Cathedral Safeguarding

Submitted by sarahhope on Wed, 2022-04-13 10:36

Safeguarding: promoting a safer cathedral

Christ Church Cathedral fully endorses the Church of England’s safeguarding policy statement ‘Promoting a safer Church’ which asserts: 

“The care and protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults involved in Church activities is the responsibility of the whole Church. Everyone who participates in the life of the Church has a role to play in promoting a Safer Church for all.”

How we handle safeguarding concerns:

We require that everyone who carries out activities on behalf of the cathedral knows and abides by our safeguarding policy and procedures. To ensure we all have a proactive approach to safeguarding we provide our staff and volunteers with safeguarding training and access to professional safeguarding services. We work to prevent abuse from occurring, seek to protect those at risk, and respond well to those who contact us with safeguarding concerns.

Christ Church Cathedral Safeguarding Policies and Procedures are available to download below:

If you would like more information regarding Christ Church Cathedral Policies and Procedures contact Matthew.Dickins@chch.ox.ac.uk

Complaints

If you are unhappy about how any aspect of Safeguarding has been dealt with by Christ Church Cathedral, and you cannot resolve the issue with the Cathedral Safeguarding Officer, you should send your concerns via email to john.briggs@chch.ox.ac.uk or alternatively contact the Cathedral Registrar at Christ Church Cathedral in writing.

A copy of Christ Church Cathedral’s Safeguarding Complaints Procedure can be found here.

You may also report any concern using the cathedral’s whistleblowing policy and procedure.

How do I report abuse and find support?

If you have information about a safeguarding situation where a child or adult is in immediate danger or requires immediate medical attention call the emergency services on 999. Do not delay.

Contact Christ Church Cathedral to discuss or report a safeguarding concern:

Safeguarding is a priority at Christ Church Cathedral. If you have any concerns regarding the safety or welfare of a child or vulnerable adult you can speak to the Cathedral Safeguarding Officer or a Cathedral Safeguarding Lead.

  • Email sally.welch@chch.ox.ac.uk
  • Call the Office on 01865 610 935, monitored Monday - Friday 9am – 5pm.
  • Write to us: Cathedral Safeguarding Officer, Christ Church Cathedral, Cathedral Office, Christ Church, St Aldates, Oxford, OX1 1DP

If you contact us by email, you will receive an automatic reply stating a timescale within which we aim to respond. Neither Christ Church Cathedral nor the National Safeguarding Team offer an emergency or 24-hour response. 

Alternatively, contact the Diocese of Oxford Safeguarding Team

Each Diocese and Parish has people who can help if you wish to report a current or historic safeguarding concern. Find your diocese’s safeguarding contacts through the Church of England’s safeguarding map. 

Alternatively, contact the Church of England’s National Safeguarding Team