Quick Guide |
December 2011
In order to be able to make the best use of this manual the 'Quick Guide' must be read before accessing the body of the manual.
Contents
- Display and Browser Options
- Purpose of This Manual
- Structure of the Manual
- Key Information
- Amendments
- Requesting Changes/Additions to the Manual
- How to Find a Chapter
- National Contacts/Keywords and Catholic Keywords
- Forms
- CSAS Website
- Compliance
- Register for Updates and Contact us
- Copyright
- Printing and Retaining Copies
1. Display and Browser Options
People with a visual impairment may have difficulty accessing this Manual.
To change the size of the text/layout - please use these accessibility buttons
which are on menu bar on the left side of every screen. Click a larger button to increase your text size, the very largest being high visibility mode.
2. Purpose of This Manual
These national procedures are in place to ensure a consistent, timely and person centred response by all adults within the church and all its settings. They relate to all children and young people who have not yet attained their 18th birthday, and vulnerable adults.
The procedures express the determination within the church to take all reasonable steps to ensure that children and vulnerable adults can participate in the life of the church safely and can be supported and protected where they may be at risk in other settings such as their own homes, at school or in an institutional setting.
The aim is to provide a clear set of actions for adults to follow when someone brings to their attention, or they themselves observe, concerns about a child or vulnerable adult.
By adhering to the procedures, all adults within the Church and its full range of settings will be demonstrating their commitment to promoting the welfare and well being of all children and vulnerable adults regardless of race, gender, disability, class or sexual orientation.
The procedures are in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010, the Government publication (recently re-issued in 2006) 'What to do if you are worried a child is being abused' and for vulnerable adults 'No Secrets' (DOH 2000).
Where a referral needs to be made to Children's Social Care Services/Adult Social Care Services or the Police, following these procedures will facilitate making the referral - see Children and Young People Procedure, Vulnerable Adults Procedure and People in a Position of Trust Procedures.
All settings, however large or small (for example choirs and church outings), within the Church must have access to an identified Safeguarding Coordinator, Safeguarding Officer or Local Safeguarding Representative (with nominated substitutes to act in their absence) to contact to assist with the implementation of these procedures. These roles are defined in more detail in Definitions, Terminology and Key Roles.
Congregations, staff and Volunteers all need to know who they can turn to for advice and how to access these procedures.
Information about advice services or help-lines such as Child Line and Mind or Action on Elder Abuse should also be made available particularly where children, young people and vulnerable adults are regularly in contact with the Church for example as altar servers.
The procedures form an important part of the overall aim of the Church to provide a safe environment for children and vulnerable adults when they participate in all the activities and services provided by the Church and its representatives.
3. Structure of the Manual
The Manual is divided into Parts and Chapters.
Parts: Parts are groupings of Chapters. For example, Part 2: How to Respond to Concerns and Allegations contains 5 separate Chapters explaining how to respond if you are concerned about a Child/Young Person, a vulnerable adult or you are concerned about the behaviour of a person in a position of trust.
Chapters: Chapters contain policy statements, procedures and guidance
Section: The term Section is used to refer to a section or sub section within a Chapter.
4. Key Information
Before proceeding to the body of the manual, it is important to familiarise yourself with this Chapter ('Quick Guide') and 2 other Chapters:
- Key Principles and Legislative Framework: To view this Chapter go to 'Values' on the left hand side of the screen;
- Definitions, Terminology and Key Roles: This Chapter is available from the Contents List - Chapter 1.3, Definitions, Terminology and Key Roles
5. Amendments
This manual was updated in December 2011. The chart below sets out the amendments and changes from the update. If a Chapter has been significantly amended or is new, it will be indicated in the Contents List and at the top of the relevant Chapter. This manual supercedes all previous versions.
New Chapters and Updates, CSAS December 2011
| New Chapter Name | Details |
| 5.1.5 Dismissal from the Clerical State (Laicisation) Guidance | This is a new chapter that has been added with more detailed guidance. |
| 5.1.6 Information Sharing Protocol | This is a new chapter that has been added and should be read in full to assist with any queries about the sharing of information. |
| Updated Chapters | Change |
| 1.2 Key Principles and Legislative Framework | Two pdf documents setting out guidance and good practice in relation to Vulnerable Adults have been added in section 2. The documents are Protecting Adults at Risk: London Multi Agency Policy and Procedures to Safeguarding Adults from Abuse 2011 and Safeguarding Adults at Risk of Harm: A legal Guide for Practitioners, SCIE December 2011. A link to the Mental Health Act 2007 has been added. |
| A link to chapter 5.1.5 has been inserted in section 2.3.5.9 for accessing additional information about Laicisation. | |
| 2.5 National Policy for the Support of Those Affected by Allegations of Abuse within a Church Setting | An additional bullet point has been added in section 2.5.1 in this chapter. |
| Part 5 Guidance and Flowcharts and Part 6 Forms and Appendices | Former Part 5, Guidance, Forms and Appendices has been divided up into two Parts and renumbered accordingly for ease of access. |
6. Requesting Changes/Additions to the Manual
The manual is due for a 'planned update' in May 2012. Any requests for amendments or additions should be sent by the 1st of March 2012 to Adrian Child (adrian.child@csas.uk.net) who will need to authorise any amendment or addition before it can be included.
Please note: any correspondence regarding the manual must include references to the chapter numbers and sections as they appear in this current version. We are not able to progress any matters where old referencing/numbering is quoted.
Changes to existing chapters should be provided to us (via Adrian Child) on a Word version of the chapter concerned, using 'Tracked Changes'. You can either copy and paste the text from a chapter into Word to do this, or request a copy of the chapter concerned from us, via Adrian Child.
7. How to Find a Chapter
Often, you will see references to other useful information. If the reference is emboldened and in colour, it usually means you can access the additional information by clicking on the bold/coloured text.
If you do click on the term/phrase and navigate away from the Chapter you are reading then you want to return to your original position, click on the 'Back' button - normally in the top left hand corner of your screen.
Here are some examples of references you can navigate to.
7.1 Chapter or Section References
Chapter references will be shown like this: People in a Position of Trust Procedure. This is a link to a procedure on responding to concerns about the behaviour of a person in a position of trust.
If the cross reference is to a Section or Sub Section within a Chapter, it will be shown like this: see Section 1, Display and Browser Options. This link refers to the first Section of this Chapter.
7.2 Keywords and References
Various terms are used throughout this Manual, as defined in the Definitions, Terminology and Key Roles Chapter.
Many other terms are used less frequently and are not highlighted, but are defined in the Keywords and Contacts and the Catholic Keywords resources (see the relevant buttons on the left side of every screen). Some of these terms are highlighted, like this – Significant Harm. If you find a Keyword like this, access the definition by clicking on it.
7.3 Search
If you wish to find a Chapter, look in Contents. If you are unable to find the information you require, go to 'Search' and follow the instructions provided.
8. National Contacts/Keywords and Catholic Keywords
The manual is accessed by practitioners from varying agencies, who may find terms that they are not familiar with. The Keywords and Contacts button and the Catholic Keywords button contain a comprehensive list of terms used by the Catholic Church and more widely in respect of Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults. To view these, or to search for a term, click on the relevant button on the left hand side of any screen.
Where a keyword is highlighted like this: Active Ministry you can click on it to access the definition. . Once clicked, the definitions will appear in a new window or tab, depending on your browser. You can leave it open for reference, or close it using the "close" button at the bottom.
9. Forms
All forms and pro-formas referred to in this Manual are contained in the Forms Library, accessible from the 'Forms' button at the top of every screen. Some forms are accessible in both PDF and Word format.
10. CSAS Website
If you wish to go to the CSAS website at any time, click on the CSAS logo in the left hand top corner of any page/screen.
11. Compliance
11.1 Regulatory Compliance
Every effort has been taken to ensure regulatory compliance. If you discover any errors or mistakes, please alert your manager or contact us.
11.2 W3C Compliance
This manual meets the double A Standards of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), for example, it can be accessed by people with high levels of visual impairment. To find out more, click on 'Display Options' on the left hand side of the screen.
12. Register for Updates and Contact us
12.1 Register for updates
This manual will be updated periodically, if you wish to be notified when it is updated, complete the registration form in 'Contact Us' - available from the left hand side of the screen.
12.2 Comments or Suggestions
If you have any questions or comments about this manual*, please contact CSAS directly (for details go to the CSAS website) or complete the form located in 'Contact Us', available from the left hand side of the screen.
*NOTE: If the matter you wish to raise relates to a concern about the safety of a child or adult, do not use the 'Contact Us' facility - contact your Local Safeguarding Representative, Safeguarding Officer or Safeguarding Coordinator.
13. Copyright
The content of this website can be accessed, printed and downloaded in an unaltered form, on a temporary basis, for personal study or reference purposes. However any content printed or downloaded may not be sold, licensed, transferred, copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner or in or on any media to any person without the prior written consent of Tri-X-Childcare Ltd and The Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service (CSAS).
14. Printing and Retaining Copies
The Manual should normally be viewed on line but can be printed, for reference only.
To print a chapter, click on the 
icon which is in the top right hand corner of the relevant procedure.
Please note, the Manual will be updated regularly, so staff should avoid retaining printed versions - hard copies are only valid for a week from the date of printing.
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