As Northumbria Community, we take safeguarding very seriously. Please find below some key information about our Safeguarding Team, an introductory presentation by our Safeguarding Lead, Paul Langley, and details of our current Safeguarding Statement and Policy. A link to a corresponding page on our Northumbria Community website, which will always contain the most up-to-date information, can be found here.
The Northumbria Community Safeguarding Team
The following Safeguarding Team is appointed to undertake specified roles as detailed in this policy:
Community Safeguarding Lead: Paul Langley
Designated Leadership Team Member for Safeguarding: Sarah Hay
Designated Trustee for Safeguarding: Jayne Bartholomew
Mother House Responsible Persons: Catherine Askew
Community Group Responsible Persons will be the appropriate Community Group Leader(s)
An appropriate Responsible Person will be appointed for each Community activity (e.g. Community Team, Gathering).
An Introductory Safeguarding Presentation from Paul Langley, our Northumbria Community Safeguarding Lead
Please note that the presentation videos are password protected. To obtain the password, for any safeguarding matter or question, as well as things arising from the training, please contact Paul here.
We’ve put this presentation together to make sure that anyone who has a role in the Community, has access to some basic information regarding our safeguarding responsibilities. We’re aware that many people access training through their own churches or organisations, which we recognize and accept, and it is not intended for this to replace that training, but to ensure those who don’t have access anywhere else do so. It can also provide a refresher for those who have previously attended appropriate training.
Safeguarding: An Introductory Training Presentation – Part 1 (37 minutes)
Safeguarding: An Introductory Training Presentation – Part 2 (31 minutes)
Our Safeguarding Statement and Policy
Our Policy Statement is reviewed annually, by the Trustees of the Northumbria Community Trust (“the Trust”), and is applicable to all the activities of the Trust.
As a worldwide community we recognise the varied safeguarding requirements of different countries and it is essential that the Community in its various forms across the world comply with the law and best practice guidance of their own country. However, the expectation is that although this Policy and Practice Guidance is written in the context of UK law, it will generally be followed unless the law of the country concerned requires otherwise.
This is a policy covering both children and adults. Following UK law, a child is someone up to 18 years of age, including an unborn child, and therefore an adult is anyone 18 years of age and over.
As Companions and Friends of Northumbria Community we commit ourselves to care for one another safely. We recognize that chosen vulnerability is part of the example of Christ to us, and we embrace this through our commitment to our Rule of Life. However, we also recognise that everyone has different levels of vulnerability and that each of us may be at risk at some time in our lives through a vulnerability that we have not chosen. We therefore commit ourselves to:
- the safeguarding of people who may be at risk, ensuring their well-being in the life of this community.
- promoting safe practice by those in positions of trust.
- promoting the inclusion and empowerment of people who may be at risk.
- recruit safely following the recognised procedures
- supporting, resourcing, training and regularly reviewing those who hold positions of leadership within the Community.
- always put the protection and safety of children and adults before apparent protection of the reputation of the Community.
- preventing all types of abuse
- reporting any abuse that we discover or suspect in the appropriate way.
The Trust will work closely with the Christian denominations and will update our policy and guidance in line with their best practice.
More details about how the Community are putting this commitment into practice are detailed in the fuller Safeguarding Policy and Practice Guidance document which is available HERE
The corresponding page on our Northumbria Community website, which will always contain the most up-to-date information, can be found here.