Safeguarding.
Keeping our church community safe.
At St John’s Church Beckenham we are committed to the safeguarding of everyone in our church community and this involves especially the care and protection of all our children, young people and vulnerable adults.
We recognise that this is the responsibility of ALL involved in the life of our church. It is overseen here by the following people.
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Azuka Agbai
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Anthony Clayton
CHURCH WARDEN
anthony@stjohnsbeckenham.org
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Tony Peters
CHURCH WARDEN
tony@stjohnsbeckenham.org
Please contact either Azuka Agbai, or one of the church wardens Anthony Clayton or Tony Peters if you wish to talk over a general safeguarding matter, or if you have a specific concern relating either to yourself, or about the safety of a child or adult who you suspect is being or has been harmed, might be at risk of harm, or might present a risk to others. They can talk in confidence, but will need to refer all serious concerns to the London Borough of Bromley Children’s or Adults’ Social Care Services (or to the police in an emergency where there is immediate risk or danger) and also to the Rochester Diocesan Safeguarding Team and follow the advice given.
The Rochester Diocesan Safeguarding Team can also be contacted direct on: 01634 560 000. Outside of Diocesan Office hours, safeguarding telephone enquiries can be taken by Thirtyone:eight (previously CCPAS) on 0303 003 1111. In addition, there is a new independent service ‘Safe Spaces’ set up to support survivors of church-related abuse, which can be accessed via telephone helpline on 0300 303 1056; live web-chat at www.safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk/, or email at safespaces@victimsupport.org
The Diocese is committed to supporting victims and survivors of abuse and has a dedicated support page on their website giving further details about who to contact on their team and links to organisations and agencies offering support. It can be found here: https://rochester.anglican.org/for-parishes/safeguarding/i-am-a-victimsurvivor/
Our PCC at St. John’s has formally adopted the Church of England’s Safeguarding Policy: ‘Promoting a Safer Church Safeguarding Policy Statement for Children, Young People and Adults’, and seeks to follow all the associated safeguarding guidance. A copy can be found in the church office, on the safeguarding noticeboard in the church or online at https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/PromotingSaferChurchWeb.pdf
We are doing all we can to promote a safer environment and culture within our church, including:
raising awareness of safeguarding
safely recruiting and supporting all those with any responsibility related to children, young people and vulnerable adults
responding promptly and appropriately to every safeguarding concern that is raised