The importance of Safeguarding should not be underestimated. Whilst we believe that the St Erconwald’s is a very safe place history has shown that those determined to abuse young people or vulnerable adults can take advantage of safe places. If you wish to help with any activity involving young people please would you contact the parish's Safeguarding Officer - David Cox c/o mail@sterconwalds.org.uk If you have any concerns about any individuals please speak with David Cox or Fr John The parish similar to every parish in England and Wales therefore follows strict procedures agreed on a national level. Full details can be found on the diocesan website http://www.dabnet.org/safeguarding/SafeRecruitmentofVolunteers. This contains examples of the forms that need to be completed. There is no cost to you for being checked just a little time to complete the forms. David will happily talk you through all that is required and will arrange to take copies of the required documents for the CRB check. We appreciate that many of you will already have been checked for other organisations or work however the law is clear and we fully agree with the Diocese that Safeguarding is of utmost importance. Your assistance is appreciated. Safeguarding in Arundel and Brighton Following the recommendations of the Nolan Report into Child Abuse in the Catholic Church in England and Wales the diocese set up a Child Protection Office alongside the national organisation, COPCA. Subsequently following on from the work of the Cumberledge Commission reviewing the effects of Nolan, amongst other things, the remit of the work was extended more widely to safeguarding issues for both vulnerable adults and children. For that reason there has been a change of name to the Safeguarding Office, which will work alongside a Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service at Bishops Conference level, a National Safeguarding Commission and a diocesan Safeguarding Commission. Canon Law Summary The Bishops Conference of England and Wales has voted to accept the recommendations of the Cumberledge Review for the setting up of a new ‘safeguarding structure’. This is it not binding on individual Bishops until a recognitio is received from the Apostolic See and a decree has then been issued by the Conference on the basis of a two thirds majority vote by the Bishops (see Canon 455 §1 & §2). Once this is enacted then each Bishop is bound by the decree. In this diocese the Bishop has already amended the role of the Child Protection Office to Safeguarding. As Bishop he is free to do so in such circumstances when he feels this would help him in the pastoral mission of the diocese. |