Safeguarding Practice

 

Safeguarding Bulletin – Spring 2021  click here…….  Spring 2021 Safeguarding Bulletin

 

Sunday 25th October has been designated “Safeguarding Sunday” in the Diocese of Down and Connor.

Here in St. Anne’s, the Parish Safeguarding Committee (PSC) works to ensure that we are a safe, welcoming place for children and adults who may be at risk of harm. We also offer support and encouragement to those working with them. Our work is guided by the Policy and Standards set by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland.

We liaise with those parish groups who work with children or adults who may be at risk of harm, to ensure that statutory guidance is followed in the recruitment and vetting of all volunteers and that appropriate training is undertaken and kept up to date.

An Annual Parish Safeguarding Audit is carried out which is reported to the Diocese of Down and Connor. This enables us to review safeguarding practices within the parish and act upon any gaps identified.

Contact details of the relevant civil and diocesan safeguarding personnel are displayed in the entrances of the church and parish hall for anyone with a concern. The PSC can be contacted through the Parish Office.

Parish Safeguarding Committee

 

NBSCCCI Review of Safeguarding Practice in the Diocese of Down and Connor

If you are working with adults who may be vulnerable in St. Anne’s Parish and have not attended a training session since September 2017, it is strongly recommended that you try to attend one of these 90 minute sessions.  Application forms are available in the Safeguarding section of the parish website.

SAFEGUARDING TRAINING

Anyone who has yet to avail of Safeguarding Training can now apply for a place on line. A calendar of training dates for the rest of this year and application forms are now available on the Parish website.

When you apply for a training place would you please leave a message with the Parish Office to say that you have done so? 

Thank you. –  The Parish Safeguarding Committee

Engaging with Survivors of Abuse

The Diocese of Down and Connor will shortly be engaging with the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church (NBSCCCI) to review our safeguarding practices. This was outlined in our recent Newsletter which can be found on both the diocesan and safeguarding website (www.downandconnor.org/safeguarding). The review will commence on the 9th and 10th of May and recommence on the 22nd and 23rd of May. As part of the review the Diocese would wish to hear from any survivors who have not yet come forward to do so.
Should anyone wish to make a new referral, contact can be made directly to the
Police, Social Services or the Designated Officer(s) for the Diocese, Andy Thomson or
Barbara McDermott. Contact details can be found at the end of this message. If during the diocesan review anyone contacts the review team to make a referral, it is important to understand that the review team will liaise directly with the Statutory
Authorities and the Diocese to ensure an appropriate response and the availability of
counselling which will be provided by “Towards Healing”.

Contact details:

SOCIAL SERVICES: 028 9050 7000

Out of Hours: 028 9504 9999

Ask for: The Duty Social Worker

 

PSNI: 101:

For an immediate emergency: 999

Ask for: The Public Protection Team

 

The Diocesan Safeguarding Office:

Business Hours: 028 9049 2783 or 028 9049 2798

Out of Hours: 07713 642 855

Ask for: A Designated Officer

 

Useful Links: www.downandconnor.org/safeguarding/

Forms for completion;

1 Training Booking Form – LARGE GROUPS2 Training Booking Form Individuals3 Training Calendar February to June 2019

 

2 Training Booking Form Individuals