Safeguarding 

Promoting a Safer Church

Ashley Church Safeguarding Policy
As the Leadership, we recognise the need to provide a safe and caring environment for children, young people and adults. We recognise the importance of our ministry with children, young people and adults and our responsibility to protect everyone entrusted to our care. We believe every child should be valued, safe and happy.  We want to make sure that children we have contact with know this and are empowered to tell us if they are suffering harm. All children and young people have the right to be treated with respect, to be listened to and to be protected from all forms of abuse. Adults in our church should be enabled to live fulfilling, autonomous lives, and should have access to every aspect of church life. The care and protection of children, young people and adults involved in church is the responsibility of the whole church. As a leadership we endeavour to make our church a safe environment for all.
Ashley Church is committed to:
Promoting a safer environment and culture.
Safely recruiting and supporting all those with any responsibility related to children, young people and vulnerable adults within the church.
Responding promptly to every safeguarding concern or allegation.
Caring pastorally for victims/survivors of abuse and other affected persons.
Caring pastorally for those who are the subject of concerns or allegations of abuse and other affected persons.
Responding to those that may pose a present risk to others. 
Ashley Church will: 
Create a safe and caring place for all.
Safely recruit, train and support all those with any responsibility for children, young people and adults to have the confidence and skills to recognise and respond to abuse.
Ensure that there is appropriate insurance cover for all activities involving children and adults undertaken in the name of the church.
Display in church premises and on our website the details of who to contact if there are safeguarding concerns or support needs.
Listen to and take seriously all those who disclose abuse.
Take steps to protect children and adults when a safeguarding concern of any kind arises, including notifying statutory agencies immediately.
Offer support to victims/survivors of abuse regardless of the type of abuse, when or where it occurred.
Care for and monitor any member of the church community who may pose a risk to children and adults whilst maintaining appropriate confidentiality and the safety of all parties.
Ensure that health and safety policy, procedures and risk assessments are in place and that these are reviewed annually.
Review the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy, Procedures and Practices at least annually. 
Each person who works within this church community will agree to abide by this policy and the guidelines established by this church.
 
Ashley church appoints Shaun Perryman as the Safeguarding Officer and Claire Pinney as the Deputy Safeguarding Officer.  They can be contacted via email at shaun.safeguarding@outlook.com or claire.safeguarding@outlook.com