Policies
At Shepherd's Church, we value your privacy and safety. Please read our policies below.Your privacy is important to us. It is Shepherd's Church UK's policy to respect your privacy regarding any information we may collect from you across our website, https://shepherdschurch.uk/, and other sites we own and operate.
We only ask for personal information when we truly need it to provide a service to you. We collect it by fair and lawful means, with your knowledge and consent. We also let you know why we’re collecting it and how it will be used.
We only retain collected information for as long as necessary to provide you with your requested service. What data we store, we’ll protect within commercially acceptable means to prevent loss and theft, as well as unauthorised access, disclosure, copying, use or modification.
We don’t share any personally identifying information publicly or with third-parties, except when required to by law.
Our website may link to external sites that are not operated by us. Please be aware that we have no control over the content and practices of these sites, and cannot accept responsibility or liability for their respective privacy policies.
You are free to refuse our request for your personal information, with the understanding that we may be unable to provide you with some of your desired services.
Your continued use of our website will be regarded as acceptance of our practices around privacy and personal information. If you have any questions about how we handle user data and personal information, feel free to contact us.
This policy is effective as of 1 July 2019. Generated by GetTerms.io
The leadership of Shepherd's Church UK recognises the importance of the church’s role when supporting children, young people and adults who are in need of care and support, and its responsibility to protect everyone entrusted to its care.
Our church believes in:
- Promoting a safe environment and culture for every child and young adult, and to ensure that those we have contact with know this and are empowered to tell us if they are suffering harm.
- Helping to prevent the physical, sexual and emotional abuse and neglect of children and young adults, and to report any such abuse that we discover or suspect.
- Helping to prevent the physical, sexual, emotional, and financial abuse and neglect of adults who have care and support needs and to report any such abuse that we discover or suspect.
- 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, whether action is required or not.
- 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, whether action is required or not.
Our church will:
- Create a safe and caring place for all.
- Have a named Church Safeguarding Officer (CSO) to work with the church leadership, trustees and overseers and the leadership to implement the policy and procedures.
- 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.
- 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 there is appropriate insurance cover for all activities involving children and adults undertaken as a church.
- Communicate to the church and display on the church 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.
- Offer support to victims/survivors of abuse regardless of the type of abuse, when or where it occurred.
- 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. Our church is committed to:
- Following the requirements for UK legislation in relation to safeguarding children and adults and good practice recommendations.
- Adopting and following the ‘Safe and Secure’ safeguarding standards developed by Thirtyone:eight.
- Respecting the rights of children as described in the UN convention on the ‘Right of the Child’.
Our church recognises that:
- Children’s Social Services (or equivalent) has the responsibility for investigating all allegations or suspicions of abuse, where there are concerns about a child. Adult Social Care (or equivalent) has the responsibility for investigating all allegations or suspicions of abuse, where there are concerns about an adult with care and support needs.
- Where an allegation suggests that a criminal offence may have been committed, then the police should be contacted as a matter of urgency.
- Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
Each person who works within this church community will agree to abide by this policy and the guidelines established by this church. We will review this statement and our policy and procedures annually.
If you have any concerns for a child or adult with care and support needs then speak to one of the following who have been approved as safeguarding coordinators for this church: David Seckington as Church Safeguarding Officer (CSO). He can be contacted at dave@trinitychurchcl.org.