Speak Out, Stay Safe Campaign Video Shorts

Series 1:

Culture, Leadership and Capacity 

Culture Leadership and Capacity means the way we do things round here, the way we work together and how we manage ourselves and the work we do so that people are happy and healthy.

Series 1: Video 1 (Culture)

We foster and promote a safe and healthy culture. Communication is open and transparent. We guard against becoming closed clubs or cliques. People thrive in an atmosphere that is welcoming, inclusive and safe. Churches are places where people can be the best versions of themselves and where we look out for each other.

Series 1: Video 2 (Leadership)

We have leaders who seek, listen and respect the views of those with professional safeguarding expertise. Clergy and volunteers in leadership roles prioritise and promote a positive safeguarding culture and a respect for those with expertise in safeguarding.

Series 1: Video 3 (Knowledge)

We have leaders who improve their knowledge of current safeguarding matters and promote continuous professional development in this area for those whom they are responsible. We all know that safeguarding is important – and training takes time out of our busy lives. But in a positive culture, we prioritise learning, give people space and time to keep skills and knowledge up to date with the latest courses and best practices.

Series 1: Video 4 (Welfare)

We have leaders that promote the welfare and voice of children, vulnerable adults, victims and survivors of abuse, as well as those who are the subject of concerns or allegations of abuse. This isn’t just about when things go wrong – but a culture where there are opportunities for people to have their say and places where people know who to speak to – that they have a voice  …. and that they will listened to – whoever they are.

Series 2:

Prevention

Church bodies have in place a planned range of measures which together are effective in preventing abuse in their context.

Series 2: Video 1 (Team)

In our teams, we follow the ‘Safer Recruitment and People Management House of Bishop’s Guidelines’ for recruiting and employing our staff and volunteers. What that means is there are processes and procedures in place to make sure that paid and unpaid people taking official roles go through the appropriate checks and references.

Series 2: Video 2 (Resources)

We provide a range of good materials and methods to promote safeguarding to all audiences and age groups.  For example, our Speak Out, Stay Safe campaign includes age-appropriate printed posters, contact cards which have been produced in consultation with children and young people, and we’re already working on our next campaign with vulnerable adults and those with different abilities and language needs.

Series 2: Video 3 (Listening)

We consider the needs, experiences and voices of children, vulnerable adults and survivors in prevention planning to make our church safer. For example, we work with our network of children and young peoples’ workers across the diocese, and have regular listening exercises in our schools. We listen to all, including victims and survivors, in our Executive and Advisory groups to build in lived experiences of everyone, at all stages of our safeguarding delivery.

Series 2: Video 4 (Physical Boundaries)

We understand appropriate boundaries. For example, we have guidelines for sharing The Peace in our worship to reflect on how physical contact may be received and accepted.

Series 3:

Recognising, Assessing and Managing Risk

Risk assessments, safety plans and associated processes are of a high quality and result in positive outcomes. The assessment and management of risk is underpinned by effective partnership working.

Series 3: Video 1 (Reporting)

Reporting is central to managing risk. We identify, respond, record and refer all concerns that constitute a safeguarding matter. We talk about the 5 Rs:  Register, Respond, Record, ‘Report’, and Refer.  But at the heart of managing risk reporting is key,  and we must all take responsibility to speak out to keep our churches safe.

Series 3: Video 2 (Support)

 Support is offered to all those who are affected by safeguarding concerns and allegations. That includes the families and friends of both victims of abuse and the respondent and the wider parish or Cathedral community who are impacted when an incident occurs.

Series 3: Video 3 (People)  

People are at the heart of our commitment to safeguarding. We undertake risk assessments to prevent further harm. And that includes risk assessments of those responsible for and responding to safeguarding, in respect of their own wellbeing. At Chester Diocese we offer people a ‘Link Person’ through the Safeguarding Team at Church House, to ensure that their needs are met.

Series 3: Part 4 (Recording) 

Recording is about storing and sharing information in ways which are compliant with data protection legislation and the GDPR. We share safeguarding information through work provided forms of communication – rather than personal email addresses. That means that volunteers use dedicated inboxes to communicate about safeguarding rather than their own personal accounts.

Series 4:

Victims & Survivors 

Victims and Survivors - The best interests of victims are at the heart of everything we do.

Series 4: Part 1 (Engaging)

We are a church that engages with victims and survivors.

That means that we support those who are victims and survivors, so that they are not isolated.

Series 4: Part 2 (Caring)

We are a church that hears, respects, believes and genuinely cares for those who are reporting abuse

That means that people are not worried about coming forward and are supported throughout their journey.

Series 4: Part 3 (Responding)

We are a church that responds to safeguarding disclosures appropriately, transparently, in a timely manner and in a victim-centred and trauma-informed way.

That means that we are confident in our processes and procedures, and understand how to manage the needs of those who are reporting abuse so that we can support them appropriately.

Series 4: Part 4 (Supporting)

We are fulfilling the support requirements set out in the ‘Responding Well to Victims and Survivors of Abuse’ House of Bishop’s Guidance.

That means we understand and know what our duties and obligations are, according to the National Safeguarding Standards of the Church of England.