As Christians, we believe that all people have a dignity which comes from their creation in God’s own image, which gives us a duty to protect them from harm. Safeguarding is at the heart of all that we do as a church, and we are committed to creating a culture in which every person feels safe, valued, and respected.
The Benefice of Pontefract Safeguarding Policy
Our Benefice is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults from harm. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and each Parish in the Benefice has their own Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO). Our Diocese of Leeds’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor who advises our PSO’s.
If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the relevant PSO, or the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisors. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority’s children or adult social care services.
Each person who works or volunteers within our churches will agree to abide by these recommendations and the guidelines established by this church.
The application of this policy will be reviewed each year and a report provided by the Parish Safeguarding Officer to each of our P.C.C.s. The Diocese of Leeds and all parishes within it adopt Church of England policies and practice guidance relating to safeguarding.
We will endeavour to safeguard children, young people and adults by:
- Ensuring the care, nurture of, and respectful pastoral ministry with, all children, young people and adults.
- Carefully selecting and training 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.
- Supporting, resourcing, training and regularly reviewing those who undertake work with children, young people and adults.
- Establishing safe, caring communities which provide an environment where there is a culture of ‘informed vigilance’ as to the dangers of abuse.
- Recognising that it is the responsibility of each of us to prevent the physical, emotional, sexual, financial and spiritual abuse of children, young people and adults, and to report any such abuse that we discover or suspect.
- Responding without delay to every complaint made which suggests that a child, young person or adult may have been harmed, co-operating with the police and local authority in any investigation.
- Seeking to work with anyone who has suffered abuse, developing with him or her an appropriate ministry of informed pastoral care.
- Committing ourselves to promoting safe practice by those in positions of trust.
- Challenging any abuse of power, especially by anyone in a position of trust.
- Offering 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 adult.
Contact Information
All Saints
Parish Safeguarding Officer: Christine Brown
Email: allsaints.safeguarding@cofe-pontefract.co.uk
St Giles’ with St Mary’s
Parish Safeguarding Officer: Christine Brown
Email: stgiles.safeguarding@cofe-pontefract.co.uk
St Michael the Archangel
Parish Safeguarding Officer: Helen Griffiths
Email: stmichaels.safeguarding@cofe-pontefract.co.uk
St Stephen’s
Parish Safeguarding Officer: Moira Hames
Email: ststephens.safeguarding@cofe-pontefract.co.uk
Diocesan Safeguarding Team
If a child or adult is at immediate risk of significant harm, in the first instance you should always contact the police by dialling 999 and contacting your local social services team. You must then inform your Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (DSA) – please see contact details listed below.
Team Email: safeguarding@leeds.anglican.org
Office number: 0113 353 0257
Supporting Diocesan Documents
Useful Contact Numbers
(Click on the name of the organisation to be directed to their website)
NSPCC: 0808 800 5000
Childline: 0800 1111
Stop It Now: 0808 1000 900
NAPAC: 0808 801 0331
Samaritans: 116 123
Family Lives: 0808 800 2222
National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247
Action On Elder Abuse: 080 8808 8141
The Truth Project: 0800 917 1000
Modern Slavery – Salvation Army 0300 303 8151
External Links
CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) If you are worried about online abuse or the way someone has been communicating with you online.
Thinkuknow is an education programme from CEOP, a UK organisation which protects children both online and offline.
ICCSA Independent Inquiry Child Sexual Abuse.
Local Authority Contacts: Child and Adult If you wish to report a concern to your local Adult or Child Social Services. Contact details for both day time and out of hours.
Adults: Social Care Direct: Telephone: 0345 8 503 503 Minicom: 0345 8 503 503 Email: social_care_direct@wakefield.gov.uk The above contacts are available all day every day. | Children: If you have concerns about a child’s safety or well-being you should contact Social Care Direct free on 0345 8503 503. They will deal with your concerns and can offer advice and support on what to do. Email: social_care_direct_children@wakefield.gov.uk |
Suzy Lamplugh Trust: 020 7091 0014 raise awareness of personal safety issues, provide specialist personal safety training and run the national stalking helpline.
National Stalking Helpline 0808 802 0300 is part of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.
Child Sexual Exploitation call 101 to speak to the police
National Safeguarding Team
Contact the National Team : The National Safeguarding Team (NST) is working to increase the capacity and expertise of parishes, diocese and other Church of England institutions to respond to safeguarding concerns and support victims and survivors. They are not able to offer either an emergency 24-hour response but there are Safeguarding Advisors in every diocese and Safeguarding Officers in every parish.