Every year, thousands of churches across the country unite to mark Safeguarding Sunday. This year it is 17th November; an opportunity for congregations to listen and talk together about how we can create safer places for everyone. Protecting vulnerable people from harm and speaking up for their rights is an integral part of our scriptural mandate as Christians.
Safeguarding Sunday is our annual opportunity to discuss our legal, moral and spiritual duties. And the focus for this year is – ‘Let’s Talk About it’. It is time to have open and honest conversations about what we have wrong and what we are doing right. It is an opportunity to talk about how we can work together to prevent abuse and create a world where all children and adults can feel, and be safe.
The Presbyterian Church of Wales (PCW) is a member of the Interdenominational Safeguarding Panel. The panel was established in 2001. The Panel supports congregations from the Presbyterian Church of Wales, the Welsh Independent Union and the Welsh Baptist Union, in all aspects of safeguarding practices in their work with children, young people and vulnerable adults. This includes policy work, training, advice and support, casework and DBS checks.
Julie Edwards, the Safeguarding and Training Officer for the International Safeguarding Panel said,
‘Safeguarding Sunday is a great way of promoting healthy and safe church communities. Safeguarding of course includes paperwork and specific processes but creating a caring, healthy culture where people feel safe and are confident that any concerns, inappropriate or abusive behaviour or misuse of authority will be challenged, is at the heart of creating a safer church’.
‘We are asking all churches that work with children and vulnerable adults to appoint voluntary Safeguarding coordinators, whose role is crucial in making their church a safer place for all. They will ensure that anyone who needs to do a DBS check has done this and be the first point of contact if there are any local safeguarding concerns.’
