Church Safety Plans
The Diocese of Hereford is committed to the fair treatment of its staff, potential staff, and users of its services, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, responsibilities for dependants, age, physical or mental disability, or offending background.
Safeguarding procedures within the Church of England are governed by the House of Bishops’ Guidance, which provides the legal framework for safeguarding policies within the Church.
What are Church Safety Plans?
Where it has been assessed that any person with criminal convictions, or who is the subject of allegations or concerns, who wishes to become or remain a member of the congregation or church community may present a risk to a child, young person, or vulnerable adult, measures must be put in place to manage the identified risks. These measures are set out in a Church Safety Plan (formerly known as an Agreement to Worship).
Church Safety Plans are written by the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer (DSO) in consultation with the person who may pose a risk and their supporter, the incumbent, churchwarden(s), parish safeguarding officer (PSO), and other relevant parties where applicable. This may also involve statutory agencies if they are involved. This process is normally carried out through a meeting coordinated by the DSO, with the relevant individuals present.
A Church Safety Plan is an agreement that explores what works well and what can be done to minimise risks to children and vulnerable adults, to support a safe worship environment for all. The agreement also aims to create a safe environment for the person posing the risk by protecting them from false allegations, reducing the risk of re-offending, offering appropriate support, and enabling them to receive appropriate ministry within explicit bounds of confidentiality. The plan is reviewed at regular intervals, depending on the level of perceived risk.
What does the plan include?
The content of the plan includes specified boundaries to ensure that the relevant person is not permitted to participate in any event, service, or volunteer role that would allow access to the identified vulnerable group or individual. Each case is considered individually, with compassion and respect, recognising the sensitive nature of the risks and the needs of known victims and survivors.
While a person subject to a Church Safety Plan may attend congregational worship and provide some volunteer services, there are certain roles that are not appropriate to be offered or accepted. These include, for example, becoming a member of the PCC, taking on any pastoral responsibility or care of others, reading prayers, leading intercessions, or becoming involved in the running or organisation of any groups.
Church Safety Plans are not intended as a punitive measure. Being given a responsible role within the church implies a position of authority and a higher degree of trust, which may create unintended risks. Convictions may be discovered through public records, social media, or the internet; therefore, Church Safety Plans also seek to manage the potential impact on, and response of, the local community should such information become known.
What about compliance?
All plans are subject to monitoring and are held on a confidential database for official auditing and church compliance purposes. A Church Safety Plan is not a legally binding document; however, it demonstrates the requirement to apply safeguarding measures set out within the legal framework of the House of Bishops’ Guidance.
The plan will be monitored at parish level and will usually include a support group made up of the incumbent, the parish safeguarding officer, and a churchwarden. It may also include a police offender manager and probation officer where statutory agencies are involved.
Agreement to comply with the plan is voluntary; however, refusal may result in more stringent restrictions being placed on church attendance or activities. Where an individual is subject to statutory monitoring by the police or probation services, any failure to comply with the plan will be shared with the relevant officer.
What if there are no statutory restrictions in place?
Occasionally, an individual may wish to be part of the church community after being released from prison on licence, often having been subject to sex offender registration. Both are subject to time-limited requirements imposed at sentencing or upon release. Risk does not necessarily end when these requirements conclude; indeed, re-offending is often more likely to occur once statutory monitoring has ended.
It is therefore important to continue to provide support and positive social engagement in a safe and considered manner, reducing risk across the individual’s lifetime. Others may be under investigation, or may have been the subject of concerns indicating potential risks, without having any convictions or statutory orders in place. These situations still require appropriate consideration, including whether a Church Safety Plan and specific restrictions are necessary.
For more information please contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Team safeguarding@hereford.anglican.org