Our priority to recognise the importance of continuing to build a safer church and the need to be vigilant and to have safeguarding high on our agenda as senior leaders is evident throughout the parishes and Church of England. As we are aware, this is to keep everyone safe and to help everyone feel valued.

At the Deanery Synod meeting of 30 January 2025, Angela Colman, our Willesden Area Safeguarding Adviser led us through safeguarding in our local context, the National Safeguarding Standards and reassured us that safeguarding need not be an onerous task. The minutes of that meeting of 30 January 2025 can be found here.

The Safeguarding presentation of 30 January 2025 can be downloaded here.

The resources mentioned in the minutes can be downloaded as follows:

• Promoting a safer church
  • poster 1 with space for contact details;
  • poster 2 with space for photos as well
• 5 standards
  • Booklet
  • Poster – landscape
  • Poster – portrait
• Sexting – fact sheet
• Safer spaces – posters with tear off strips
  • For men
  • For women
• Working alone guidance
• Who needs what training guidance

Resources and information can also be accessed:

• National Safeguarding standards https://www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding/national-safeguarding-standards
• Other Safeguarding resources https://www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding/policy-practice-guidance/templates-and-resources

Important telephone numbers and websites:

• Police for an emergency 999
• Diocesan Safeguarding Advisers: 020 7932 1224 or safeguarding@london.anglican.org
• CCPAS 24 hour helpline: 0303 003 1111
• Family Lives: 0808 800 222 (Previously Parentline)/Childline: 0800 1111
• First Light Charity: https://www.firstlight.org.uk/
• Domestic abuse charity: https://www.respect.org.uk/
• Women’s Aid charity: https://www.womensaid.org.uk/

Our Diocese Safeguarding team can be contacted at safeguarding@london.anglican.org.

Alternatively, to speak to a member of the DST, please call our Safeguarding Helpline on 020 7932 1224.