Safeguarding
The care and protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults visiting and participating in Cathedral activities is important. Everyone who participates in the life of the church has a role to play in promoting a Safer Church for all. The Cathedral follows the Church of England safeguarding guidance; these policies can be found on the diocesan website. If you have any worries or concerns about yourself or another person that may be being harmed or is at risk of harm, we will do our best to help you. If you have any concerns that an individual working or volunteering at the Cathedral may be acting inappropriately or harming another we want to know.
Our staff and volunteers understand their responsibilities regarding safeguarding.
If a child, young person or adult is in immediate need of protection the police should be called.
Social services in each local authority can also be contacted to advise on a safeguarding concern.
The National Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children operates two 24-hour helplines
Help for children and young people – Childline 0800 1111
Help for adults concerned about a child 0808 800 5000
For victims of domestic abuse National Domestic Violence Helpline 0808 2000 247
The National Safeguarding Team have also published an interactive guide to safeguarding which provides a useful overview of safeguarding in the Church of England: please see their website.
Rochester Cathedral is marking a month-long season of Safeguarding this year, in which we invite everyone to reflect on the past failures of the Church in protecting children and vulnerable adults, here in Rochester and elsewhere.
In 2023 Rochester Cathedral will again be holding a ‘Safeguarding Season’ during which special attention will be paid to the safeguarding an wellbeing of all with whom we have to do, but especially remembering and showing solidarity for all who are victims and survivors of abuse within and outside Christian Churches.
Rochester Cathedral is marking a 3-week season of Safeguarding in 2022, in which we invite everyone to reflect on the past failures of the Church in protecting children and vulnerable adults, here in Rochester and elsewhere.
[External link] A statement from the Church of England’s lead Bishop for Safeguarding, Jonathan Gibbs
As a Cathedral, we welcome the publication of the Past Cases Review 2. PCR2 was launched nationally by the Church of England in the summer of 2019. It came about after independent scrutiny of the original Past Cases Review of 2008 and 2009 considered that this process had not been carried out thoroughly enough. The purpose of the PCR2 is to ensure that all known cases or concerns about the behaviour of clergy and church officers towards adults, children and vulnerable adults have been dealt with appropriately.
The National Safeguarding Team’s independent lessons learnt review into the recruitment and appointment of a previous Director of Music at Rochester Cathedral, has been published today, Thursday 26 May.
Between Safeguarding Sunday on the 10 October, and All Survivors’ Day on 3 November, Rochester Cathedral and the Diocese of Rochester, will mark a Safeguarding Season to raise awareness of a number of safeguarding issues that have implications for everyone.
[External Link]
[External Link] The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse’s investigation into the Anglican Church has led to the Church committing to significant reform and a new law to add religious leaders to the definition of ‘positions of trust’
This article is drawn from a sermon preached by the Canon Chancellor on March 7th 2021 and touches on themes of safeguarding and abuse. If you are affected by it, do feel free to make contact with the Canon Chancellor who is the Cathedral’s Safeguarding Lead, or with any other appropriate organisation, for support and advice.
The recent report by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) into the Anglican Church has highlighted the shameful extent to which the abuse of children in the Church of England was prevalent. Read more here…