Safeguarding

SPECIALIST HELP

We understand reporting abuse may be very difficult and distressing to you and it may add to your hurt by our not being able to immediately assist you. Therefore here are the contact details of other agencies that are available to assist either on a 24-hour basis or through specialist helplines and services:-

• NSPCC Child Protection Helpline: 0808 800 5000 (lines free and open 24 hours). Phone if you are worried about a child.

• Child-line: 0800 1111 (lines free and open 24 hours). Phone if you are a child or young person and are worried about anything.

• National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (lines free and open 24 hours). Phone if you are experiencing domestic abuse.

• Samaritans Helpline: 116 123 (open 24 hours). Phone if you feel you are struggling to cope and need someone to talk to.

• Action on Elder Abuse Helpline: 080 8808 8141 ( free phone Monday to Friday 9-5pm).

• The National Safeguarding Team: safeguarding@churchofengland.org

OUR SAFEGUARDING POLICY

The following Parish Safeguarding Policy has been reviewed by the Parochial Church Council (PCC) members and accepted at the PCC meeting on 3rd March 2025.

1. We are committed to:

• The care, nurture of, and respectful pastoral ministry with, all children, all young people and all adults.

• The safeguarding and protection of all children, young people and adults when they are vulnerable.

• The establishment of safe, caring communities which provide a loving environment where there is a culture of ‘informed vigilance’ as to the dangers of abuse.

2. We will carefully select and train all those with any position of responsibility within our Church, in line with the ‘Safer Recruitment and People Management’ principles. This will include those who undertake Pastoral visiting to housebound, older residents and teaching children at the 11am service.

3. Safe recruitment will include the use of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal record checks, which will be renewed every three years in line with the Dioecian policy. Safeguarding will form part of the induction for new PCC members.

4. We will respond without delay to every safeguarding allegation or suspected abuse which suggests that a child, young person or adult may have been harmed, co-operating with the police and local authority in any investigation and we will have a clear reporting procedure in place. All PCC members are provided with their copy of the CoE pocket guide to safeguarding, which summarises what to do if there is a concern about a child, young person or adult within the church. 

5. We will seek to work with anyone who has suffered abuse, developing with them an appropriate ministry of informed pastoral care.

6. We will seek to challenge any abuse of power, especially by anyone in a position of trust.

7. 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.

8. In all these principles we will follow statute, guidance and recognised good practice, liaising as necessary with the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA).

9. We will advise the Diocese which Registered Body we use to process applications for Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal record checks.  

10. We will advise the DSA if we receive a disclosure which is ‘blemished’ or ‘positive’.

11. We will review this policy annually, check that our policies are up-to-date and supply a copy of the updated policy statement to the DSA.

Parish Safeguarding Officer: Sarah Forshaw 07585 603425 email: Safeguarding.woodstock@woodstockandbladon.com

Church Wardens: Ruth Sutherland & Mike Holmes

Rector: Rev. Sarah Bourne

You can download a copy of our Safeguarding Policy here. You can also download here the wider Diocese of Oxford’s Safeguarding Handbook.