This
policy was agreed at a Church Council held on 19th October
2022.
The Methodist Church, along with the
whole Christian community, believes each person has a value and dignity which
comes directly from God’s creation in God’s own image and likeness. Christians
see this as fulfilled by God’s re-creation of us in Christ. Among other things,
this implies a duty to value all people as bearing the image of God and
therefore to protect them from harm.
Clowne Methodist Church is committed to the
safeguarding and protection of all children, young people and adults and
affirms that the needs of children or of people when they are vulnerable and at
risk are paramount.
Clowne Methodist Church recognises that it has a
particular care for all who are vulnerable whether as a
result of disabilities or reduction in capacities or by their situation.
It is recognised that this increased vulnerability may be temporary or
permanent and may be visible or invisible, but that it does not diminish our
humanity and our wish to affirm the gifts and graces of all God’s people.
This
policy addresses the safeguarding of children, young people
and vulnerable adults. It is intended to be a dynamic policy. It is intended to
support the Church in being a safe supportive and caring community for
children, young people, vulnerable adults, for survivors of abuse, for
communities and for those affected by abuse.
Clowne Methodist Church fully agrees with the
statement reiterated in Creating Safer Space 2007:
As the people of the Methodist Church we are concerned with the wholeness of each
individual within God’s purpose for everyone. We seek to safeguard all members
of the church community of all ages.
Clowne Methodist Church recognises the serious
issue of the abuse of children and vulnerable adults and recognises that this
may take the form of physical, emotional, sexual, financial, spiritual,
discriminatory, domestic or institutional abuse or
neglect, abuse using social media, child sexual exploitation or human
trafficking (slavery). It acknowledges the effects these may have on people and
their development, including spiritual and religious development. It accepts
its responsibility for ensuring that all people are safe in its care and that
their dignity and right to be heard is maintained. It accepts its
responsibility to support, listen to and work for healing with survivors,
offenders, communities and those who care about them.
It takes seriously the promotion of welfare so that each
of us can reach our full potential in God’s grace.
Clowne Methodist Church commits itself to:
1.
RESPOND
without delay to any
allegation or cause for concern that a child or vulnerable adult may have been
harmed or may suffer harm, whether in the church or in another context. It
commits itself to challenge the abuse of power of anyone in a position of
trust.
2.
IMPLEMENT the Methodist Church Safeguarding Policy, Procedures and Guidance; government legislation and guidance and safe
practice in the circuit and in the churches.
3.
PROVIDE support, advice
and training for lay and ordained people to ensure that people are clear and
confident about their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding and promoting
the welfare of children and adults who may be vulnerable.
4.
AFFIRM
and give thanks for
those who work with children and vulnerable adults and also
acknowledge the shared responsibility of all of us for safeguarding children and vulnerable
adults who are on our premises.
Church Council
It
is the responsibility of each Church Council to appoint a Church Safeguarding
Officer and there should be no gaps in this crucial provision. The safeguarding
officer should be a member of the Church Council or have the right to attend at least annually
to report on implementation of the safeguarding policy. Where an individual
covers the role in more than one location, they must be able to cover the
activities identified in the relevant role outline and be facilitated to attend
meetings to report on safeguarding in each location.
It
is not appropriate for the minister in pastoral charge to hold the church
safeguarding officer role because of the potential conflict with their own
responsibilities. It is acknowledged that to avoid any disruption in
safeguarding provision, it may be necessary for the minister in pastoral charge
to take responsibility for some or all of the
activities temporarily while other arrangements are made. However, this should
only be for a very short period to enable the sharing of the role with another
church or the identification of an alternative person to take on the role.
The
role will usually be undertaken on a voluntary basis although expenses should
be met.
Ultimate
responsibility for safeguarding within the church lies with the Church Council.
Clowne Methodist Church appoints Margaret
Hawkins as church
Safeguarding Officer for Adults and
Children
and supports her in the role, which is to:
• provide support and advice to the minister and the stewards in
fulfilling their roles with regard to safeguarding.
•
ensure that a suitable, signed
church safeguarding policy is displayed at all times
in the church on a safeguarding noticeboard, along with names of current
safeguarding officers, national helplines and other suitable information. This must be renewed annually.
• record all safeguarding issues that are reported to the church
safeguarding officer, according to Methodist policy and procedure.
• promote appropriate routes for reporting of concerns
• identify and inform those who are required to attend safeguarding
training and maintain records of attendance. Work with the circuit safeguarding
officer and DSO to arrange training.
• attend training and meetings relating to the role
• work in partnership with the lettings officer, stewards
and user groups to promote good safeguarding practice on church premises. This will include gaining written
confirmation that hirers of church premises are aware of the church
safeguarding policy or are using an appropriate policy of their own.
• check that safeguarding is included as an agenda item at all
Church Council meetings and report to the Church Council annually.
• inform all those with responsibility for recruitment, whether paid
or voluntary, of their obligation to follow safer recruitment procedures.
• advise the circuit safeguarding officer and/or DSO of any issues
with compliance with safeguarding training, policy or safer recruitment
requirements and respond promptly to any request from them about audit of
safeguarding activities.
a)
Purpose
The purpose of the church safeguarding
policy is to check that procedures are in place and provide clarity about the
roles and responsibilities of those trusted with promoting the church as a safe
space for all its users. It is to be
read in conjunction with the Methodist Church Safeguarding Policy, Procedures
and Guidance (2020).
b)
Good practice
We
believe that good practice means:
i)
All
people are treated with respect and dignity.
ii)
Those
who act on behalf of the Church should not meet or work alone with a child or
vulnerable adult where the activity cannot be seen unless this is necessary for
pastoral reasons, in which case a written record will be made and kept
noting date, time and place of visit.
iii) The church premises will be assessed by
the church safeguarding officer with the property steward and/or their
representatives at least annually for safety for children and vulnerable adults
and
a written risk assessment report will be given annually to the Church
Council. This will include fire safety procedures. The Church Council will
consider the extent to which the premises and equipment are suitable or should
be made more suitable.
iv) Any church-organised transport of
children or vulnerable adults will be checked to ensure that the
vehicle is suitable and insured and that the driver and escort (where required) are
appropriate. (See 6.10.7.1 of the Safeguarding Policies, Procedures and
Guidance for the Methodist Church). A record to be kept in the church
file for each driver/car.
v)
Activity risk assessments will be undertaken before any activity
takes place to minimise the risk of harm to those involved. Approval will be
obtained from the event leader/minister.
A written record of the assessment will be retained securely.
vi) Promotion of safeguarding is recognised
to include undertaking those tasks which enable all God’s people to reach their
full potential. The Church Council will actively consider the extent to which
it is succeeding in this area.
These things are
to safeguard those working with children, young people and those adults who may
be vulnerable.
c)
Appointment and training of workers in the church
Workers will be appointed after a
satisfactory DBS disclosure and following the safer recruitment
procedures of the Methodist Church. Each worker will have an identified
supervisor who will meet at regular intervals with the worker. A record of
these meetings will be agreed and signed and the
record kept. Each worker will be expected to undergo Foundation Module (2020
Edition) safeguarding training, within the first 6 months (agreed by Methodist
Conference in 2011 -Creating Safer Space Report) of appointment. The
other training needs of each worker will be considered (such as food hygiene,
first aid and lifting and handling).
d)
Pastoral visitors
Pastoral visitors will be supported in
their role with the provision of Foundation Module (2020 Edition) safeguarding
training upon appointment. If they are undertaking tasks for which a DBS would
be required, this will be undertaken prior to appointment.
e)
Guidelines for working with children, young people
and vulnerable adults
A leaflet outlining good practice and
systems should be given to everyone who works with children, young people and vulnerable adults. This leaflet will be reviewed
annually[1].
f)
Ecumenical events
Where ecumenical events happen on church
premises, safeguarding is the responsibility of this Church Council.
g)
Events with church groups off the premises
Adequate staffing, a risk assessment and
notification of the event will be given to the church safeguarding officer
PRIOR to the agreement for any event or off-site activity. Notification of the
event will be given to the church council secretary Susan Melbourne.
If the activity is unusual
or considered to be high risk the church safeguarding
officer will
contact the circuit safeguarding officer in
order that it
can be ratified, or any queries raised.
h)
Other groups on church premises
Where the building is hired for outside
use, the hirer signing the letting agreement (www.tmcp.org.uk/property/letting-property-and-third-party-use) will be given a copy of that
agreement. The person agreeing the lettings will consider the various users of
the building in making lettings. All lettings will be notified to the church
safeguarding officer who will keep the records and take advice as appropriate
from both the DSO
and Circuit Safeguarding Officer.
i)
Complaint’s procedure
There
is a formal complaints procedure within the Methodist Church, which allows
issues to be raised about actions or behaviour by a member or officer of the
Church. In addition, employed staff will
be subject to relevant contractual procedures.
All complaints will be responded to with care, diligence
and impartiality. The provisions of Part
11 of the Constitutional Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church will
be followed.
A complaint
should be addressed to the minister, the Revd Mark Carrick. If a complaint is
made to another person, it should be referred to them. Meetings will be
arranged with the person making the complaint and, usually, the person against
whom the complaint has been made, to resolve it. If the complaint is against
the superintendent, it should be sent to the District Chair:
Revd Gill
Newton Sheffield
District Office
Room 47, Victoria Hall Methodist Church
Norfolk Street
Sheffield
S1 2JB
Phone or email using:
0114 270 9990 / 0114 430 0255
admin@sheffieldmethodist.org
Safeguarding
officers must be informed of any complaint or issue relating to the potential
abuse of children or adults who may be vulnerable. They will support prompt
action to respond to the circumstances of any safeguarding concern, whether or not any party involved wishes to make a formal
complaint through the Methodist Church.
Review
This
policy will be reviewed annually by the Church Council.
Next
review date: 19th October 2023
j)
Key concepts and definitions
i)
A child is anyone who has not yet reached
their eighteenth birthday. The fact that a child has reached 16 years of age,
is living independently or is in further education, a member of the armed
forces, in hospital or in custody in the secure estate, does not change their
status or entitlements to services or protection.
ii)
Vulnerable adults: any adult aged 18 or over who, owing to disability, mental
function, age or illness or traumatic circumstances, may not be able to take
care or protect themselves.
iii) Safeguarding: protecting children or
vulnerable adults from maltreatment; preventing impairment of their health and
ensuring safe and effective care.
iv) Adult/child protection is a part of
safeguarding and promoting welfare. This refers to the activity, which is
undertaken to protect children/specific adults who are suffering or are at risk
of suffering significant harm, including neglect.
v)
Abuse
and neglect may occur in a family, a community, or an institution. It may
be perpetrated by a person or persons known to the child or vulnerable adult or
by strangers, by an adult or by a child. It may be an infliction of harm or a
failure to prevent harm.
Chair of Church Council Rev Mark Carrick
Signed
Date 19/10/2022
[1]The Code of Safer Working Practice can be found at Appendix V of the Methodist Church Safeguarding Policies, Procedures and Guidance.