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Safeguarding Policies

The Parish’s safeguarding policy can be viewed at the bottom of this page.

A full copy of the National Policy and Practice can be found here.

The complete safeguarding section of the Diocese of Leeds, including emergency contact advice, can be found here.

Parish Safeguarding Officer

The parish safeguarding officer should be your first point of contact if you have any concerns in relation to a child, young person or vulnerable adult.
We have appointed Sarah Denner as our safeguarding officer.

You can contact her by email at safeguarding@stpaulsirelandwood.org or through the church office.

 

 

If you would prefer to speak to someone outside of the church

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Leeds Diocesan Safeguarding Officers

0113 353 0257

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Local Authority Social Services
0113 222 4403

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St Paul’s Safeguarding Policy

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Every person has value and dignity which comes directly from the creation of male and female in God’s own image and likeness. Christians see this potential as fulfilled by God’s re-creation of us in Christ. Among other things, this implies a duty to value all people as bearing the image of God and therefore to protect them from harm.

The Diocese of Leeds and all parishes within it adopt Church of England policies and practical guidance relating to safeguarding.

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We will endeavour to safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults by:

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

• Carefully selecting and training all those with any responsibility within the Church, in line with safer recruitment principles, including the use of criminal records disclosures and registration with the relevant vetting and barring schemes.

• Supporting, resourcing, training and regularly reviewing those who undertake work with children, young people and vulnerable adults.

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

• Recognising that it is the responsibility of each of us to prevent the physical, emotional, sexual, financial and spiritual abuse of children, young people and adults, and to report any such abuse that we discover or suspect.

• Responding without delay to every complaint made which suggests that a child, young person or adult may have been harmed, co-operating with the police and local authority in any investigation.

• Seeking to work with anyone who has suffered abuse, developing with him or her an appropriate ministry of informed pastoral care.

• Committing ourselves to promoting safe practice by those in position of trust.

• Challenging any abuse of power, especially by anyone in position of trust.

• Offering 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 adult.
   

The PCC of St Paul’s Ireland Wood agreed to and adopted this policy at its meeting on 25th May 2023