Safeguarding in the Churches: Past, Present, Future

1
Safeguarding in the ChurchesPast, Present,
Future

• Reflections by Revd Pearl Luxon
• Consultant and Trainer.
• Formerly Safeguarding Adviser for the Methodist
  Church and the Church of England

2
The Church of England

• Safeguarding Adviser (child and adult protection)
• The role was developing policy, good practice,
  trouble shooting, giving advice, developing
  training and supporting the networks of advisers
  and reps in 33 Districts and 43 Dioceses
• Aim Supporting Safeguarding good practice and
  raising consistency of practice in two Church
  denominations
• In Church of England diocesan structures
  dioceses - independent
• In Methodist Districts of Great Britain not
  independent

3
UK Law

• Children Act 1989
• Protection of Children Act 1999
• Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000
• Sexual Offences Act 2003
• Children Act 2004
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

4
Statutory and other Guidance

• Working Together 1989 .......... and 2010
• Safe From Harm 1993 - voluntary
• Multi-agency Public Protection Arrangements
• Working Together 2006 from Every Child
  Matters and CA 2004
• Information Sharing
• Safer Recruitment
• Safeguarding and Spirit Possession
• Safe Working Practices 2007 (DCSF)

5
Responding to Legislation, Stat. Guidance and
Commissions

• Churches Child Protection Advisory Service mid
  1980s
• Methodist Church Training started in 1989
  Taking Care National Childrens Bureau
• A few CofE dioceses created policies and trained
  people
• 1993 First Methodist Church national policy
  guidance
• 1995 Church of England (CofE) National Policy
  statement with good practice annexed
• 1999, 2004, 2010 new fuller editions and updates
  CofE
• 1998, 2000, 2003 Methodist Safeguarding
  handbook eds.
• 2000 The Church and Sex Offenders policy -
  Methodist
• 2001 Nolan Commission and COPCA
• 2007 in response to cases Past Child Protection
  Cases Review model protocol for dioceses

6
National Policy and Good Practice

• Protecting All Gods Children (latest edition
  2010)
• Promoting a Safe Church
• These are House of Bishops policy documents for
  the CofE
• Safeguarding children and
• Safeguarding Adults (latest editions of both
  2010)
• Training strategy Creating Safer Space
• These were approved by Methodist Conference
  (covers GB)
• Other relevant CofE documents
• Domestic Abuse General synod policy
• Professional Standards for clergy from the
  clergy Convocations
• Clergy Discipline Measure church legislation

7
The five-legged table of Safeguarding
8
Other developments

• Time for Action 2002 Churches Together
• Survivors and the church working together in
  consultations and networking
• New policy and good practice Responding Well
  also a House of Bishops document 2010
• Looking at the Theological underpinning of
  Safeguarding and the common values in the Church
  and among Safeguarding professionals through
  our annual conference seminars and plenary
  speakers

9
Supporting Policy and Good Practice

• Dioceses produce their own policies too, but
  national committee is seeking to ensure
  consistency with national policies over time
• Help with complex legislative changes e.g. the
  endless changes to the Vetting and Barring Scheme
• Annual Conference for both Churches with all
  trainers and Safeguarding Advisers invited
  other Anglican Provinces and Church denominations
  are welcome too.
• Regional groupings also meet

10
Partners in Safeguarding include

• Other churches/ denominations, the Christian
  Forum for Safeguarding including Churches
  Agency for Safeguarding and Churches Child
  Protection Advisory Service
• Other voluntary groups or their representatives
  e.g. NSPCC, Action for Children (NCH), The
  Childrens Society, Lucy Faithfull Foundation and
  Stop it Now UK
• Criminal Records Bureau etc. and Independent
  Safeguarding Authority
• Government departments, Multi-Agency Public
  Protection Arrangements, the Police and Probation.

11
Recent developments

• Working with Survivors
• Working on values and theology
• Linking the Christian belief and demonstrations
  of care of all people very closely with
  safeguarding
• Pastoral Care and Safeguarding need to make
  connections joined up

12
Reflections on Safeguarding

• The challenges to church of survivors and taking
  their experiences seriously including questions
  about faith
• Theology, the gospel and Safeguarding the
  Kingdom of God
• The values of the Church and the values of those
  who both work in safeguarding and child
  protection are very similar
• Safeguarding and ministry a better way?
• Perhaps authority and power are the churchs
  real Achilles' heal?

13
The challenge of Nolan

• KEY PRINCIPLES OF APPROACH
• The childs welfare is paramount
• Prevention is key
• Transparency
• Accountability
• Partnership with Statutory Authorities
• Independent objective and expert advice
• Active management of risk
• A One Church approach
• NOLAN COMMISSION COPCA 2001

14
Professional reflections

• Ambiguity and tensions in the safeguarding role
• Inter/ multi-disciplinary approach - solutions
• Positivity and creativity - instead of
  intransigence, conflict and denial
• Wise as serpents and innocent as doves
• Speaking truth to power is necessary but tough
• Communication, communication, communication
• Having raised our game in many churches what is
  the next level?
• The five legged table

15
Final Remarks

• Responding to those abused children/ adults
  this is something the Christian church must do
• Good practice is now expected in society, e.g.
  by parents and statutory bodies doing the
  minimum is not good enough
• We must listen to other faiths share what we have
  learnt
• The churches insurance companies and the Charity
  Commission play their part
• Abuse happens in whole of society/ all
  communities
• Denial occurs everywhere
• Everyone is responsible for helping to prevent
  abuse and promote the welfare of children

16
Pearl Luxon

• Consultant and Trainer
• www.pearlluxon.org.uk