Safeguarding

Safeguarding is a responsibility of us ALL. The Parish of St Mark’s Church, Colney Heath is committed to following government and church of England guidelines on best and safe working practices of children, vulnerable adults, employees and all.

Policy

St Mark’s Colney Heath has its own Safeguarding Policies and Procedures and adopts the National ones. These provide a framework for identifying and supporting vulnerable groups, information on what constitutes abuse and the processes to be followed. There is an emphasis on how to recruit safely and the necessity to support and train staff and volunteers.

Our Overall Approach to Safeguarding: Here

Safeguarding of Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults

The Trustees of St Mark’s Colney Heath have committed our church community to the support, nurture, protection and safeguarding of all, especially the young and vulnerable. We recognise that our work with children, young people and vulnerable adults is the responsibility of the whole church community. As well as being fully committed to acting within current legislation, guidance, national frameworks and the Diocesan Safeguarding procedures, we also endeavour to act in an open, transparent and accountable way in working in partnership with the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser, Children and Adult Social Care Services, the Police, Probation Services and other agencies to safeguard children and vulnerable adults and assist in bringing to justice anyone who has committed an offence against them.

In particular, we are committed to:

  1. Ensure that all the necessary checks are made to promote the safe selection and recruitment of ordained and lay ministers, paid workers and volunteers with children, young people and vulnerable adults, and provide the necessary supervision, support and training to them in order that they can undertake their role effectively.

  2. Respond without delay to every concern raised that a child, young person or vulnerable adult may have been harmed, or be at risk from harm, or about the behaviour of an adult or child.

  3. Co-operate fully with the Diocese and appropriate statutory agencies during any investigation into abuse, including when allegations are made against a member of the church community.

  4. Ensure that pastoral care is made available to children and vulnerable adults and their families and to any member of our church community against whom an allegation is made.

  5. Ensure, in partnership with the Diocese and other agencies, that care and supervision is provided for any member of our church community known to have offended against a child or vulnerable adult, or to pose a risk to them.

  6. Securely holding records, reviewing our policies annually and checking that our records and parish safeguarding procedures are up to date and relevant, as part of any review.

We have appointed Chris Bozier as our Parish Safeguarding Officer and DBS Identity Validator

email: safeguarding@stmarkscolneyheath.co.uk

St Mark’s Colney Heath February 2021

Contact

Anyone with queries or concerns about safeguarding issues at St Marks may contact the Vicar and/or the Parish Safeguarding Officer, Chris Bozier at safeguarding@stmarkscolneyheath.co.uk.
The Diocesan Safeguarding Officer can be contacted at safeguarding@stalbans.anglican.org or telephone: 01727 818107.