The Benefice of St Mary’s Hadleigh,
St Andrew’s Layham and All Saints’ Shelley
SAFEGUARDING POLICY - PROMOTING A SAFER CHURCH
The following policy was agreed at the:
Hadleigh Parochial Church Council (PCC) meeting of 11 July 2019
Layham PCC meeting of 18 September 2019
Shelley PCC meeting of 17 September 2019
and is approved each year at the Annual Parochial Church Council Meeting of each church.
In accordance with the Church of England Safeguarding Policy our churches are committed to:
• Promoting a safer environment and culture.
• Having a named Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) to work with the incumbent and the PCCs to
implement policy and procedures.
• Safely recruiting and supporting all those with any responsibility related to children, young people
and vulnerable adults within the church.
• Responding promptly to every safeguarding concern or allegation.
• Caring pastorally for victims/survivors of abuse and other affected persons.
• Caring pastorally for those who are the subject of concerns or allegations of abuse and other
affected persons.
• Responding to those that may pose a present risk to others.
• Displaying in church premises and on the Benefice website the details of who to contact if there are
safeguarding concerns or support needs.
• Reviewing the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy, Procedures and Practices at least
annually.
The Parishes aim to:
• Create a safe and caring place for all.
• Safely recruit, train and support all those with any responsibility for children, young people and
adults to have the confidence and skills to recognise and respond to abuse.
• Ensure that there is appropriate insurance cover for all activities involving children and adults
undertaken in the name of the parish.
• Listen to and take seriously all those who disclose abuse.
• Take steps to protect children and adults when a safeguarding concern of any kind arises, following
House of Bishops guidance, including notifying the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (DSA) and
statutory agencies immediately.
• Offer support to victims/survivors of abuse regardless of the type of abuse, when or where it
occurred.
• Care for and monitor any member of the church community who may pose a risk to children and
adults whilst maintaining appropriate confidentiality and the safety of all parties.
• Ensure that health and safety policy, procedures and risk assessments are in place and that these are
reviewed annually.
Each person who works within this church community will agree to abide by this policy and the
guidelines established by this church.
Benefice safeguarding officers: MRS GLORIA POWELL & MRS TRISH PITT
The benefice safeguarding officers are responsible for:
• Helping to ensure that all those who work with children, young people or vulnerable adults on
behalf of the parish or benefice are aware of the Diocesan Safeguarding procedures.
• Helping to ensure that all those who work with children, young people or vulnerable adults
receive diocesan safeguarding training to the appropriate standard.
Concerns
When there is a disclosure of harm or there are concerns about the welfare of any children, young
person or vulnerable adult, all adults in our church community are expected to share their concerns and
allegations with a benefice safeguarding officer or the parish priest. Any referrals should be made
without delay to Suffolk County Council Customer First - 0808 800 4005 (Freephone from landlines and
some mobiles). If a child, young person or vulnerable adult is at risk of immediate harm, the police
should be immediately informed by dialling 999.
Safeguarding contacts
Rector: THE VERY REVD JO DELFGOU: 01473 822218
Benefice Safeguarding Officers:
- MRS GLORIA POWELL 01473 828063
- MRS TRISH PITT 07810 004121
To report or discuss a concern or for general safeguarding advice, please contact: Diocesan Safeguarding Manager
Karen Galloway
Safeguarding training
Diocesan Safeguarding Trainer and Training Co-ordinator - Taiwo Ajayi
Telephone: 01473 298500
Criminal record checks and general enquiries
Sally Fitch, Safeguarding Administrator
Tel: 01473 298540
CLERGY:
LAY:
Safeguarding governance enquiries
To raise a concern/complaint about how a diocesan safeguarding matter has been handled (including
the Bishop’s Safeguarding Panel) please contact:
Anna Hughes, Diocesan Secretary
Office: 01473 298522
Churchwardens: MR JAMES WILDING AND MRS JESS JANAS (Hadleigh)
MRS CHRISTINE HEMPSTEAD (Layham)
MRS SALLY WESTWOOD AND MRS CLAIRE BUNTING (Shelley)
Date: 31 October 2022
All and any safeguarding matters can also be raised in writing, appropriately marked:
PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL
Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser
Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich
Diocesan Office
St Nicholas Centre
4 Cutler Street
Ipswich
IP1 1UQ
Other useful numbers and contacts:
Suffolk County Council Customer First 0808 800 4005
NSPCC 0808 800 5000
Childline 0800 1111
Stop It Now: 0808 1000 900
NAPAC: 0808 801 0331
Samaritans: 116 123
Family Lives: 0808 800 2222
National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247
Action On Elder Abuse: 080 8808 814