Concerns about the protection and safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults in the Catholic Church have been very prominent in the news and the public consciousness for a number of years. The church has taken these concerns very seriously as can be seen from the strong and uncompromising statement made by the Catholic Bishops in England and Wales in April 2010 which is reproduced on the page below.
However, while such public expressions of contrition may be recent, the church in England and Wales has, since 2001, had in place a system for checking people who, through some form of ministry in the church or Catholic schools, have regular contact with children, young people or vulnerable adults. These procedures seek to ensure that no-one can have such contact until they have been the subject of a satisfactory CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check.
The procedures to be followed are set out at national and diocesan level with organisations in place to ensure they are followed. The links on the ’Safeguarding Resources’ page below this will take you to the web sites of the various organisations.
At Parish level, we have a Safeguarding Officer who has responsibility for obtaining the necessary checks and, as a Parish, our Safeguarding Policy is published – see below. We take this matter seriously and, following a number of queries raised in the Parish and followed up with the diocese, we have been shown to comply with the procedures set down by the diocese.
However, there is no room for complacency in these matters. Recent criminal cases have shown that carrying out the necessary checks may not protect vulnerable people. We carry out checks and put our trust in those whom we allow to work with our vulnerable people, yet we must remain alert.
NOTE: We are not responsible for the information on other organisations’ websites.
Resources for parents and young people
ChildLine Apart from its phone line on 0800 1111, the ChildLine website provides information on a whole range of topics.
Know IT All provides a suite of suite of education resources designed to help educate parents, teachers and young people about safe and positive use of the internet.
CHATDANGER Resources provides links to a whole set of sites dealing with use of the internet, bullying, reporting suspicious bhaviour etc.
Safeguarding procedures
For information about safeguarding within the Diocese of Westminster go to the dioicesan web site and click on Safeguarding which can be found under ‘Other pages’ in the left hand menu.
The National Catholic Safeguarding Commission (NCSC) has responsibility for setting the strategic direction of the Church’s safeguarding policy and monitoring compliance. Its place in the organisation of the Church, mandated by the Conference of Bishops and Conference of Religious, and with accountability across Dioceses and Religious Congregations is to ensure that standards are met and policies are implemented.
The Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service (CSAS) has been established to be responsible for driving and supporting improvements in practice. Its primary role is one of co-ordination, advice and support in respect of the wider job of safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults.
The national safeguarding policies and procedures of the Catholic Church of England & Wales can be found here.
For information about the roles that require people to have Criminal Records Bureau(CRB) checks in the Catholic Church of England & Wales, click here.
It is the policy of the parish of St. Peter-in-Chains to protect children and young people from physical, emotional or sexual abuse and to provide a safe environment for them.
This commitment flows from our common belief in the dignity and uniqueness of every human life. It is our policy to respect that dignity and uniqueness.
We start from the principle that each child has a right to expect the highest level of care and protection, love, encouragement and respect that we can give.
It is our aim to provide an environment that supports and nurtures children so that they may develop and mature as safe from harm as possible.
While we aim to protect our children and young people from all kinds of harm, we accept that some element of risk is unavoidable. Child Protection Procedures are intended to minimise those risks.
Child Protection Procedures are also intended to assist parish workers and volunteers in identifying ways in which they can safeguard the best interests of the children and young people in their care, and their own best interests as well.
The following statement was issued by the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales on 22 April 2010.
Child abuse in the Catholic Church has been such a focus of public attention recently, that we, the Bishops of England and Wales, wish to address this issue directly and unambiguously.
Catholics are members of a single universal body. These terrible crimes, and the inadequate response by some church leaders, grieve us all.
Our first thoughts are for all who have suffered from the horror of these crimes, which inflict such severe and lasting wounds. They are uppermost in our prayer. The distress we feel at what has happened is nothing in comparison with the suffering of those who have been abused.
The criminal offences committed by some priests and religious are a profound scandal. They bring deep shame to the whole church. But shame is not enough. The abuse of children is a grievous sin against God. Therefore we focus not on shame but on our sorrow for these sins. They are the personal sins of only a very few. But we are bound together in the Body of Christ and, therefore, their sins touch us all.
We express our heartfelt apology and deep sorrow to those who have suffered abuse, those who have felt ignored, disbelieved or betrayed. We ask their pardon, and the pardon of God for these terrible deeds done in our midst. There can be no excuses.
Furthermore, we recognise the failings of some Bishops and Religious leaders in handling these matters. These, too, are aspects of this tragedy which we deeply regret and for which we apologise. The procedures now in place in our countries highlight what should have been done straightaway in the past. Full co-operation with statutory bodies is essential.
Now, we believe, is a time for deep prayer of reparation and atonement. We invite Catholics in England and Wales to make the four Fridays in May 2010 special days of prayer. Even when we are lost for words, we can place ourselves in silent prayer. We invite Catholics on these days to come before the Blessed Sacrament in our parishes to pray to God for healing, forgiveness and a renewed dedication. We pray for all who have suffered abuse; for those who mishandled these matters and added to the suffering of those affected. From this prayer we do not exclude those who have committed these sins of abuse. They have a journey of repentance and atonement to make.
We pray also for Pope Benedict, whose wise and courageous leadership is so important for the Church at this time.
In our dioceses we will continue to make every effort, working with our safeguarding commissions, to identify any further steps we can take, especially concerning the care of those who have suffered abuse, including anyone yet to come forward with their account of their painful and wounded past. We are committed to continuing the work of safeguarding, and are determined to maintain openness and transparency, in close co-operation with the statutory authorities in our countries. We thank the thousands who give generously of their time and effort to the Church’s safeguarding work in our parishes and dioceses.
We commit ourselves afresh to the service of children, young people and the vulnerable in our communities. We have faith and hope in the future. The Catholic Church abounds in people, both laity, religious and clergy, of great dedication, energy and generosity who serve in parishes, schools, youth ventures and the care of elderly people. We also thank them. The Holy Spirit guides us to sorrow and repentance, to a firm determination to better ways, and to a renewal of love and generosity towards all in need.