Safeguarding
Call 999 if a child or adult is in immediate danger of significant or serious harm.
The phone number of the local social care team
Coventry – 024 7683 2222
Solihull – 0121 605 6060
Warwickshire – 01926 886 922
National helplines
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 – 0808 808 8141
Parish Safegaurding Policy
St. Mary's Coventry recognises and values children, young people (anyone under the age of 18) and vulnerable adults as equal partners in the life and ministry of the Church, and desire to encourage them to explore, discover and live out the Christian Gospel. The Parochial Church Councils of each Church take seriously their obligations and responsibilities to protect and safeguard the welfare of any children, young people and vulnerable adults entrusted to the Church’s care.
As part of the Christian Church living in the spirit of the Gospel, we are committed to protecting a caring for everyone in the church community, but, especially vulnerable adults and children.
We are committed to:
The care of, the nurture of, and respectful pastoral ministry with all children and adults.
The safeguarding and protection of all children and adults.
The establishing of a safe, caring community which provides a loving environment where victims of abuse can report or disclose abuse and where they can find support and best practice that contributes to the prevention of abuse.
To this end we will:
Carefully select, support and train all those with any responsibility within the church, in line with the Church of England’s Practice Guidance for Safer Recruitment.
Respond without delay to every complaint made that a child or adult may have been harmed, cooperating with the police and local authority in any investigation.
Seek to offer informed pastoral care and support to anyone who has suffered abuse, developing with them an appropriate ministry that recognises the importance of understanding the needs of those who have been abused, including their feelings of alienation and/or isolation.
Seek to protect survivors of abuse from the possibility of further harm and abuse.
Seek to challenge any abuse of power, especially by anyone in a position of respect and responsibility, where they are trusted by others.
Seek to offer pastoral care and support, including supervision, and referral to the appropriate authorities, to any member of our church community known to have offended against a child or adult.
In all of the above:
We will follow legislation, guidance and recognised good practice.
We will monitor and regularly review our safeguarding procedures.
If you have any safeguarding concerns, please contact:
Stephen Baker: stephen.baker@stmaryscoventry.org
If you would prefer to speak with someone outside the church, please contact:
• Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser: Sarah Price 024 7652 1345 or carol.clarke@covcofe.org
• NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000 or help@nspcc.org.uk
• Police Non-emergency Service 101
For more information about safeguarding:
Please contact either of the above people, or visit www.dioceseofcoventry.org.uk/safeguarding
Past Cases Review
Letter from a Bishop Christopher
The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. [John 1.5]
St John the Evangelist, like St Luke and St Paul, uses the imagery of light and darkness, where darkness represents concealment and shame, whereas light represents the revelation of truth. Darkness hides things that are forgotten, uncomfortable or broken and have been ‘put out of the way’ in cellars or behind closed doors. They may be things that are inconvenient or of which we are ashamed or afraid. In darkness they lie where we can forget about them, but Christ is The Light of The World and brings to light things now hidden in darkness. He brings to light those deeds that have been concealed and the victims of sins who have been silenced or kept from view. The Light shines for those who need justice and healing and upon those misdeeds that have injured them.
Allowing light to shine on what has been hidden is a first step towards healing, not only for those who have been abused, but for those whose consciences are, or ought to be, troubled by those sins they have buried away beyond the sight of others. Sometimes it will take an external prompting for those things to be opened to the light of day and to the light of Christ but with such prompting may begin the path to penitence and forgiveness, the path to healing of long-hidden wounds.
Through the Past Cases Review, we are asking you to help shine a revealing light on any instances of abuse that have occurred in your benefice and to help ensure that everything that ought to be brought into the light has been. Shining a light on what has hurt or frightened someone is a matter of justice for those who have been victims; sometimes it may also prevent further harm and sometimes it may be the first step towards healing. With that in mind, we thank you for your cooperation in working towards a safer Church.
+Mark
Over the next few months our Diocese will be conducting a Past Cases Review where an independent reviewer will be looking at our safeguarding files and files relating to church officers, including those for clergy and Readers, to reassure us that all safeguarding matters have been reported and dealt with appropriately.
As part of this review, I am writing to ask you to check all of your parish records to ensure that all known instances of concern about church officers either non-recent or current have been reported to the Diocesan Safeguarding Team.
The attached leaflet will provide you with the information that you need to undertake this piece of work. Please complete and return the attached Table 1A and declaration form for each parish to the Diocesan Safeguarding Team by 30th November 2019.
It is important that we are made aware of any concerns related to church officers and to this end I would ask that you inform your congregations about the content of this email and that you display a copy of this e-mail and the attached leaflet on your noticeboards, in your parish newsletter and on your website.
There are many demands on your time, I know, and this request will add to them in a way that may feel onerous. So please know that I am really grateful for your understanding and cooperation in undertaking this essential work which will help to ensure that our Churches are the safe places for everyone.
With much appreciation
Yours in Christ,
Christopher