Promoting a Safer Church

Our Parish Safeguarding Officer is Louise Harlow and can be contacted on safeguarding@ststephenspreston.org.uk

Promoting a Safer Church
St. Stephen's church have adopted the House of Bishops ‘Promoting a Safer Church’ policy and the Parish Safeguarding Handbook, incorporating the House of Bishop’s Safeguarding Policy and Practice Guidance
A copy of this, and all the information below can be found here: cofe-policy-statement.pdf (churchofengland.org)
We also display the Promoting a Safer Church poster prominently within our church. This is in the entrance hall to Church along with relevant phone numbers and contact details.
All those working with children and adults at risk have undergone safer recruitment and received safeguarding training.

Reporting a concern
If you believe that someone is at risk of immediate harm please call emergency services on 999
Any safeguarding concerns in a parish should be brought to the attention of your local Parish Safeguarding Officer(s) (PSO) in the first instance.
Louise Harlow at safeguarding@ststephenspreston.org.uk
The PSO can seek further advice from the Diocesan Safeguarding Team as necessary.
Concerns can also be raised directly with the Diocesan Safeguarding Team
Safeguarding Team Contact Details
safeguarding@blackburn.anglican.org
Tel: 01254 503088
Assistant DSA, Sophie Booth
Sophie.booth@blackburn.anglican.org 07468971759
DSA, Catherine Smith,
Catherine.smith@blackburn.anglican.org 07711485170
Safeguarding Trainer, Andrea Richards
Andrea.richards@blackburn.anglican.org 07484073146
Safeguarding Administrator, Claudia Aspey
Claudia.aspey@blackburn.anglican.org 01254 503088
Address: Diocese Offices, Clayton House, Walker Office Business Park, Blackburn, BB1 2QE
Safeguarding concerns in a school/university/prison/healthcare setting should be raised with the relevant organisation's Safeguarding team.
Finding support
We understand reporting abuse may be very difficult and that not everyone may want to contact the church directly. Below is a list of other agencies that are available to assist either on a 24-hour basis or through specialist helplines and services:
Thirty One: Eight: 0303 003 1111 (out of hours and weekend safeguarding advice)
NSPCC Child Protection Helpline: 0808 800 5000 (lines free and open 24 hours). Phone if you are worried about a child.
Child-line: 0800 1111 (lines free and open 24 hours). Phone if you are a child or young person and are worried about anything.
National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (lines free and open 24 hours). Phone if you are experiencing domestic abuse.
Samaritans Helpline: 116 123 (open 24 hours). Phone if you feel you are struggling to cope and need someone to talk to.
Action on Elder Abuse Helpline: 080 8808 8141 (free phone Monday to Friday 9-5pm)

Local Authority Service contacts.
Phone:01772 533689

As a parish we have adopted the House of Bishops ‘Promoting a Safer Church’ policy and the Parish Safeguarding Handbook, incorporating the House of Bishop’s Safeguarding Policy and Practice Guidance. You can access the Parish Safeguarding Handbook from the link here.
Our PCC has formally adopted this and signed the Safeguarding Policy Statement Promoting a Safer Church.
If you have a Safeguarding Concern or need any additional information then you should speak to or contact either our Parish Safeguarding Officer, Louise Harlow or the Curate in Charge, Barbara Hunter. You can contact our Parish Safeguarding Officer Louise Harlow here or the Curate in Charge Barbara Hunter on barbara.hunter@ststephenspreston.org.uk.
We have also displayed the Promoting a Safer Church poster prominently within our church.
It is our policy that all those we appoint to work with children and adults at risk undergo safer recruitment and receive safeguarding training and support. Safeguarding training can be booked at Blackburn Diocese from the link here

Reporting a concern

Any safeguarding concerns in a parish should be brought to the attention of your local Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) in the first instance, who can seek further advice from Catherine Smith, the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (DSA), as necessary.
Safeguarding concerns in a school/university/prison/healthcare setting should be raised with the relevant organisation's Safeguarding team. If the concern involves one of our chaplains, please also contact Catherine Smith direct.
Catherine's contact details are:

Mobile: 07711 485170

Email: catherine.smith@blackburn.anglican.org

Address: Diocese Offices, Clayton House, Walker Business Park, Blackburn, BB1 2QE

Links to the Diocesan Safeguarding Team can be found here:

www.blackburn.anglican.org/diocesan-safeguarding-team
www.blackburn.anglican.org/reporting-a-safeguarding-concern

Finding support

We understand reporting abuse may be very difficult and that not everyone may want to contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Team. Below is a list of other agencies that are available to assist either on a 24-hour basis or through specialist helplines and services:

NSPCC Child Protection Helpline: 0808 800 5000 (lines free and open 24 hours). Phone if you are worried about a child.
Child-line: 0800 1111 (lines free and open 24 hours). Phone if you are a child or young person and are worried about anything.
National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (lines free and open 24 hours). Phone if you are experiencing domestic abuse.
Samaritans Helpline: 116 123 (open 24 hours). Phone if you feel you are struggling to cope and need someone to talk to.
Action on Elder Abuse Helpline: 080 8808 8141 (free phone Monday to Friday 9-5pm).

Making the church safer for all

We are committed to making our local church a safe space for all and ensuring that everyone understands that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. The fact that abuse has ever happened within the Church of England is a matter of deep shame and regret. To make matters worse, the abuse has sometimes gone unreported because survivors of abuse have not been listened to or believed. That is why Church of England churches across Lancashire, which collectively make up the Diocese of Blackburn and of which our church is a part, are participating in a comprehensive safeguarding review.

This survivor-focussed review is known as ‘Past Cases Review 2’ or ‘PCR2’ and is looking at all the information a church might hold about incidents of church related abuse by those who have held positions of responsibility in a church – both recent and non-recent. The PCR2 work is ‘survivor-focussed’ as it is important the church continues to listen and respond to the voices of survivors of abuse.

Anyone seeking to come forward with information or make any disclosures regarding church related abuse is encouraged to make direct contact with the Diocese of Blackburn’s Safeguarding team. They can do so on a dedicated phone line or email: 01254 503093 and pcr2@blackburn.anglican.org

Recognising this may not feel safe for those with a direct experience of abuse from within the Church, if you would prefer to speak to someone else in the first instance contact: The Police by dialling 101 or online at www.lancashire.police.uk/contact-us; Lancashire Victim Services on 0300 323 0085 or online at www.lancashirevictimservices.org/contact or the NSPCC on 0800 80 20 20.

There is a host of PCR2 resources, information and FAQs on the Diocesan website which can be found via the links below:
Frequently Asked Questions
Resources & Information

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday.

Where and When do we meet?

We meet at the Church Building on Bird Street (off Broadgate PR1 8DY) for our Sunday Services at 10.30am and 6pm. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10 minutes early to ensure you find somewhere to sit before the service begins.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. We also have a fully accessible toilet.

What Should I Expect?

You will receive a very warm welcome particularly from our Welcome Team who will be able to answer your questions and direct you to where you need to go. We sing, read a passage from God's Word, the Bible, and church members lead a time of prayer. We have a talk based on the passage that was read to deepen our knowledge and love of God and to understand how we are to live as His people. There are opportunities for prayer at the end of the service with someone from our Pastoral Team.

Tea, coffee and biscuits are served after the service where there is plenty of time to meet new people and ask more questions.

images: Services

What about my kids?

We have a creche upstairs with a live link to the service so you can still feel part of it. There is a fantastic Junior Church for those children aged 3–10, and a Pathfinder group for school years 6 to 9. Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for the welcome, songs and notices. We really value worshipping God all together as a church family. At the end of the notices someone will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups. You will need to go with your children to their groups and register them as part of our child safety policy. Whilst you are dropping your kids off at their groups, we pause to take time to chat to someone sitting near or next to us, giving folk a chance to come back before the sermon begins.

For more information about what happens in the children's work please visit the page on Youth and Children's Ministry under "Church Life".

The kids group activities vary depending on the age but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play. Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes.

Is there a dress code?

We don't all dress up for church, although some choose to look smart and others dress less formally. It's always great to see people wearing national dress from various parts of the world. However, we do like to dress with a degree of modesty

Will I have to join in?

Not at all!
You are free to simply observe or participate as much as feels comfortable for you.

What is Christianity?

You can read more about who Jesus is, why he came and what that means for us here.

I have more questions, how can I get in touch and ask them?

Please feel free to contact us.

Getting Connected

Growth Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our Growth Groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some daytime and some evenings. Check out our Growth Groups page for more info. If you would like to join a group we can put you in touch with one of the leaders, who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

Leadership


Leader 1		Leader 2
Leader Intro		Leader Intro

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes

(Handwritten Signature)