Firstly if you believe an individual is currently at risk of immediate harm , contact the Police on 999.
Action We Will Take with Regards to a Safeguarding Concern
The Parish Church of All Saints Castleford are here for you and anyone who may need to raise any concerns in respect to safeguarding. In the first instance if you want to report anything to the parish please contact the following people.
Parish Safeguarding Officer, John Ladley on 07305 230598 or if unavailable Father Kevin Greaves on 07865 810133. Please note we will in confidence contact the following to ensure that the individual is protected and supported.
Who will the parish talk to if we observe or are told about a safeguarding concern?
If there is an immediate risk the police will be contacted on 999.
And/or for advice from The Diocesan Safeguarding Team. If this is outside working hours (Monday to Friday 9am – 4pm) we will contact The Archdeacon of Pontefract, The Venerable Cat Thatcher.
If The Archdeacon of Pontefract is not available, we will contact another archdeacon within the Anglican Diocese of Leeds.
Children and Adult Services for the Wakefield area will also be made aware on their 24hr helpline 0345 850 3503
Church of England Policy Statement
‘Promoting a Safer Church’
The Church of England safeguarding policy statement is based on five foundations and offers six overarching policy commitments:
• Promoting a safer environment and culture
• Safely recruiting and supporting all those with any responsibility related to children, young people and vulnerable adults within the Church
• Responding promptly to every safeguarding concern or allegation
• Caring pastorally for victims/survivors of abuse and other affected persons
• Caring pastorally for those who are the subject of concerns or allegations of abuse and other affected persons
• Responding to those that may pose a present risk to others. This policy applies to all Church Bodies* and Church Officers†.
Full understanding of, and adherence to, this policy should lead to a deepening in the understanding of, and respect for,
* Church Bodies – include PCCs, diocesan bodies, cathedrals, religious communities, theological training institutions and the National Church Institutions. This policy will apply to the whole of the provinces of Canterbury and York (including the Diocese in Europe subject to local variations/modifications). There is also an expectation that the policy will apply to the Channel Islands and Sodor and Man unless there is specific local legislation in a jurisdiction that would prevent adoption.
† Church Officer – anyone appointed/elected by or on behalf of the Church to a post or role, whether they are ordained or lay, paid or unpaid. the rights of children, young people and vulnerable adults as people of faith in the life of the Church.
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.