A Note on Language
Chaplaincy or Parish
Whilst we mostly use the term ‘Chaplaincy’ in the Diocese in Europe, there are congregations in the Diocese who refer to themselves as a ‘Parish’. For those parishes, throughout this Policy please read ‘Chaplaincy’ as ‘Parish’.
Core Group
A Core Group is convened to manage an allegation against a Church Officer who has a role with children, young people and/or vulnerable adults. The Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) should convene a core group within 48 hours of becoming aware of the Safeguarding concern or allegation. If it is logistically impossible to meet face-to-face, a virtual meeting is set up electronically. The Core Group advise and oversee management of the process for the duration of the Case, meeting as required. All information should be made available to the group to support decision-making. The Core Group membership will usually include the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (or a relevant member of the Diocesan Safeguarding Team), the Diocesan Communications Director, the relevant Archdeacon and other individuals relevant to the Case. It is also the role of the Core Group to establish lessons learnt at the conclusion of a Case.
Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Committee (DSAC)
The primary role of the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Committee (DSAC) is to provide independent and impartial advice to the Diocese on all matters relating to the development and implementation of the Diocesan Safeguarding Policy and practice.
DSAC membership is made up of:
- An independent Chair (an independent lay person with relevant current or recent child protection or adult safeguarding experience at a senior level in a statutory, voluntary or private organisation)
- The Diocesan Bishop
- The Suffragan Bishop (as The Bishop’s nominated Safeguarding Lead)
- An Archdeacon
- The Chief Operating Officer (Diocesan Secretary)
- The Diocesan Director of Communications
- The Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA)
- Chaplaincy representatives
- Independent Members (at least three and no more than eight with relevant current or recent child protection or adult safeguarding experience at a senior level in a statutory, voluntary or private organisation)
Occasional Helpers
Occasional Helpers who work with children, young people and/or vulnerable adults will need to complete a Safeguarding Check to include vetting checks for all countries visited (as a total of all visits above one month in duration) within the last ten years.
‘Occasional’ refers to a role that is undertaken for less than three days in a thirty-day period and does not include any overnight (between 2am and 6am) activities with the opportunity for face to face contact.
‘Helpers’ are defined as those who assist in activities (e.g. Sunday School), but they do not have direct responsibility for children, young people and/or vulnerable adults, and who are under the supervision of an activity leader.
Vulnerable Adult
The term “vulnerable adult” refers to a person aged 18 or over whose ability to protect himself or herself from violence, abuse, neglect or exploitation is significantly impaired through physical or mental disability, illness, old age, emotional fragility, distress, or otherwise; and for that purpose, the reference to being impaired is to being temporarily or indefinitely impaired.
Please note that some adults may not consider themselves vulnerable but may be vulnerable to being abused by individuals in positions of leadership and responsibility. As adults are not inherently vulnerable and in need of protection it is important to recognise that the factors described below do not, of themselves, mean that a person is vulnerable. It is a combination of these factors and the circumstances that a person finds him/herself in that can make an individual vulnerable to abuse or neglect.
Some factors that increase vulnerability include:
- A mental illness, chronic or acute.
- A sensory or physical disability or impairment.
- A learning disability.
- A physical illness.
- Dementia.
- An addiction to alcohol or drugs.
- Failing faculties of old age.
- Those who are homeless.
- Refugee families or individuals (including those seeking asylum).
- Victims/survivors of domestic abuse – direct violence and/or significant emotional coercion.
- Those who have suffered historic abuse in childhood.
- A permanent or temporary reduction in physical, mental or emotional capacity brought about by life events; for example, bereavement, abuse or trauma.
These factors may not exist in isolation; for example, a drink problem may mask underlying dementia, or a frail housebound elderly person may also have symptoms of depression.
