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Safeguarding 

Promoting a Safer Church


Parish of St, Mary's Church, Chartham
SAFEGUARDING POLICY
PROMOTING A SAFER CHURCH
 
In accordance with the Church of England Safeguarding Policy our church is committed to:
 
    • Promoting a safer environment and culture.
    • Safely recruiting and supporting all those with any responsibility related to children, young people and vulnerable adults within the church.
    • Responding promptly to every safeguarding concern or allegation.
    • Caring pastorally for victims/survivors of abuse and other affected persons.
    • Caring pastorally for those who are the subject of concerns or allegations of abuse and other affected persons.
    • Responding to those that may pose a present risk to others.

The Parish will:
 
    • Create a safe and caring place for all.
    • Have a named Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) to work with the incumbent and the PCC to implement policy and procedures.
    • Safely recruit, train and support all those with any responsibility for children, young people and adults to have the confidence and skills to recognise and respond to abuse.
    • Ensure that there is appropriate insurance cover for all activities involving children and adults undertaken in the name of the parish.
    • Display in church premises and on the Parish website the details of who to contact if there are safeguarding concerns or support needs.
    • Listen to and take seriously all those who disclose abuse.
    • Take steps to protect children and adults when a safeguarding concern of any kind arises, following House of Bishops guidance, including notifying the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (DSA) and statutory agencies immediately.
    • Offer support to victims/survivors of abuse regardless of the type of abuse, when or where it occurred.
    • Care for and monitor any member of the church community who may pose a risk to children and adults whilst maintaining appropriate confidentiality and the safety of all parties.
    • Ensure that health and safety policy, procedures and risk assessments are in place and that these are reviewed annually.
    • Review the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy, Procedures and Practices at least annually.

Each person who works within this church community will agree to abide by this policy and the guidelines established by this church. 

Where to go if you need help or have any concerns:

St Mary's Parish Safeguarding Officer

Reinhard Guss, 07712 230 509

St Mary's Churchwarden

Jane Arnott, 01227 470831


Any child wishing to talk about a problem can contact Childline on 0800 1111

Any parent or carer wishing to talk about parenting problems can contact Family Lives on 0808 800 2222

The Parish Safeguarding Coordinator(s) is available to speak with adults or children.

Useful Links...

Church of England - Promoting a safer church

Diocese of Canterbury - Safeguarding

Canterbury Diocese Safeguarding Advisers

Fiona Coombs, 07548 232395, fcoombs@diocant.org

Paul Brightwell, 07398 009951, pbrightwell@diocant.org

Kent County Council Social Services

Out of hours,  0300 041 9191 

Childline

Phone: 0800 1111

NSPCC

Help for Children and Young People, Childline - 0800 1111

Adults concerned about a child: phone 0808 800 5000

Glenys
Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Welcome 

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

We meet at St.Mary's (details below) for our Sunday Service starting at 10am. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits afterward. It is a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free.

Plan your journey: 

Open Google Maps

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer.

Our Service

The main service begins at 10am with a warm welcome..
Visit our This Sunday page for more information
 

Children

Getting Connected


Small Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out Small Groups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team

Get in touch with us to plan your visit
If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.
 
Name:
Telephone:
Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.
 
We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes