Safeguarding
As part of our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, each Baptist church is expected to follow safeguarding procedures and good practice. These are set out in the BU publications “Safe From Harm” and “Safe To Grow”. The latest edition of “Safe To Grow”, published in 2011, is acclaimed as the best yet, showing clearly which aspects of safeguarding are statutory requirements, which are good practice and which would be good if possible. Both safeguarding publications can be obtained from the BUGB website or, free of postage at an Eastern Baptist Association (EBA) Safeguarding training.
The EBA run Safe To Grow or Safeguarding training sessions several times through the year and these are normally led by Richard Lewis or by Sheila Martin. Running from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm the training is held at venues across the region. It is delivered free of charge. The cost of the training is covered by the EBA from your Home Mission Giving and the host church provides the venue and hospitality. The average attendance is in the region of 50 people at each training. It is recommended that each person in a leadership role or with direct contact with children in the churches should do the training every three years. Ministers also need to keep up to date on this training. Even where there is a youth or children’s worker the minister and deacons are responsible for the implementation of the Child Protection Policy and need to know exactly what to do in the event of a disclosure.
CRB checks are carried out free of charge for volunteers in the churches. Of course there is a significant cost involved in carrying out such checks but this is covered by your giving to Home Mission. We would never want a child or vulnerable adult to be in danger because the church couldn’t afford to run the CRB check on a volunteer. This is the reason that all of our CRB checks are covered by Home Mission giving.
All of our accredited ministers are required to hold a current CRB enhanced disclosure. Ministers need to arrange to have their ID verified by their Regional Minister when making their application.
BUGB have a national safeguarding advisor, currently Revd Alan Elson. His job includes liasing with government and statutory bodies along with his ecumenical colleagues on safeguarding issues. Any CRB disclosures that show up a problem will go to Alan and then to the Regional Minister and they will work these things through with the person concerned. Alan also cascades information about changes to safeguarding procedures to the Regional Teams and then to the churches. This is all funded by your Home Mission giving too.
From time to time a church will find itself in a crisis situation because a child has made a disclosure of abuse, or because one of its members has been arrested for crimes involving children. At these times of crisis the Regional Minister and the BU Safeguarding advisor can be a source of help and advice. Churches who have been in this tragic situation have appreciated this. One of the most appreciated resources is the help of the BUGB Head of Communications, Amanda Allchorn. Amanda can help to prepare Press statements and if required can become the Press spokesperson for the church through the worst of any publicity. This can take great pressure off a minister or diaconate at a time when they are wrestling emotionally and spiritually with the trauma of such disclosures.
Every church, whether in receipt of a grant from Home Mission or not, can benefit from this vital service provided as a result of your Home Mission giving. Whether it is
- attending a “Safeguarding” training locally, or
- using one of the BU publications to develop your church’s policies, or
- making a volunteer application for a CRB disclosure, or
- seeking help and support in a crisis,
these resources are available as a result of giving to Home Mission.
Thank you for your giving.
