Safeguarding

Safeguarding Overview

How we protect and support children, young people, and vulnerable adults across our churches.
- Reporting a Safeguarding Concern
  
  If you’re worried about someone’s safety, find out how to report your concerns clearly and confidentially.
- Safeguarding Training & Events
  
  Stay up to date with training opportunities to help you and your church create a safer environment.
- Safeguarding Awareness
  
  Learn to recognise the signs of specific safeguarding issues, including different types of abuse, exploitation, and vulnerability.
  - Domestic Abuse
    
    Understanding the signs of domestic abuse and how to respond.
  - Exploitation and Grooming
    
    Information on how to recognise and report grooming and exploitation.
  - Financial Abuse
    
    Guidance on identifying and dealing with issues of financial abuse.
  - Honour-Based Abuse
    
    Advice to follow in the event of honour-based abuse or forced marriage.
  - Managing Risks & Safeguarding Agreements
    
    The formal process for managing individuals who may pose a risk to others within the church community.
  - Bereavement Support
    
    Coping with the experience of losing someone important to us.
  - Financial Hardship & Homelessness
    
    Understanding vulnerability and finding sources of help.
  - IICSA (Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse)
    
    The findings from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
- Safeguarding Policies & Guidance
  
  Essential policies and best practice guidance for keeping people safe in our churches.
  - Core Safeguarding Policy
    
    The official Safeguarding Policy for Children and Adults for the Thames North Synod.
  - Guidance for Elders
    
    Guidance on the safeguarding responsibilities and duties of Elders as charity trustees.
  - Safer Recruitment and Volunteers
    
    The principles and procedures for ensuring only suitable people work with children and adults at risk.
  - Online Safety Guidance
    
    Best practices for safe online communication and ministry.
  - Activities in Private Dwellings
    
    Guidance on assessing and managing the unique risks of holding church activities in private homes.
- Safeguarding Resources & Forms
  
  Download essential safeguarding forms, templates and printable materials for use in your church.
- Safeguarding Contacts
  
  Get in touch with our Safeguarding Officers for confidential advice, support, or reporting.

Exploitation and Grooming

Information on how to recognise and report grooming and exploitation.

Grooming is when someone builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child, young person or someone who is vulnerable, with the intention of manipulating, exploiting and abusing them. It can take place over short (days or weeks) or long (months or years) periods of time.

Groomers may also build a relationship with the victim’s family or friends to make them seem trustworthy or authoritative. This could include members of the victim’s family, and people within the church. By developing a reputation of respectability, helpfulness or popularity, an abuser makes it more difficult for a child to disclose abuse, or for adults who trust the individual to accept that there could be a cause for concern.

You can help by:

Knowing the signs of exploitation, being vigilant, and taking any disclosures or concerns seriously.
Referring concerns to safeguarding coordinators, Synod Safeguarding Officers, social services or the Police.
Using resources like the NSPCC or UK Safer Internet Centre to support parents, families and individuals to learn how to stay safe online.

Please also refer to the URC's Good Practice 6 guideline for more information, available on our Safeguarding Resources & Forms page.