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Contents

1. Key Principles and Values
2. The Legislative Framework

1. Key Principles and Values

The following expressions of principles and values have been agreed by the Catholic Church nationally and underpin its response and actions under these procedures at all times.

• The Catholic Church in England and Wales embraces its role in supporting children to achieve their full potential in an environment where they are protected from exploitation, abuse and maltreatment;
• All adults within the Church have a responsibility to act and intervene when it appears that children need to be made safe from harm, whether the risk of harm is Neglect, Sexual Abuse, Physical Abuse or Emotional Abuse;
• The Church will act in an open, transparent and accountable way in working in partnership with Children's Social Care Services, the Police, Health Agencies, Probation Services and other agencies to safeguard children and assist in bringing to justice anyone who has committed an offence against a child;
• Anyone who brings concerns or allegations to the notice of the Church will be responded to sensitively, respectfully and seriously. All concerns and allegations will be dealt with within the national procedures and in a timely manner;
• The Church is fully committed to acting within the guidance as set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010 and acknowledges that the Church must work in partnership with other agencies and not act alone;
• Pastoral Care will be made available to children and their families and to other relevant people where there have been concerns and allegations of some form of harm or maltreatment of a child;
• Where services and support are provided to an adult, who has acted to harm a child, safeguards should be put in place to manage the risk that the adult may harm another child.

The Catholic Church in England and Wales is fully committed to work in relation to Vulnerable Adults:

• Actively and constructively within the framework set out in the guidance in section 3 of 'No Secrets' (DOH);
• Actively promote the empowerment and well-being of vulnerable adults through the church;
• Recognise that everyone has the right to live their life free from violence, fear and abuse;
• Recognise that adults have the right to be protected from harm and exploitation; and
• Recognise that adults have the right to independence that involves a degree of risk;
• The Church will act in an open, transparent and accountable way in working in partnership with Adult Social Care Services, the Police, Health Agencies, Probation Services and other agencies to safeguard vulnerable adults and assist in bringing to justice anyone who has committed an offence against a vulnerable adult.

2. The Legislative Framework

There is a range of legislation and guidance in place to ensure that all public and statutory agencies deliver services to children and families in line with government policies and long standing legislation.

In response to the tragic deaths of children from abuse and maltreatment the legislation and guidance changes and evolves quite frequently. 

The following are the most important in terms of their relevance for the Church in England and Wales: 

• Children Act 1989;
• Children Act 2004;
• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010;
• Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families 2000;
• The Common Assessment Framework for Children and Young People 2006;
• Safe from Bullying (2009);
• Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation 2009;
• Safeguarding Children who may have been Trafficked 2007;
• Safeguarding Children in Whom Illness is Fabricated or Induced 2008;
• Complex Child Abuse Investigations: Inter Agency Issues 2002;
• 'What To Do If You Are Worried A Child Is Being Abused' 2006;
• Guidance for Safe Working Practice for Adults who work with Children and Young People 2009; 
• Safeguarding Children from Abuse Linked to a Belief in Spirit Possession 2007.

In Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010, it is for the first time set out quite clearly that all agencies, not only the statutory ones, but also charities, voluntary agencies, faith groups and communities and others are expected to follow the guidance and have procedures and systems in place to ensure that children are safeguarded in all environments and that they are listened to with respect and openness.

In relation to Vulnerable Adults there is a range of government guidance and national frameworks for statutory agencies in place, the most important are:

• No Secrets - a National Framework for Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults: Department of Health 2000;
• Action on Elder Abuse Report 2005;
• Safeguarding Adults: A National Framework for Good Practice: ADSS 2005;
• The Mental Capacity Act 2005;
• The Mental Health Act 2007;  
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006;
• Modernisation of Adult Social Care Research Initiative 2007;
• Safeguarding Adults: Report on the Consultation on the Review of ‘No Secrets’ DOH 2009;
• Protecting Adults at Risk: London Multi Agency Policy and Procedures to Safeguarding Adults from Abuse 2011;
• Safeguarding Adults at Risk of Harm: A legal Guide for Practitioners, SCIE December 2011.

These procedures have been developed to comply with the legislation and guidance above. Where there are any points of difference the legislation and guidance take precedence over these procedures.

End