Safeguarding

Safeguarding at St John’s

Parish Safeguarding Team

Here at St John’s our Safeguarding provision is delivered through a team approach. Our team currently comprises two Parish Safeguarding Officers (Dave Atkins and Helen Baines) and a Parish Safeguarding Coordinator (Ruth Bio). As a Safeguarding team they work with our senior clergy to provide all the necessary safeguarding support, and ensure advice and guidance relating to children, young people and vulnerable adults at St John’s Church is adhered to. They will liaise with the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor and Statutory agencies as appropriate.

We at St John’s are committed to ensuring that we offer a sincere welcome within a safe environment for all who belong and worship here. Our aim is that together we grow in our knowledge, service and likeness of the God who in Jesus, sacrificed Himself to save the world.

Ensuring a safe environment means that we pay particular attention and take special measures to protect those who are particularly vulnerable such as Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults. Our safeguarding policies can be found here. We take the safety of everyone very seriously and expect that everyone will work within the church’s safeguarding policy. As a parish church we have due regard for all the procedure and guidance documents produced centrally by the Church of England (including the Parish Safeguarding Handbook).

Though particular people bear formal responsibility for Safeguarding, ‘the care and protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults involved in Church activities is the responsibility of the whole Church’ (Promoting a Safer Church, 2017). This is how it works – firstly formally, and then how we expect each person within St John’s to contribute:

Ruth Bio
(Safeguarding Co-ordinator)
ruthbio@stjohnsharborne.org

Ruth is responsible for coordinating the Safeguarding Team, processing all DBS applications including verification of documents. She works closely with Associate Vicar, PSOs and ministry leads to ensure all recruitment meets Safer Recruitment Guidelines and training requirements.

Jon Tattersall
(Associate Vicar of St John’s Harborne)
jontattersall@stjohnsharborne.org

Jon is responsible for the day to day liaison with Ruth Bio and PSOs on safeguarding matters.

Parochial Church Council (PCC)

The PCC have a duty of care for the protection of the vulnerable by ensuring that safeguarding processes and actions are in accordance with the published policies. Safeguarding is an agenda item at every PCC meeting.

Leaders of Ministry Areas

The leaders of each ministry area are responsible - with advice and input from the Parish Safeguarding Officer – that all activities they are leading are undertaken safely and in accordance with the church’s safeguarding policies. Safeguarding concerns and incidents are to be raised with the PSO and the Associate Vicar as appropriate.  

Volunteers and assistant leaders in each ministry area are responsible for providing information so that the PSC can obtain a DBS (Disclosure and Barring) Certificate prior to their taking up their role in line with current DBS guidelines. They are also required to attend Safeguarding Training at a minimum every three years, to report any safeguarding concerns or incidents to the ministry lead and/or to the PSO and to maintain a safe setting for their work under the leadership and direction of the ministry leader. 

Find out more about DBS Certificates and Safeguarding Training.