"A robust theology of safeguarding is a gift to the church. Like an unbreakable compass in a storm, it keeps us travelling safely in the right direction without deviation or distraction.”
- Krish Kandiah
We know from the testimonies of victims and survivors, and from research, that abuse damages an individual's life on many levels. It also causes damage to Christian communities and the Church as a whole, undermining its mission to the world. Levels of Church-related abuse can be reduced by individuals and Christian communities taking conscious preventative steps. Those who abuse will avoid Church communities where prevention is strong and target those where it is weak.
A passion for prevention should flow naturally from our values of love and compassion for people. The diocesan safeguarding team is keen to support parishes to make churches safer. We hope that information provided on these pages and the different resources will enable parishes to build cultures that prevent abuse from occurring.
Please consult the Parish Safeguarding Handbook for national guidance on safeguarding in parishes. The only information which has been updated since the handbook was published is the safeguarding training, please visit the training page for more information.
In your area
Our Area Safeguarding Advisers hold drop-in sessions on a range of topics from using the Parish Dashboard to understanding Safeguarding Agreements and managing the risk of people who have sexually harmed, find out more and book onto the drop-in sessions here.
Safeguarding Sunday 2024
We encourage al
l parishes to get involved with Safeguarding Sunday at your church on Sunday 17 November.
Protecting vulnerable people from harm and speaking up for their rights is an integral part of our scriptural mandate as Christians (Proverbs 31:8). Sadly, the church hasn’t always done this well. In headlines and newsfeeds we read many examples of the hurt and harm that has happened and is continuing to happen in our churches and across society. But we have a chance to stop it.
That’s why the theme for Safeguarding Sunday this year is "Let’s talk about it".
Find out more about this year’s theme on thirtyone:eight and make sure to visit Safeguarding Sunday, where you can register and download your FREE digital church resource pack to make your event a success.
In this section...
Information for Parish Safeguarding Officers
Everything you need to know to be a PSO.
Responding well to victims and survivors of abuse
Help and support in responding to victims and survivors.
Culture change
Helping you build a positive safeguarding culture.
Safeguarding Sunday
Resources for the national awareness day each November.
Resources for parishes and PSOs
A one-stop shop for parish safeguarding resources.