HOLY CROSS PRIORY
Safeguarding Policy Statement
The Catholic Parish of Holy Cross is committed to the Safeguarding Policies of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, to protect children, young people, and vulnerable adults from any form of abuse or maltreatment and to promote a safe environment for them.
This commitment flows from the fact that we are all made in the image of God and the Church’s common belief in the dignity and uniqueness of every human life.
We start from the principle that each person has a right to expect the highest level of care and protection, love encouragement and respect that we can give.
We will liaise closely and openly with statutory agencies to ensure that any concerns or allegations of abuse that are raised are promptly reported and properly investigated, victims supported and perpetrators held to account.
Parish Safeguarding Representative: Virginia Astill
Please contact Virginia on telephone number 07513 725413
Diocesan Safeguarding Co-ordinator; Rachael Campion 0115 953 9849
Church’s Approach to Safeguarding
The safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults is at the heart of the Church’s mission. There is no place in the Church, or indeed society, for abuse, a grievous crime which can affect people for their entire lives.
Victims come first. This has not always been the case. The Church deeply regrets all instances of sexual abuse and the abuse of minors and vulnerable adults and accepts that grave mistakes were made in the past.
In December 2013, Pope Francis, who has declared there should be ‘zero tolerance’ of abuse, established a Vatican commission on the protection of minors. Last year, the Holy Father said that he wants to encourage and promote the Church’s commitment to protection and care ‘at every level — episcopal conferences, dioceses, institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life — to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure the protection of minors and vulnerable adults and to respond to their needs with fairness and mercy’.
All allegations of abuse reported to the Catholic Church in England and Wales are immediately passed on to the police. The Church works closely and cooperatively with the statutory authorities as these allegations are investigated. Following this investigation, which follows UK law, the Church conducts its own internal investigation, following Canon law.
The Church recognises the personal dignity and rights of all Vulnerable People towards whom it has a special responsibility. The Church and individual members of it undertake to take all appropriate steps to maintain a safe environment for all and to practice fully and positively Christ’s Ministry towards children, young people and adults at risk and to respond sensitively and compassionately to their needs in order to help keep them safe from harm.
The Church authorities will liaise closely with statutory agencies to ensure that any allegations of abuse are promptly and properly responded to and where appropriate survivors supported and perpetrators held to account.
The Church wishes to ensure that its parishes and Religious Congregations have the confidence to enable vulnerable people to have peace of mind, knowing they will be cared for and loved by their Christian community and therefore any volunteers or Parishioners who wish to undertake certain roles in the Diocese will be required to comply with the National Safer Recruitment policy which includes completing a Disclosure and Barring Service application form, Diocesan application forms and supplying original identification documents to the local Safeguarding Representative for the Parish.
Further information, and links to the policies and procedures of the Catholic Church in England and Wales can be found at:
Safeguarding Of Children And Vulnerable Adults – The Dominican Friars in Britain (op.org)