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Contents

1. The National Catholic Safeguarding Commission (NCSC)
2. The Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service (CSAS)
3. Diocesan Safeguarding Commissions / Regional Religious Safeguarding Commissions
4. Safeguarding Coordinators
5. Religious Safeguarding Coordinators
6. Safeguarding Officers / Advisers
7. Local Safeguarding Representatives (Parish and Congregational)
8. Diocesan or Religious Trustees
9. Insurance Officer

1. The National Catholic Safeguarding Commission (NCSC)

The NCSC is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the Church's safeguarding policy and monitoring compliance.  Mandated by the Conference of Bishops and Conference of Religious, it will ensure that standards are met and policies are implemented.

The NCSC comprises an Independent lay chair, a Bishop and a member of CoR as vice chairs, representation from the Conference of Bishops, Conference of Religious and Chairs of Commissions, as well as 4 lay members, recruited for relevant expertise in the field of safeguarding and the criminal justice system.

2. The Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service (CSAS)

The CSAS reports to and provides expert advice to the NCSC on safeguarding matters.  It oversees and co-ordinates safeguarding training, ensuring that the Church's policies on safeguarding are kept up to date with good practice and are accessible to people at all levels in the Church.  The CSAS is responsible for driving and supporting improvements in safeguarding practice.

The CSAS is the point of liaison with other national stakeholders - both safeguarding units in other Churches and secular organisations concerned with safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, including government.

The CSAS is the Registered Body for CRB and Vetting and Barring.

The CSAS is located within the Department of Christian Responsibility and Citizenship, one of the Departments of the Bishops Conference.  An appointed member of CoR is a member of the Department to ensure they can play a full role in delivering a one Church approach.

Being located within this Department provides peer support for the Director of CSAS, encourages cross participation of ideas and work to ensure safeguarding is part of the mainstream activity within the Church.

The CSAS reports and is accountable to the Bishops Conference and Conference of Religious through the NCSC.

3. Diocesan Safeguarding Commissions / Regional Religious Safeguarding Commissions

Each Diocese has a Safeguarding Commission with an Independent lay chair with extensive safeguarding experience in working with children and/or vulnerable adults e.g. social care, police, probation, family law.  There are 4 Regional Religious Safeguarding Commissions, each chaired by an independent lay person and with the same range of expertise as their Diocesan counterparts.  Exact numbers and experience on the Commission is determined locally but there are sufficient members to ensure appropriate expertise is available.

Accountability

The Diocesan Commission is accountable to the Bishop and Trustees of the Diocese.  The Regional Religious Safeguarding Commissions are accountable to the Congregational Leader and Trustees of the Religious Congregations which they serve in respect of individual cases.  In addition they are accountable to the CoR Executive for work in relation to general implementation of national policies and procedure.

Function

The Commission has regulatory, advisory and supportive functions.  It exists to discharge these functions at a strategic level in all matters relating to safeguarding in Dioceses/Religious Congregations and Seminaries.

As a Commission, and through its sub groups, it will:

• Secure a strategy for the promotion of good and safe child-care environments in all parishes and other apostolic works throughout the Diocese/Religious Congregation in line with agreed national policies and procedures.
• Agree clear and unambiguous arrangements with all relevant Dioceses/Religious Congregations and Seminaries for liaison, consultation and working together regarding allegations against members of the Church.
• Agree clear and unambiguous arrangements with all relevant Dioceses/Religious Congregations and Seminaries for liaison, consultation and working together regarding allegations against members of the Church.
• Ensure that the Bishop/Congregation Leader receives full information relevant to safeguarding incidents together with recommendations.
• Receive all information relating to safeguarding matters from their Diocese/Religious Congregation.
• Ensure effective liaison with all relevant Statutory Agencies.
• Contribute to the development and review of national policies, principles and practice
• Advise the Bishop/Congregation Leader on welfare matters in respect of parishes, and individuals and families within parishes, who have been victims of abuse.
• Ensure arrangements are in place for the Pastoral Care of individuals and communities affected by child abuse.
• Support and advise on matters relating to long term arrangements for members of the Church (Clergy, religious, and Laity) who are known abusers of children, including the commissioning of risk assessments.
• Ensure that in all parishes and apostolic works there is a strategy to raise awareness of and promote training in safeguarding matters.
• Monitor implementation of all safeguarding strategies and work plans and report regularly to the Trustees.
• Produce an Annual Report to contribute to the CSAS public Annual Report for presentation to Bishops' Conference and Conference of Religious of England and Wales.
• Ensure that the Annual Report on the Diocese/Religious Congregation is timely, accurate and comprehensive.
• In line with CSAS's CRB policy and procedures document, establish a small panel of 2 or 3 individuals to whom confidential reference may be made when there are disclosures from the Criminal Records Bureau which require a decision by the Counter-Signatory in order that an informed decision may be made to the Bishop/Religious Leader.
• Ensure the availability of training and appropriate supervision for the Safeguarding Coordinator (and Safeguarding Officer/Adviser, where applicable).
• To assist in the selection of nominees for the role of Safeguarding Coordinator.

In addition the Commission may, if necessary, set up small sub groups of its members if issues of concern require further more detailed work.  Other people with specialist knowledge may be asked to participate if necessary.  

4. Safeguarding Coordinators

The Coordinator is appointed by the Diocesan Bishop on the advice of the Commission. Some dioceses have a Coordinator only.  Where this is the case the Coordinator has the delegated responsibility of creating examples of best practice in safeguarding. The Coordinator develops and launches the policies across the Diocese bringing the Commission up to date at the same time. On behalf of the Commission the Coordinator ensures that the Bishop is kept up to date with all safeguarding matters.  It is the remit of the Coordinator to organize the Commission meetings.  The Coordinator is not a member of the Commission.

When there is a Safeguarding Officer/Adviser the Coordinator is the line manager.

5. Religious Safeguarding Coordinators

The role of the Religious Safeguarding Coordinator is to raise awareness concerning safeguarding, and to ensure that in everything religious orders do they consider the safety of those whom they work with.

Tasks include:

• Working with the Commissions, to support religious congregations to co-ordinate the work of safeguarding.
• Working with the Commission, to advise and educate congregations.
• Working with the Commission, to monitor the work and promote good practice.
• To participate in Commission meetings (6 per year) and Religious Safeguarding Coordinator meetings (3 per year).
• To advise and support Religious Safeguarding Representatives in managing an allegation and refer this to the Commission.
• To assist in training congregations regarding safeguarding, in line with the training strategy of the Commission.
• To provide Pastoral Care and support.

6. Safeguarding Officers / Advisers

The Safeguarding Officer/Adviser is appointed by the Diocesan Bishop on the advice of the Commission. The Officer/Adviser works under the guidance of the Coordinator. The Officer/Adviser co-ordinates, plans and monitors all safeguarding work within the Diocese to standards set and monitored by the Commission.  The Officer/Adviser is not a member of the Commission.

7. Local Safeguarding Representatives (Parish and Congregational)

The Local Safeguarding Rep has specific responsibility for promoting good and safe practices in all activities involving children, young people and vulnerable adults within the parish or congregation.

The Rep is the link between parish and Diocese or Congregation and Regional Religious Commission.

The Rep attends training sessions and has a sound knowledge of the policies and procedures and also who to contact in specific circumstances. 

The Rep is involved in the recruitment of people to roles within the parish or congregation and has the responsibility for facilitating the CRB disclosure procedure at local level and ensuring that everyone who is required to go through the process does so.

8. Diocesan or Religious Trustees

Each Diocese and Religious Congregation is an individual charitable trust covered by a Public Liability Insurance Policy.

The trustees have a responsibility to ensure that any serious incidents which have a potentially detrimental effect to either the beneficiaries of the trust, the assets of the trust or the reputation of the trust are referred to the Charity Commission.

Similarly they have a responsibility to ensure that the terms of the Public Liability Insurance Policy are complied with. This includes for example ensuring that these National Procedures are fully operational within the Diocese or Religious Congregation.

9. Insurance Officer

Each Diocese or Religious Congregation should identify an appropriate person to be responsible for management of responses to complaints received by their organisation. This will include specific responsibility for liaison with the Insurance Intermediary and, where appropriate, with the organisation’s Insurers and the Charity Commission. This person is known as the Insurance Officer.

All concerns or allegations received which relate to these National Safeguarding Procedures must be reported by the Safeguarding Officer or Safeguarding Co-ordinator to the Insurance Officer.

End