The care and protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults involved in Church activities is the responsibility of the whole Church. Everyone who participates in the life of the Church has a role to play in promoting a Safer Church for all.

At St Michael & All Angels we work hard to maintain a safe environment for all.

We are committed to implementing the House of Bishops’ safeguarding policies and good practice guidance.

If you have any concerns or enquiries regarding safeguarding, please contact our safeguarding officer.

Parish Safeguarding Officer: Louise Sell

Email: safeguarding@bramhall.church

Phone: 07523 204 284

The Diocesan Safeguarding Team can be contacted at safeguarding@chester.anglican.org or on 01928 643442

Out of Hours Support

The Diocese of Chester partners with thirtyone:eight and you can access their Safeguarding Helpline if the Diocesan Safeguarding Team is unavailable. Thirtyone:eight can be contacted on 0303 003 1111.

This also includes any safeguarding queries outside of office hours on weekdays and weekends. An Information Sharing Agreement between the two organisations will allow the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser to receive a copy of the advice thirtyone:eight may offer the caller.

In the case of an emergency

 If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Service.

Helplines

• Child-line: 0800 1111 (lines free and open 24 hours).

• Parent Line: 0808 800 2222

• National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (lines free and open 24 hours).

• Samaritans Helpline: 116 123 (open 24 hours).

• Action on Elder Abuse Helpline: 080 8808 8141 (freephone Monday to Friday 9-5pm)

Everyone at St Michael and All Angels Parish Church takes its duty and obligation to protect all extremely seriously. The PCC adopted its latest safeguarding policy at its meeting on the 2nd April 2020. This was reviewed and reaffirmed at the PCC meeting on 18th July 2022.

You can download a copy of this policy here. Within the policy we affirm 6 commitments to safeguarding. There are:

• 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.

You can find out more about the national policies and procedures at www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding.

If you have any safeguarding concerns or issues of a safeguarding matter then you can find useful contact information at www.chester.anglican.org/social-responsibility/safeguarding”

Displayed in multiple places around our church site is a notice outlining who to contact if you are a victim of abuse or are concerned about a situation in which abuse might be taking place. We urge you to make contact with the relevant people listed on this poster immediately. You can view the notice here

For further information about our safeguarding policy you can download our safeguarding statement here. A signed copy is kept on file in the parish office and displayed on the noticeboard in the Parish Centre.

 If you or anyone you are in contact with would like to talk with someone independently, please call the Safe Spaces helpline on 0300 303 1056 or email safespaces@victimsupport.org.uk.

Safeguarding Team

If you are concerned about your own well being or the well being of another please do not hesitate to contact one of our Safeguarding team. They will seek to offer care, reassurance and support whatever the subject