Everyone has a responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of the young and the vulnerable. In England and Wales overall responsibility sits with the Bishops Conference and Conference of Religious. Safeguarding in the parsih is carried out in line with the guidance from these two bodies.
Safeguarding in the Parish of St Martin de Porres
Safeguarding involves having responsibility for keeping our children, young people or vulnerable adults safe from harm. When all of our parishioners are aware of safeguarding issues and report any concerns we can make a real difference to the safety and well being of the vulnerable members of our community. In many cases the Leeds Diocesan Safeguarding framework does require volunteers to undergo DBS checks but this is only a part of a joined up safe-guarding culture which is an essential part of any healthy community. Everyone agrees that a community like a parish does indeed need to have a safeguarding procedure and we all share the responsibility of making sure it works. All volunteers, whoever they are, who work with children, young people and vulnerable adults need to get DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) clearance as part of this good practice (DBS has replaced CRB (Criminal Records Bureau)). Any small inconvenience in submitting to this discipline is a price well worth paying to help to build the kind of parish culture where everyone is safe. For further information about good safeguarding procedure see http://www.csas.uk.net/resource-area
Fortunately instances of cases of abuse of children, young people and vulnerable adults are relatively rare but every case is one too many. Often when such abuse does occur there were people who knew or suspected something but just kept quiet about it. If you see or hear anything that worries you phone one of the St Martin de Porres safeguarding reps or the Diocesan Safeguarding Coordinator urgently (phone numbers below). They will treat this very confidentially and know what to do or, if not, know how to refer it to someone else who does.
Your Parish Safeguarding Representatives for St Martin de Porres are:
Barbara Johnson dragen@talktalk.net 07816782118
Mark O’Brien Mark@elisph.co.uk 07736157050
David Slingsby hagdale@btinternet.com 079635655 31
Eileen Worton eileenworton14@gmail.com 07761386512
In the event of not being able to contact any of the parish reps you can contact
Suzanne Mitchell, Leeds Diocesan Co-ordinator (Hinsley Hall) 0113 2618 069 or 0751 559 8523 suzanne.mitchell@dioceseofleeds.org.uk
If were unable to contact Suzanne either and you felt it was an urgent matter you could contact Wakefield Social Care Direct on 03458503503 to speak to Wakefield MDC Social Services about safeguarding concerns:
Safeguarding Training
As part of the Leeds Diocesan Safeguarding framework there is an online e-learning package which is available, free of charge, to anyone within the Catholic Community and is particularly relevant to all volunteers who come into contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults. The modules available are:
Child Protection Child Protection – refresher training Child Protection in Education
Safeguarding Adults Safeguarding Adults – refresher training Mental Capacity
Child Exploitation and On-line Safety
For these training packages contact the Leeds Diocesan Safeguarding Co-ordinator, Suzanne Mitchell, or her assistant , Joanne Clark, including your name and e-mail address
Suzanne Mitchell 0113 2618 069 Joanne Clark 0113 2618046
suzanne.mitchell@dioceseofleeds.org.uk safeguarding@dioceseofleeds.org.uk