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Welcome to the website for the Safeguarding Office. The Safeguarding Co-Ordinator for our diocese is Mrs Pauline Butterfield. Pauline has spent over 20 years as a social work practitioner and manager, and has extensive knowledge and experience in the field of child protection and working with sex offenders. She commenced in post with the diocese in February 2002.
Pauline is involved in the development of the national safeguarding policies, being a member of a number of national working groups, supporting the work of the National Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service (CSAS).
Pauline is supported by two Personal Assistants, Ms Alison Brady and Miss Anna Wise, who are based in the Safeguarding Department at the Curial Office.
The Safeguarding Office can be contacted by telephoning 0151 652 9855. Pauline also has a mobile number 07715 120 518 for out of hours emergency contact, or to discuss matters requiring confidentiality. The address:
Diocesan Safeguarding Office
Curial Offices
2 Park Road South
Prenton
Wirral
CH43 4UX
cpva@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
The work of this department is challenging and varied, and it might be helpful to give you an insight into some of the work carried out:
· Safe recruitment of all volunteers in parishes, groups and organisations
· Managing the CRB Database as the Diocesan Countersignatory for the national Registered Body with the Criminal Record Bureau.
· Implementation of the Independent Safeguarding Register regulations
· Safe management of sex offenders who may live within our parish communities who wish to attend church services. This is undertaken in conjunction with Probation Service or Home Office as appropriate, and specific Covenants of Care are prepared (written agreements) aimed at carefully managing safe boundaries. These arrangements are regularly reviewed and monitored.
· Co-ordination of Circles of Support for offenders subject to above criteria.
· Responding to allegations concerning any adult member of the Catholic community and dealing with casework as required. This involves working with the statutory authorities.
· Providing training and resources in child and vulnerable adult protection with individuals and groups across the diocese.
· Confidential 1:1 work with individuals
· Informal advisory support to schools
· National and diocesan policy development
· Membership of a number of Local Children’s Safeguarding Boards that are located within our Diocese
· Responsibility for safeguarding matters relating to the Diocesan Annual Pilgrimage to Lourdes, including safe recruitment of Youth Group Leaders
DIOCESAN SAFEGUARDING COMMISSION
The Commission is responsible for making sure children and vulnerable adults remain safe within our Catholic communities. The Commission is made up of independent lay professionals from within the social services, probation, and police departments, in line with national policy requirements setting out the Organisational Structure for Child Protection within the Catholic Church. The diocesan solicitor and a canon lawyer are also serving members, as is the Safeguarding Co-ordinator. The Commission meets four times per year.
Tasks of our Commission include:
· To inquire into any allegation or concern for inappropriate behaviour or actual abuse of children or vulnerable adults by any person working for the diocese either paid or voluntary, and to liaise with the statutory authorities.
· To advise the Bishop on child and vulnerable adult safeguarding issues.
· To ensure that clergy and volunteers are made aware of the agreed diocesan and national procedures, and that these are implemented in parish groups and organisations
· To ensure that there is appropriate pastoral care and support for victims and those against whom allegations have been made.
SAFE RECRUITMENT
All employees and volunteers who have involvement with children, young people and/or vulnerable adults within the work they undertake are required to comply with the diocesan Safe Recruitment procedures. Each individual must complete a Volunteer Application Form to register for the role they wish to undertake, provide two independent referees and sign a confidential declaration form. In conjunction with this they are required to undergo a Criminal Record Bureau Disclosure. Failure to comply with the above requirement will mean an individual will not be able to undertake their ministry. (Having a criminal record will not necessarily mean you cannot undertake your role. Each application will be appropriately assessed in accordance with nationally agreed procedures. Any detail contained in a volunteer’s CRB will not be divulged within the parish).
A CRB Disclosure form can be obtained from the diocese by telephoning the Safeguarding Office on 0151 652 9855. Please note that if you already possess a CRB Disclosure from another organisation, you are still required to complete a form from the Diocese, as we are a different registered body.
You can download a Volunteer Application Form here:
Volunteer_Application_Form.doc
To obtain a CRB form please call the Safeguarding Office on 0151 652 9855.
For tips on how to complete the new style CRB application form please see below.
Top_Tips_for_completing_your_CRB_application_form.pdf
Safeguarding Matters from CSAS
Editions of the bi-monthly newsletter from CSAS will be made available here. This newsletter is aimed at all those within the Church with some responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable people.
You can download past editions by clicking on the links below:
Safeguarding_Matters_Issue_1.pdf
Safeguarding_Matters_Issue_2.pdf
Safeguarding_Matters_Issue_3.pdf
Safeguarding_Matters_Issue_4.pdf
Safeguarding_Matters_Issue_5.pdf
Safeguarding_Matters_Issue_6.pdf
Safeguarding_Matters_Issue_7.pdf
Safeguarding_Matters_Issue_8.pdf
If your parish group has a particular training need in child and/or vulnerable adult protection, please contact Pauline directly.
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