All Saints Thornton Hough takes its duty and obligation to protect everyone extremely seriously. We have adopted the national Church of England’s robust procedure and guidelines. You can find out more about the national policies and procedures at www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding.
The Church of England's Safeguarding e-manual is available online.
If you or anyone you are in contact with would like to talk with someone independently, please call the Safe Spaces helpline on 0300 303 1056 or email safespace@victimsupport.org.uk. Alternatively, you may contact the Parish Safeguarding Officer or the Chester Diocese Safeguarding Team (contact details below).
For information about PCR2 click here.
Details of how to register for Safeguarding online training courses may be found here.
Our Safeguarding Officer is Linda Arch.
You can email our Safeguarding Officer by clicking here.
Useful contacts
If someone is in immediate danger of harm, call 999 and ask for the police.
Diocesan Safeguarding Team:
Web information: https://www.chester.anglican.org/support-services/safeguarding/
Telephone: 01928 718834 ext 259 (between 9am and 4pm, Monday to Friday)
Email: safeguarding@chester.anglican.org (monitored between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday)
For out-of-hours safeguarding advice call our partner organisation, Thirtyone:eight, on 0303 003 1111
Thirtyone:eight is an independent Christian charity that offers a telephone listening service for adult survivors of abuse to talk about their experience in detail and in confidence with a sensitive listener.
Local authority social services: 0151 677 6557
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 Abuse helpline : 0808 2000 247
Respect Phoneline: 0808 8010 327
National Careline: 0800 0699 784
Action on elder abuse / HourGlass: 080 8808 8141
The Parish of All Saints Thornton Hough
SAFEGUARDING POLICY
PROMOTING A SAFER CHURCH
The following policy was agreed at the Parochial Church Council (PCC) meeting held on October 3rd 2018.
In accordance with the Church of England Safeguarding Policy our church is committed to:
- Promoting a safer environment and culture.
- Safely recruiting and supporting all those with any responsibility related to children, young people and vulnerable adults within the church.
- Responding promptly to every safeguarding concern or allegation.
- Caring pastorally for victims/survivors of abuse and other affected persons.
- Caring pastorally for those who are the subject of concerns or allegations of abuse and other affected persons.
- Responding to those that may pose a present risk to others.
The Parish will:
- Create a safe and caring place for all.
- Have a named Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) to work with the incumbent and the PCC to implement policy and procedures.
- Safely recruit, train and support all those with any responsibility for children, young people and adults to have the confidence and skills to recognise and respond to abuse.
- Ensure that there is appropriate insurance cover for all activities involving children and adults undertaken in the name of the parish.
- Display in church premises and on the Parish website the details of who to contact if there are safeguarding concerns or support needs.
- Listen to and take seriously all those who disclose abuse.
- Take steps to protect children and adults when a safeguarding concern of any kind arises, following House of Bishops guidance, including notifying the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (DSA) and statutory agencies immediately.
- Offer support to victims/survivors of abuse regardless of the type of abuse, when or where it occurred.
- Care for and monitor any member of the church community who may pose a risk to children and adults whilst maintaining appropriate confidentiality and the safety of all parties.
- Ensure that health and safety policy, procedures and risk assessments are in place and that these are reviewed annually.
- Review the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy, Procedures and Practices at least annually. Each person who works within this church community will agree to abide by this policy and the guidelines established by this church.
This church appoints Linda Arch as the Parish Safeguarding Officer.
Churchwardens June Allcock, Alan Splitt.
Date: October 10th 2023 (reaffirmed)