Safeguarding Policy

PARISH OF ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST, COPTHORNE

As members of this PCC we are committed to the safeguarding, care and nurture of all our members.

• We recognise that our work with children and young people is the responsibility of the whole church community.
• We are committed to implementing the House of Bishops’ Child Protection Policy

‘Protecting All God’s Children 2010’, and the Diocesan procedures, which are based on the Children Act 1989, and Government guidance “Working together to Safeguard

Children 2006”.

• We will carefully select and train ordained and lay ministers; volunteers and paid

workers with children and young people using the Disclosure and Barring Service, amongst other tools, to check the background of each person.

• We will respond, without delay, to every complaint made that a child or young person, for whom we are responsible, may have been harmed.
• We will co-operate fully with statutory agencies during any investigation concerning a member of the church community.
• We will seek to offer informed pastoral care to any child or children, young person or adult who has suffered abuse.
• We will care for and supervise any member of our church community known to have offended against a child.
• We will provide Safeguarding training for all staff and volunteers overseeing children and young people.
• An accurate record of DBS certificates and reference statements of staff and volunteers will be held securely along with the relevant expiry date.
• We will review this policy annually and as part of this process will ensure that all our procedures, particularly in relation to the Disclosure and Barring Service, are up to date.

Policy reviewed and adopted by St John’s PCC - October 2022