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.

2.1. A ‘One Church’ safeguarding approach 

The same safeguarding policies and practice guidance of the Church of England will apply across the whole Church of England including Religious Communities.

2.2. Safeguarding applies:

2.2.1. Internally (to relationships between individuals (religious and lay) in the Religious Community) and,

2.2.2. externally (when ministering to religious or lay outside the Religious Community).

2.3. Adopting a local safeguarding policy

Each Religious Communities must adopt a safeguarding policy.

2.4. Appointing a designated safeguarding person

Each Religious Communities must appoint a Designated Safeguarding Person.

2.5. Local access to safeguarding advice

Each Religious Community must seek advice from the safeguarding adviser for the Diocese, in which the house resides ^[*] .

2.6. Training for the community

Those that require training in the local Religious Community must attend safeguarding training organised by the local Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser ^[*].

2.7. Ensuring compliance with the community’s insurance policy

Failure to apply safeguarding guidance could invalidate the community’s insurance.

3.1. While recognising the diversity of Religious Communities and their unique contribution, a one church approach requires that the same policies, standards and practices apply across the whole of the Church of England;

3.2. Ensures expectations are clear for those who worship and practice inside and outside Religious Communities, and;

3.3. Seeks to get things right; but when things do go wrong, they are addressed and resolved.

4.1. Some might suggest that safeguarding is only relevant in external pastoral work and does not apply to the internal life of the community. However exploitation and abuse is most likely when vulnerability meets power. This can happen both within and outside the community. Some recent key findings from the National Crime Agency research into abuse in institutional settings are set out here. While the research applies to children and mainly relates to sexual abuse, in many cases the comments made could also apply to adults:

1) “Children [and adults experiencing, or at risk of abuse or neglect’] in institutional settings are not only at risk from adults who are inclined to abuse them …..; but also from adults who either fail to notice abuse or, if they do, fail to report it.

2) Where institutions put their own interests ahead of those of the children [and adults experiencing, or at risk of abuse or neglect’] who engage with them, abusive behaviours are likely to become normalised, potentially leading to ……. abuse.

3) The culture within an institution has a strong influence on the degree to which abuse might occur within it. Poor leadership, closed structures, ineffective policies and procedures together with the discouragement of reporting, facilitates a malign climate which colludes with those inclined to ……. abuse children [ and adults experiencing, or at risk of abuse or neglect’].

4) Where institutions are held in high regard and respected by the communities they serve, positional grooming can be perpetuated, whereby offenders conduct social or environmental grooming and mask their actions by virtue of their formal positions within an organisation.

5) Potential risks from those with abusive interest in children [and adults experiencing, or at risk of abuse or neglect’] who pursue work in institutions can be mitigated by vigilant and effective leadership and management.

6) Intense loyalty and conformity of workers to the mission, norms and values of an institution can inhibit them from reporting concerns.

7) The historic nature of many cases currently exercising media attention, together with developments in safeguarding, might give a false perception that this type of offending can no longer occur. Offenders continue to exploit systemic vulnerabilities where they exist.”

4.2. Abuse that might apply in an institutional setting includes, physical, sexual, emotional (including harassment, bullying and discrimination), financial / legal, neglect, domestic violence and abuse and spiritual abuse – see the full range of abuse in the church policies ^[*] .

5.1. Each Religious Community must adopt a safeguarding policy that includes children and adults ^[*] .

5.2. The safeguarding policy could be one that is adapted from the Religious Community, from the local Diocese or a model policy, based on the Church of England safeguarding policies, shown at appendix 1.

5.3. The safeguarding policy should be readily accessible to those inside and outside the community – religious and lay.

5.4. The safeguarding policy must always indicate how safeguarding issues or complaints will be handled in line with the Church of England safeguarding policies and practice advice. It must indicate who the designated safeguarding person (DSP) is. The role of the DSP is described below.

5.5. The leader of the Religious Community should ensure that the local safeguarding policy is reviewed at least every three years.

5.6. The individual who is in a leadership role in the Religious Community will take lead responsibility for managing safeguarding issues that involve the community in accordance with the Church of England’s safeguarding polices and practice guidance. They must always take advice from the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (DSA) ^[*] in matters relating to serious safeguarding situations ^[*] . They must also advise the episcopal visitor who is the normal court of appeal for the maintenance of the community’s discipline about serious safeguarding situations.