Safeguarding in the SEP

Safeguarding and Child Protection

Our churches are committed to the safeguarding, care and nurture of the children and people of all ages in our church community. The Safeguarding Policy, developed in line with guidance from the Methodist Church and statutory authorities, can be seen further down.

Contacts

If you need to contact someone regarding safeguarding or child protection our Safeguarding Officers are:

Bradwell Church

Christ Church, Stantonbury

Cross and Stable, Downs Barn

  • Beverley Zialor
  • Tel: 01908 669850

St Andrew’s, Great Linford

St James, New Bradwell

Willen Church

  • Gill Wood as above

The Milton Keynes Methodist Circuit Safeguarding Co-ordinator is

  • David Jones
  • Tel: 07860 780616

The Milton Keynes Methodist Circuit Superintendent Minister is

Helplines you may find useful:

  • NSPCC: 0808 800 5000
  • Childline 0800 1111
  • Stop It Now: 0808 1000 900
  • NAPAC: 0808 801 0331
  • Samaritans: 116 123
  • Family Lives: 0808 800 2222
  • National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247
  • Action on Elder Abuse: 080 8808 8141

Stantonbury Ecumenical Partnership’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

The policy must be adhered to by all Church workers. It must also be followed by any users of the church.

The policy and procedures have been developed in line with guidance from the Methodist Church and statutory authorities. The aim is to ensure a safe environment for everyone who wishes to worship at the church, visit or contribute to its activities. The policy is discussed and reviewed regularly by the Church Councils.

The policy states: Every person has a value and dignity which comes directly from the creation of humans in God’s own image and likeness. Christians see this potential as fulfilled by God’s re-creation of us in Christ. Among other things this implies a duty to value all people as bearing the image of God and therefore to protect them from harm. 

1. We are committed to:

The care, nurture of, and respectful pastoral ministry with, all children and all adults The safeguarding and protection of all children, young people and adults when they are vulnerable The establishing of safe, caring communities which provide a loving environment where there is a culture of ‘informed vigilance’ as to the dangers of abuse.

2. We will carefully select and train all those with any responsibility within the Church, in line with safer recruitment principles, including the use of Disclosure and Barring Service criminal records checks.

3. We will respond without delay to every complaint made which suggests that an adult, child or young person may have been harmed, co-operating with the police and local authority in any investigation and we will have a clear reporting procedure in place.

4. We will seek to work with anyone who has suffered abuse, developing with him or her an appropriate ministry of informed pastoral care.

5. We will seek to challenge any abuse of power, especially by anyone in a position of trust.

6. We will seek to offer pastoral care and support, including supervision and referral to the proper authorities, to any member of our church community known to have offended against a child, young person or vulnerable adult.

7. In all these principles we will follow statute, guidance and recognised good practice.

8. We will review this policy annually and check that our procedures remain up to date. Te full procedures document can be found here: https://www.methodist.org.uk/media/11827/methodist-church-safeguarding-policy-procedures-and-guidance-april-2019-word.pdf