safeguarding

 

Safeguarding at St Matthias

Safeguarding is at the heart of our Christian faith. The Church door at St Matthias is where safeguarding starts and is the ‘frontline’ in pastoral care. 

Safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone at St Matthias and we want to ensure we are known as a safe Church, one that is vigilant and one that acts when we spot potential or actual safeguarding situations. We want the message to get out that our Church is a safe place for all.

We want to:

  •  Promote a safer environment and culture
  •  Safer recruiting 
  • Respond promptly to every safeguarding concern
  • Care pastorally for affected persons of abuse
  • Respond to those that may pose a risk to others

The welfare of any person who feels vulnerable – child or adult  - must always be held paramount, no matter how uncomfortable that may be because only in that way can we create a church that is safer for everyone.

 At St Matthias, Sue Davies is our designated person for safeguarding and can be contacted directly via email on safeguardingstmatthias@gmail.com or her phone number is available by request from the church office 01803 214175. 

Useful Numbers

Exeter Diocesan Safeguarding Team 01392 345909

 

Concerns about children              Devon Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub 0345 155 1071

                                                            Torquay Hub 01803 208100

                                                            Childline 0800 1111

                                                            NSPCC 0808 8005000

                                                            24 hour contact Churches’ Child Protection Advisory                                                                      

Service (CCPAS) helpline on 0303 003 11 11

 

Concerns about Adults                       Devon - Care Direct 0345 155 1007

                                                            Torbay 01803219700

                                                            Devon and Cornwall Police non-emergency 101

                                                            If worried about immediate safety call 999

 

Domestic Abuse                              Devon 0345 155 1074

                                                         Torbay 01803 698869

 

 

SAFER RECRUITMENT

 St Matthias is committed to the safeguarding and protection of all children, young people and adults, and the care and nurture of children within our church communities. We carefully select, train and support all those with any responsibility within the Church, in line with Safer Recruitment principles.

At St Matthias paid employees and volunteers complete an application form and supply names of two referees who are not our clergy.

They also complete a simple confidential self-declaration form about their suitability to work in this role and about any criminal convictions that they may have.

For people with substantial contact, or who may be working or volunteering in an unsupervised setting people are asked to complete an online application to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Specific documents will need to be shown to Sue Davies who is the DBS verifier for the parish.

Anyone who isn’t happy to follow this policy when asked will understandably be unable to take up that role.

 

 

Photo by Matthew Waring on Unsplash