Safeguarding policy, procedures and governance

1. Index
2. Promoting a safer church | Introduction
3. Policy statements
   3.1 The Church of England’s Safeguarding Policy
   3.2 Chichester Cathedral’s Safeguarding Policy
4. Safeguarding contacts
5. Chichester Cathedral safeguarding procedure
6. Cathedral safeguarding governance
7. Related policies

In accordance with Church of England’s policy, Promoting a Safer Church and the House of Bishops’ Safeguarding Policy and Practice Guidance, Chichester Cathedral is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people, and vulnerable adults who may be at risk.

The Cathedral works in partnership with the Diocese of Chichester to ensure that we operate in accordance with best practice at all times.

The care and protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults are the responsibility of the whole Cathedral community, whether clergy, staff, volunteers, contractors or members of the congregations. Everyone who participates in the life of the Cathedral has a role to play in promoting a safe environment for all.

3.1        The Church of England’s Safeguarding Policy, Promoting a Safer Church, (2017)

This commits us to:

a) Promoting a safer environment and culture in the Cathedral.

b) The safer recruitment and support of all those with responsibility related to children and vulnerable adults within the Cathedral.

c) Responding promptly to every safeguarding concern or allegation.

d) Caring pastorally for victims/survivors of abuse and other affected persons.  

e) Caring pastorally for those who are the subject of concerns or allegations of abuse and other affected persons.

f) Responding to those that may pose a present risk to others.

3.2        Chichester Cathedral Safeguarding Policy

The Cathedral seeks to create a safe and caring place for all.

Our Vision states that:

We will continually strive to find effective ways to safeguard our congregation and our visitors and engage with victims and survivors of historical abuse.

Therefore:

1. Chapter expects all members of the Cathedral Clergy, staff, volunteers, contractors, third parties and congregations to take appropriate responsibility for safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults within the Cathedral community and will offer and monitor appropriate training and ensure appropriate safeguarding policies are in place.
2. Chapter will ensure that recruitment for all clergy, lay ministers, staff and volunteers complies with the Church of England’s Safer Recruitment and People Management Guidance (2021).
3. Chapter requires all clergy and staff to listen to and respond promptly to safeguarding concerns, allegations or disclosures, in line with the House of Bishops’ guidance.
4. Chapter expects all clergy and staff to cooperate appropriately with statutory agencies during any investigation that occurs concerning a member of the Cathedral community.
5. Chapter will seek to care pastorally and appropriately for survivors of abuse, in line with the Church of England’s Responding Well to Victims and Survivors of Abuse (2021).
6. Chapter will seek to care pastorally and appropriately for those who are the subject of concerns or allegations and other affected persons.
7. Chapter will seek to care for and monitor appropriately those who, may pose a present risk to others in the Cathedral, in line with the guidance and advice of the Diocesan Safeguarding Team and external agencies.
8. Chapter ensures that safeguarding risk assessments, policies and procedures are implemented and updated appropriately and at least annually.
9. Chapter maintains an agreement with clear lines of accountability between the Cathedral and the Prebendal School.

June 2024

Please click here to view our Safeguarding Contacts

5.1 Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility; therefore this procedure applies to all clergy, staff, volunteers, contractors and members of the congregations and Cathedral community.

a) In an emergency or if the vulnerable person is at immediate risk of serious harm, the person who has the safeguarding concern must phone the Police, using 999 or phone the relevant care services.

West Sussex Social Services ( August 2023): If your concern is about a child phone:  01403 229900 (Monday to Friday between 9.00am and 5.00pm) Outside office hours (5.00pm-9.00am weekdays) or at weekends and bank holidays, please call 033 022 26664.

If your concern is about a vulnerable adult phone: 01243 642121 (between 9.00 am and 5.00 pm). Outside office hours, call the Adult Social Care out of hours manager on 033 022 27007.

b)  Any safeguarding concern (including concerns about domestic abuse and any allegations against a colleague or clergy) must be reported to the Cathedral Safeguarding Lead, Canon Jack Dunn or any member of the Cathedral Safeguarding Team or the Cathedral Safeguarding Officers (Colin Perkins and Julie Gross) within 24 hours.

c) Any member of the Cathedral Safeguarding Team receiving a safeguarding concern of any kind must report this to the Cathedral Safeguarding Lead, Canon Jack Dunn or, in his absence, to the Deputy Cathedral Safeguarding Lead, Canon Vanessa Baron. If both are absent, the Diocesan Safeguarding Officers, Colin Perkins and Julie Gross, should be contacted. This must happen within 24 hours of the report being made.

d) A written record of what happened, the person you spoke to, what was said and what you did should be made as soon as possible and emailed to the Cathedral Safeguarding Lead, Canon Jack Dunn via Safeguarding@Chichestercathedral.org.uk  A copy should also be sent to the Cathedral Safeguarding Officer, Colin Perkins via colin.perkins@chichester.anglican.org (assuming neither person was implicated in your report).

e) The Cathedral Safeguarding Lead or, in his absence, the Chapter Safeguarding Lead is responsible for ensuring that any written records and any other related conversations and emails are recorded and stored in the Cathedral Safeguarding Records.

f) The Cathedral Safeguarding Lead will ensure that any concern is discussed with the Cathedral’s Safeguarding officers, Colin Perkins or Julie Gross. They may decide to refer the matter to the statutory authorities.

g) In the event of the police or the statutory authorities being involved in the case, Chapter and staff will follow the guidance of the Safeguarding Officers, Colin Perkins and Julie Gross.

Under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016, all authorised clergy, bishops, archdeacons, licensed readers and lay workers, churchwardens and PCCs must have ‘due regard’ to safeguarding guidance issued by the House of Bishops (this will include both policy and practice guidance). A duty to have ‘due regard’ to guidance means that the person under the duty is not free to disregard it but is required to follow it unless there are cogent reasons for not doing so. (‘Cogent’ for this purpose means clear, logical and convincing.) Failure by clergy to comply with the duty imposed by the 2016 Measure may result in disciplinary action. Taken from Promoting a Safer Church (2017), Church of England

7.1  The following list of Safeguarding-related policies are available to view:

1. Health and Safety Policy
2. Recruitment Policy
3. Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Policy
4. Complaints and Feedback Policy
5. Privacy Policy
6. Data Sharing Agreement 
7. Lone Working Policy 
8. Whistleblowing Policy