Safeguarding in Religious Communities

This guidance adopts a ‘One Church’ approach, which means that the Religious Communities come under the House of Bishops safeguarding policies and practice guidance. As part of this approach, it promotes Religious Communities to make links with the ‘host’ diocese in respect of safeguarding training and support.

The House of Bishops commends this practice guidance for use by Religious Communities, Dioceses and the National Church Institutions. Failure to implement and adhere to this practice guidance may invalidate your insurance.

I hope you find this helpful.

Yours in Christ's fellowship,

+Paul

Bishop Paul Butler
Bishop of Durham

1.1. The Church of England has approved the following safeguarding policies1

• Promoting a Safe Church (safeguarding policy for adults) 2006
• Responding to Domestic Abuse (guidelines for those with pastoral responsibility) 2006
• Protecting All God's Children (safeguarding policy for children and young people, 4th edition) 2010
• Responding Well to those who have been sexually abused 2011
• Safeguarding Guidelines relating to Safer Recruitment 2015

The Safeguarding Guidelines relating to Safer Recruitment includes guidance on the use of criminal records checks obtained through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and the roles which are eligible for the checks.

1.2. These policies apply to all parts of the church for example, Dioceses, Cathedrals, Parishes, both internally within the organisations themselves, and externally in their pastoral work. The House of Bishops has also approved safeguarding practice guidance statements which can be found on the same website as the policies.

1.3. This practice guidance will apply to those Religious Communities registered with the Advisory Council on the Relations of Bishops & Religious Communities (commonly called ‘The Advisory Council’) but would be open to other communities to adopt if they wished. There are two types of Religious Communities which the Council is able to register.

1.4. The Recognised communities are those in which the members make vows or promises, share in a common life and live together, and have a Rule and Constitutions which provide for the ordering of their life.

1.5. The Acknowledged communities vary in their practice and lifestyle. In most cases the members are dispersed. In some communities, all the members are single, with a vow of celibacy, whilst in others members may be single or married. Some members of what is otherwise a dispersed community may have a shared life in one place. This fluidity and variety is encouraged in order to promote growth in community life in the Church.