Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults
“Being loved and being kept safe go to the very core of the Church’s Ministry to children and vulnerable adults. The work of safeguarding has to be seen within the overall mission of the Church. As she seeks to protect the vulnerable and weak, the Church needs to ‘act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with God’.
Micah 6:8.
Safeguarding is a duty that is rooted in the message of Jesus and in the mission of the Church. As the Catholic Community in Corsham, we aspire to the highest standards, regarding the care and protection of children and vulnerable adults. We are committed to respecting, protecting and nurturing the dignity of all people. We are determined that St Patrick’s will offer a safe place in its premises and activities, and with all Church personnel. The Church is committed to sharing best practice, learning from mistakes of the past and to exploring ways of collaborating with others to ensure our Church is a community where all members will be kept safe and feel loved.
All in the parish, who act in the name of the Church, and who are involved in any way with individuals or groups that are considered to be potentially vulnerable, are obliged to undergo diocesan training and will need to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance. This includes both clergy and laity. Each Church in our Diocese of Clifton has a designated Parish Safeguarding Coordinator. Where concerns or issues of a safeguarding nature occur, it is imperative that the Safeguarding Coordinator and the Parish Priest be informed as soon as possible, in order that appropriate action may be undertaken. It is, after all, the duty of each one of us to ensure the welfare of all our brothers and sisters.
Saint Patrick’s Church Safeguarding Parish Representative acts on behalf of the Diocese of Clifton. Click here to email our Representative if you have any queries or concerns relating to safeguarding within the Parish. If you are concerned about the welfare of a child or adult at risk, do not delay in contacting the police, using 999 if a child or adult is believed to be in immediate danger.
Domestic Abuse – Helplines and Information
Here you will find information about where and how to report domestic abuse and get help.
Phone the Police
If you are in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police.
If you are in danger and unable to talk on the phone, call 999 and listen to the questions from the operator and if possible, respond by coughing or tapping the head set.
If prompted, press 55 to Make Yourself Heard and this will transfer your call to the police. (NB Pressing 55 only works on mobiles and does not allow police to track your location.)
When 999 calls are made from landlines, information about your location should be automatically available to the call handlers to help provide a response.
If you are concerned about the welfare of a child or adult at risk, do not delay in contacting the police, using 999 if a child or adult is believed to be in immediate danger.
It is the policy of the Catholic Church in England and Wales to report all allegations of abuse to statutory authorities, regardless of whether the abuse occurred recently or in the past, or whether the accused person is living or deceased.
If you are in any role within the Catholic Church in England and Wales, you must refer allegations directly to the safeguarding office for your diocese or religious congregation, or directly to the Police.
If you are a member of the public, please refer allegations directly to the police and also to our safeguarding Co-ordinator Becky Cawsey 0117 954 0993
Seek help
Freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge
0808 200 0247
www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk
Live Fear Free helpline (Wales)
0808 80 10 800
www.livefearfree.gov.wales
Men’s Advice Line
0808 801 0327
www.mensadviceline.org.uk
Rape Crisis (England and Wales)
0808 802 9999
www.rapecrisis.org.uk
Respect phoneline
0808 802 4040
www.respectphoneline.org.uk
Galop (for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people)
0800 999 5428
www.galop.org.uk
Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline
0800 027 1234
sdafmh.org.uk
Scottish Women’s Aid
0131 226 6606
www.scottishwomensaid.org.uk
Women’s Aid Federation (Northern Ireland)
0800 917 1414
www.womensaidni.org
Karma Nirvana
Karma Nirvana runs a national honour-based abuse helpline.
Telephone: 0800 5999 247
Email: support@karmanirvana.org.uk
Hestia
Hestia provides a free mobile app, Bright Sky, which provides support and information to anyone who may be in an abusive relationship or those concerned about someone they know.
Chayn
Chayn provides online help and resources in a number of languages about identifying manipulative situations and how friends can support those being abused.
Imkaan
Imkaan are a women’s organisation addressing violence against black and minority women and girls.
Southall Black Sisters
Southall Black Sisters offer advocacy and information to Asian and Afro-Caribbean women suffering abuse.
Stay Safe East
Stay Safe East provides advocacy and support services to disabled victims and survivors of abuse.
SignHealth
SignHealth provides domestic abuse service support for deaf people in British Sign Language (BSL).
Telephone: 020 3947 2601
Email: da@signhealth.org.uk
Shelter
Shelter provide free confidential information, support and legal advice on all housing and homelessness issues.
Sexual Assault Referral Centres
Sexual Assault Referral Centres provide advice and support services to victims and survivors of sexual assault or abuse.
Support for children and young people
NSPCC
Telephone: 0808 800 5000
Email: help@nspcc.org.uk
Childline
Telephone: 0800 1111
Support if you think you may be an abuser
Respect is an anonymous and confidential helpline for men and women who are harming their partners and families. The helpline also takes calls from (ex)partners, friends and relatives who are concerned about perpetrators.
Telephone: 0808 802 4040
Support for employers
Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse
The Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse website provides resources to support employers including an employers’ toolkit
Business in the Community
Business in the Community publish a toolkit with information for employers.
Live Chat Services
IDAS
The service will now run from 3 pm – 6 pm Monday – Friday. Additionally, the team will run a chat dedicated to answering questions from professionals, agencies and workers from 10 am – 12 noon on weekdays.
https://www.idas.org.uk/extra-live-chat-services/
Women’s Aid
This service runs on Monday to Friday from 10am – 2pm
https://chat.womensaid.org.uk/
Other support:
You may wish to contact one of these 24-hour helplines to report abuse
- NSPCCChild Protection Helpline: 0808 800 5000 (lines free and open 24 hours). Phone if you are worried about a child.
- Child-line: 0800 1111 (lines free and open 24 hours). Phone if you are a child or young person and are worried about anything.
- National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (lines free and open 24 hours). Phone if you are experiencing domestic abuse.
- Samaritans Helpline: 08457 90 90 90 (open 24 hours). Phone if you feel you are struggling to cope and need someone to talk to.
- Action on Elder Abuse Helpline: 080 8808 8141 (free phone Monday to Friday 9-5pm).
- WomansAid – National Domestic Violence Helpline – 0808 2000 247
- The mix – Advice for the under 25yrs. www.themix.org.uk
- Mankind – Advice for Male Victims of Domestic Violence. www.mankind.org.uk
- Childline – Deals with a vast variety of children concerns including Domestic Violence. www.childline.org.uk
- Guidance supporting people who may be experiencing domestic violence