Safeguarding in our Parishes
Clergy
Each Parish Priest takes prime responsibility for Safeguarding in the parish. A key step in showing his commitment to keeping the parish safe is his appointment of a Parish Safeguarding Coordinator (PSC) who will possess all the necessary qualities to be effective and will support him with the management of Safeguarding in the parish. His monitoring of Safeguarding, in close collaboration with the PSC, will ensure that risks can be identified, managed and prevented. The Parish Priest’s thorough selection process and ongoing encouragement of volunteers in supporting various parish groups and ministries will provide a strong platform for your parish’s well-trained and committed group of people to go forward and confidently keep others safe.
The Parish Priest and PSC should meet on a regular basis to discuss safeguarding in the parish. In particular they should consider:
- The encouragement and safe recruitment of new volunteers
- The completion of Risk Assessments for all activities concerning children, young people and vulnerable adults
- The completion and submission of the Annual Parish Safeguarding Audit
- The development of the Parish Safeguarding Action Plan
- Checks on Visiting Clergy
- Any issues of concern
It would be useful to have a copy of the Visiting Clergy poster on the wall of the sacristy Visiting Clergy sheet ). A record of all visiting priests is to be maintained. IGI v2_Record of Visiting Clergy_Religious.
Some Useful Links:
Visiting Clergy
The Diocese of Argyll and the Isles is delighted to welcome clergy who are doing pastoral ministry in our beautiful part of the country. In God’s Image v2, the Instruction on Safeguarding in the Catholic Church in Scotland, tells us that all clergy and religious who come to Scotland must observe the highest standards of conduct in their pastoral ministry; they must comply with our Safeguarding Standards(IGI SAFEGUARDING STANDARDS. and abide by the Standards of Conduct for Clergy and Religious.
The requirements for Visiting Clergy vary depending on where you come from and how long you are staying. A Celebret is a basic essential and a Testimonial Letter Testimonial-Letter-for-Visiting-Clergy_RCDAI-2from your bishop or major religious superior is likely to be necessary.
If you are staying for more than two weeks you will also need a Disclosure Scotland PVG Certificate and Safeguarding Induction Training. If you are from Scotland, you will have these already. However, if you are from outwith Scotland, you will need to get these. As this takes time, please contact the Safeguarding Secretary, Diocesan Office, Bishop’s House, Esplanade, Oban, Argyll, PA34 5AB, safeguardingsecretary@rcdai.org.uk well in advance of your arrival.
For further Guidance on Visiting Clergy, please click here Guidance on Visiting Clergy.
Parish Safeguarding Coordinators
Each Parish Priest takes prime responsibility for Safeguarding in the Parish. It is your role, as Parish Safeguarding Coordinator (PSC), to support him in this essential role. Your main tasks are:
- Together with your parish priest, you will be vigilant to any potential risk to children, young people and vulnerable adults.
- Any concern or allegation brought to you, your parish priest or a parish volunteer must be reported to the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) immediately. He/she will manage the process from there on. Contact details for the DSA are: safeguardingadvisor@rcdai.org.uk, or 07938 253133.
- The Safeguarding Secretary will give you a list of volunteers in your parish. You will liaise with the leaders of the various activities in your parish to keep this list updated.
- You will support your priest in ensuring that any person working with children, young people and vulnerable adults are safely recruited in accordance with the Instruction in In God’s Image v2.
- If new volunteers are being recruited, you will liaise with the Safeguarding Secretary as you complete the Safe Recruitment process as speedily as possible. Contact details for the Safeguarding Secretary are: safeguardingsecretary@rcdai.org.uk or 01631 561683.
- You will meet with your parish priest several times a year to keep up-to-date on all aspects of safeguarding in the parish.
- You will ensure that the correct Safeguarding Posters are displayed in the church (and church hall, if relevant) The Safeguarding Secretary can get you more posters if necessary.
- You will ensure that group leaders have done Risk Assessments for each of the parish activities that involve children, young people and vulnerable adults. You and the parish priest will ensure that all risks are managed in a robust way. Children’s Catechism, Children’s Liturgy, Taking Communion to the sickhousebound.
- Once a year you and the parish priest will complete the annual Parish Safeguarding Audit and draw up the Parish Safeguarding Action Plan for the following year.
In addition to the above, you might be expected to:
- Welcome a visiting priest and check his Celebret, if the parish priest is not available. See 'Visiting Clergy', above.
- Check which other groups are using church premises and implement the Use of Church Premises procedure
- Check that there are Information for Survivors leaflets available in the Church porch. Katie will send you some if your parish doesn’t have a colour printer.
- Get Photo/Video Consent Forms signed as required.
Some useful links for you:
IGI v2_Standards of Conduct Employees and Volunteers
BCOS Guidance on Safe Use of Social Media
Contact us for support:
Liz Chaplin, the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (safeguardingadvisor@rcdai.org.uk) or 07938 253133
Katie Dunn, the Safeguarding Secretary, ( secretary@rcdai.org.uk) or 01631 561683
Retreat Centres
Guidance for safeguarding in our retreat centres can be found at this link.
