Safeguarding 

Promoting a Safer Church

Our policy is in accordance with the guidelines set out by the Diocese of Southwark in their document; A Safe Church Manual. Copies of the Manual are available at Church for further inspection. These policies seek to ensure the safeguarding and protection of children and vulnerable adults, and to support the workers, both paid and unpaid, in our church and church-based activities.
No-one can work with children or vulnerable adults in this setting, without first completing the Disclosure and Barring Service Application Form, processed by our Safeguarding Officers and The Diocese of Southwark, and checking with one of our Safeguarding Officers that clearance has been received.  We are required by law to undertake such checks.
We, the PCC, therefore adopt the following procedures:

• Children and vulnerable adults will be protected in their vulnerability.
• The welfare of the child and vulnerable adult is paramount.
• All allegations of abuse will be taken seriously.
• We will collaborate with statutory and voluntary agencies.
• All paid and unpaid workers will be recruited, trained and supported.
• All paid and unpaid workers will be required to undergo the DBS Disclosure Application.

We, the PCC, further adopt as our own guidelines for good practice those policies and recommendations prepared by the Diocese of Southwark, found in the document; A Safe Church Manual.
We appoint our Parish Safeguarding Officers to be responsible for:

• Displaying our Policy documents appropriately in our setting.
• Maintaining and revising the list of people who are working, paid or unpaid with children and vulnerable adults in our setting.
• Requesting the completion of the DBS form and notifying of outcome.
• Confidentially storing the DBS response forms.
• Overseeing the maintenance of a register and registration forms of all those attending Children's Church and other organised activities (when parent/guardian are not present. Some activities may require parent/guardian to be present: i.e. Messy Church).
• Making advice and help available when issues of concern or abuse arise.
• Maintaining links with the Diocese of Southwark’s Safeguarding Officers.
• Making appropriate training, information and support available to the PCC and the wider Church congregation on an annual basis.

This Policy and associated documents will be reviewed annually by the PCC.
We take the safeguarding and care of children and vulnerable adults very seriously at St Luke Eltham Park.

Our Parish Safeguarding Officers can be contacted as below:

Christine Marsh: 07880 508862
Esme Partridge:  0208 8850 3966

To contact Southwark Diocese Safeguarding Team:
Safeguarding referrals / general enquiries: safeguarding@southwark.anglican.org / Telephone: 0207 939 9441 (Mon to Fri 9am – 5pm)

Safeguarding training enquiries: safeguardingtraining@southwark.anglican.org / Telephone: 0207 939 9476

Admin and DBS enquiries: safeguardingadmin@southwark.anglican.org / 020 7939 9478

Support Services

A wide range of local support can be accessed by inputting a postcode into the following resource.

Hub of Hope – UK’s leading support database, provided by a national mental health charity and brings local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS services together in one place for the first time, accessed via the following link: https://hubofhope.co.uk

 If you have any comments or questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact Rev Juliet Evans 07955 229351 or one of the Parish Safeguarding Officers, Christine Marsh or Esme Partridge.

With every blessing on our life together at St. Luke, Eltham Park