The parish of All Saints West Bromwich is committed to high standards in the safeguarding and care of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
We have formally adopted the House of Bishops 'Promoting a Safer Church; and Safeguarding policy statement'
Our safeguarding officer is Jackie Hodgkins who can be contacted by email: jackieh88@hotmail.co.uk or 07852 756893
You might find the following contact details useful:
The Diocese of Lichfield Safeguarding - www.lichfield.anglican.org/safeguarding.
Please contact Neil Spiring or Kim Hodgkins on 01543 306030.
Sandwell's Safeguarding Team - 0121 569 3100
Childline.org.uk - 0800 1111
Mind - 0300 123 3393
Victims of Domestic Abuse - new-era@victimsupport.cjsmnet - 0300 303 3778
Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy and Procedures
All Saints Church, West Bromwich In the Diocese of Lichfield
This policy was agreed by the PCC on (to be updated on 26/6/25)
The Parochial Church Council of All Saints, West Bromwich will take all reasonable care to ensure the safety of children, young people and vulnerable adults for whom it bears responsibility.
Jackie Hodgkins is our approved Safeguarding Co-ordinator for 2025/26 and she is the point of contact through which concerns about child protection and safe guarding of vulnerable adults will be channelled. She is responsible to the PCC for ensuring that these procedures are implemented.
The PCC will work towards adopting the recommendations of the House of Bishops as published in the Policy for Safeguarding Children Protecting All God’s Children (2010) and Promoting a Safe Church (2006).
The PCC will ensure full compliance with the Health and Safety Guidelines.
The PCC is directly responsible for the following groups which include children and young people and vulnerable adults.
Junior Church
Junior Choir
Junior Servers
It will also be responsible for monitoring the following groups:
Play and stay group
Lunch Club
Uniformed organisations
All groups who hire the Church will satisfy the PCC that they have a safeguarding policy, if they do not have their own policy, the PCC will present their own Safeguarding policy for group to adopt and implement.
Staff working with children and young people, and vulnerable adults must be 18 or over; under 18’s may assist with leadership roles but must be supervised at all times by a suitable qualified adult.
Applicants will be required to complete the Lichfield Diocesan declaration.
Applicants will be required to provide two references using the Diocesan Safeguarding Policy form.
Only suitable and responsible people may become key holders, references will be taken up in accordance with the Safer Recruitment policy and they will be required to complete the Lichfield Diocesan declaration. Access and usage of Church Buildings will be monitored as far as is reasonably possible.
Completed declaration forms and references will be confidential to and securely held by the Incumbent or, in the event of a vacancy, by the Rural Dean or Archdeacon.
The PCC will use the Disclosure and Barring Service for checking leaders’ criminal records where appropriate. This will be done via the Safeguarding Office, St Mary’s House, The Close, Lichfield, WS13 7LD.
The PCC requires groups listed to provide, in writing, at least the following:
A list of its current leaders and details of their roles, provision for training and support
When and where the group meets, its normal working pattern
The PCC require groups that are working with children, young people and vulnerable adults:
To agree clear roles for leaders
Set up structures to train and support their leaders in their roles
Agree statements of working practice
The PCC will provide leaders and those working in Safeguarding access to guidance and training in the understanding of child/vulnerable adult abuse.
The PCC will issue clear guidelines for avoiding situations where children, young people or vulnerable adults could be in danger.
The PCC will publish on notice boards at the back of the church, a copy of the Diocesan Safeguarding Flow Chart. In addition, all validated leaders and key holders will be given a copy.
The PCC will carry public liability insurance and will insure all leaders and staff for personal accident.
The PCC will implement a plan to monitor annually that procedures are being followed.
The PCC will make a copy of this policy and its procedures available, if requested, at the Archdeacons visitation.
This Policy and its procedures will be monitored by the Safeguarding Co-ordinator who will report to the PCC annually.
The PCC will review the policy and its procedure annually at the first meeting following its AGM.
References to the above documentation are available in:
http://www.lichfield.anglican.org/ourdiocese/safeguarding/
Any concerns about safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults can be raised with the Incumbent, the safeguarding co-ordinator, any member of the PCC or any member of Lichfield Diocese Safeguarding team.
Our safeguarding co-ordinator, Jackie Hodgkins, may be contacted on jackieh88@hotmail.co.uk or 07852 756893