in a position where your personal interests could conflict with the interests of the Church. For these purposes, the term “interests of the Church” is taken in its widest sense.
You should never offer or accept any bribe or inducement, which may influence or appear to influence your actions. Nor should you misuse your position within the Church or the information you gather during the course of your duties to further your private interests or those of anyone else. If you have a concern, please speak to the Rector in the first instance.
As an employer, the Church takes its health and safety responsibilities very seriously. Everyone has these responsibilities and they apply to you when you are working on Church premises but also if you are working elsewhere on Church business.
As a Church employee we expect you to:
- take responsibility of your own health and safety and others who may be affected by your actions;
- immediately inform the Rector and others who have responsibility for health and safety if you notice anything which may affect the health and safety of employees, or visitors to our Church;
- co-operate in implementing health and safety policies wherever you are working on behalf of the Church.
It is important that all accidents or ‘near misses’ e.g. incidents that have the potential to lead to an injury or disruption of normal business, are reported to the Rector. This procedure enables the Church to meet its legal obligations. It also lets you take a positive role in ensuring that work areas are safe through good housekeeping, and allows the opportunity to report defects to your work equipment and building services or fabric. Reporting accidents also allows the Rector to change working practices that are unsafe and inappropriate.
Employees should ensure that any social drinking does not impair their performance or the security of the Church. Care should also be taken not to discuss Church or customer affairs in these, or other, situations.
We recognise that the misuse of alcohol and drugs are health problems and our policy is to take prompt action in the event of such misuse and to encourage employees with alcohol or drugs problems to seek professional help. However, unacceptable behaviour or performance arising from undeclared alcohol or drug abuse will be viewed as a serious matter. Anyone found to be supplying or dealing in drugs will have appropriate action taken and be reported to the police.
A notifiable event is when something happens that could cause damage to the Church by adversely affecting our congregation, our finances or our reputation.
Notifiable events could arise from a wide variety of situations, including:
- a fraud against any part of the Church;
- a failure to comply with a regulation or law applicable to the Church;
- a breach of security systems;
- errors in the processing of transactions;
- a breach of an individual’s confidentiality.
Every employee of the Church, at whatever level, must advise the Rector when they become aware of such situations. The guiding principle is ‘no surprises’ – if in doubt, always tell the Rector.
Dignity at work – Bullying policy
What is bullying?
Bullying is defined as personal criticism or abuse, either in public or in private, which humiliates an individual and undermines their self-esteem and confidence. It is therefore distinct from the proper direction given by the Rector towards meeting deadlines or targets or those occasions when an employee is legitimately called to account for their actions, in private, by the Rector or a churchwarden. The point about bullying behaviour is that it is not constructive criticism that will assist an individual in the future – it is quite the opposite.
Bullying and harassment are often confused. However, they are quite distinct. Harassment is directed at a characteristic of the victim (i.e. their race, gender, etc.). On the other hand, bullying arises from the character or the circumstances of the bully (i.e. a lack of skill or ability, or a personality trait) which leads the bully to resort to unprofessional behaviour to achieve their goals.
If you are concerned you are being bullied: –
1. Keep a diary
Make a note of the date, time and details of incidents.
2. Tell the bully/harasser to stop
This may not be easy but you can sometimes take charge of the situation by telling the bully/harasser to stop. Arrange a meeting and point out the behaviour you find offensive and say that you are prepared to make a formal complaint if it continues. If you feel too embarrassed or intimidated to do this on your own, perhaps a trusted colleague could accompany you during the meeting. You should remember that we all have the right to be treated with dignity and respect by colleagues, customers, and suppliers, and everyone else we come into contact with.
3. Tell the Rector
If you are worried about confronting the bully/harasser, or have done so to no effect, tell the Rector what is happening. The Rector can help you to decide what action to take. If you decide to make a formal complaint, the Rector will start the process. If you prefer, the Rector can take up the matter for you informally with the person causing the problem, or can begin to make discreet enquiries.
You may feel more comfortable talking to someone outside the Church, particularly if the person bullying/harassing you is within the Church. If so, you can speak to a church officer, or a Procurer du Bien Publique.
Rector’s Guidelines
- Re-assure the individual that you will consider their complaint seriously.
- Take as many details as you can from the complainant.
- Ask the complainant whether they wish to make a formal complaint or if they wish you to deal with the matter informally in the first instance.
- If they opt for an informal approach by you, be guided by the complainant as to how to proceed. Simply speaking to the alleged bully/harasser may be enough. If in doubt you can consult.
- Remind both the complainant and the alleged bully/harasser that they can seek independent advice and assistance.
- Keep the matter strictly confidential and advise the complainant and the alleged bully/harasser to do the same.
Employee Guidelines
- You have the right to have the complaint made against you (whether formal or informal) explained clearly to you by the Rector, and you have the right to put your side of the story.
- At the outset of any formal investigation process you will be given a full account of the complaint made against you. You will have the right to representation.
- At the end of the investigation, you will be advised of the outcome.
- Confidentiality will be maintained as far as reasonably practicable.
If the investigation reveals sufficient evidence to support the allegations made against you, disciplinary action may be taken against you which could result in dismissal.
Should the complaint turn out to be malicious, disciplinary action will be taken against your accuser.
Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy
Dated: 26th August 2013
Name: The Parish Church of St Mary (hereafter, “The Church”)
Church Address: St. Mary, Jersey.
Office address and contact detail: The Rector, The Rectory, St Mary, JE3 3DB
Phone: 01534 484 678
The Policy for the protection of vulnerable adults will be as detailed in the policy for the protection of children, with the words “child” (etc) replaced by “vulnerable adult” (etc).
It is also noted that it may not be possible to identify a vulnerable adult and that the code of conduct, non-bullying and other policies will apply in the treatment of all adults.
CONTACT DETAILS:
Parish Safeguarding Officer
Kirstie Ross
T: 07700711073
E: [email protected]
The role of the Safeguarding Officer
The role of the Safeguarding Officer is to complement that of the Child Protection Officer. They are responsible for the administration of CRB checks, reporting to the Child Protection Officer. In some situations the Child Protection Officer & The Safeguarding officer may be the same person.
They, with the Minister, would normally be responsible for ensuring that people who need it have an update CRB
Safeguarding Policy
Please go to link below:
