Safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults
St Alfege Church is committed to ensuring that our church is a safe and welcoming place for all, particularly children, young people and vulnerable adults.
We take safeguarding seriously and are committed to creating a safe and nurturing environment for all who participate in the life and worship at St Alfege Church.
By adhering to the safeguarding policy, following the national legal policy and the procedural framework of the Church of England for safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults, we aim to protect the vulnerable and uphold the trust placed in us by our community.
The safeguarding officers at St Alfege Church are:
Karen Hansen, Lead Safeguarding Officer
Carole Moses, Safeguarding Officer
carolelowe@rocketmail.com
Irene Bishop, Safeguarding Officer
irenebi@btinternet.com
You can contact any of these officers in confidence if you suspect a child, young person or vulnerable adult is at risk or if you have any questions about our policies and procedures. Or the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor safeguarding@southwark.anglican.org 0207 939 9441.
If you have immediate concerns about someone's safety, please contact the police and your Local Authority Children's or Adult Social Care Services.
Church policies
We have one Safeguarding policy for children, young people and vulnerable adults. This policy was reviewed, updated and adopted by St Alfege Church Parochial Church Council (PCC) on 16 September 2024. The policy is reviewed annually and displayed at the back of church on our notice board and in the church hall entrance.
Church procedures
We act promptly on any complaints made, and work in close partnership with the diocesan safeguarding team, police and social care services where children, young people or vulnerable adults have been harmed or are at risk of harm or mistreatment.
We have detailed safeguarding procedures and provide safe recruitment, training and support to our voluntary and staff. This includes training and DBS checks for all our clergy, pastoral team, churchwardens, staff and our children’s church volunteers and leaders. All PCC Members also undertake safeguarding training. We adopt the Code of Safety Working Practice and also aim to hold relevant safeguarding training annually for our many volunteers.
More information about safeguarding can be found on the Diocese of Southwark website.