A safeguarding issue is when a child or adult is being harmed or at risk of being harmed by others or themselves.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility; therefore this procedure applies to all clergy, staff, volunteers, contractors and members of the congregations and Cathedral community.         

In an emergency or if the vulnerable person is at immediate risk of serious harm, the person who has the safeguarding concern must phone the Police, using 999 or phone the relevant care services. (See list of other helpline numbers).

Any safeguarding concern (including concerns about domestic abuse and any allegations against a colleague or clergy) must be reported to the Cathedral Safeguarding Officer, Elaine Rabbitt or any member of the Cathedral Safeguarding Team) within 24 hours.

If the Cathedral Safeguarding Officer receives a safeguarding concern of any kind this must reported to the Rev’d Will Gibbs or, in his absence the Dean Jo Kelly-Moore. If both are absent, the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer, Jez Hirst, should be contacted. This must happen within 24 hours of the report being made.

A written record of what happened, the person you spoke to, what was said and what you did should be made as soon as possible and emailed to the Cathedral Safeguarding Officer Elaine Rabbitt via [email protected] (assuming the person was implicated in your report). See Aide Memoir.
The Cathedral Safeguarding Officer or, in her absence, the Chapter Safeguarding Lead Rev’d Will Gibbs is responsible for ensuring that any written records and any other related conversations and emails are recorded and stored on My Concern.

The Cathedral Safeguarding Officer will ensure that any concern is discussed with the Rev’d Will Gibbs, the Dean Jo Kelly-Moore, professionals or Core group. They may decide to refer the matter to the LADO or other statutory authorities.

In the event of the police or the statutory authorities being involved in the case, Chapter and staff will follow the guidance of the Safeguarding Officer, Elaine Rabbitt.

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. Taken from Promoting a Safer Church (2017), Church of England.

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Author: Kate Klevit