Safeguarding
Sacred Heart Parish is committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of children, young people and adults at risk. Everyone in the church has a responsibility to help create a safe, respectful and healthy culture in our parish.
Immediate danger: If someone is at imminent risk of harm or needs urgent medical help, please phone 999.
Parish Safeguarding Contact
Safeguarding Representative: Dominic Maloney
Email: safeguarding.sdhth@hallam-diocese.com
Phone / text: 0780 117 7483
Responding to a Disclosure
If someone shares a concern or disclosure with you, the most important first response is to stay calm, listen carefully, and make sure the concern is passed on appropriately.
- Stay calm and listen carefully.
- Do not interrupt or ask leading questions.
- Take what is said seriously.
- Reassure the person that they have done the right thing by telling someone.
- Do not promise confidentiality.
- Do not investigate the matter yourself.
- Pass the concern on promptly to the Parish Safeguarding Representative or the Diocesan Safeguarding Team.
This section reflects the guidance in the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency leaflet, which emphasises listening carefully, remaining calm, not questioning, and reporting the concern appropriately.
Need to act now?
If there is immediate danger, call 999. If there is a safeguarding concern, contact the Parish Safeguarding Representative or the Diocesan Safeguarding Team without delay.
Safeguarding Leaflet
Our safeguarding leaflet explains what safeguarding means, outlines different forms of abuse, and gives practical guidance on responding to disclosures. It also includes information on spiritual abuse and wider safeguarding responsibilities.
What is Safeguarding?
Safeguarding means taking appropriate steps to ensure that children and adults are safe from harm. This includes recognising when someone may be at risk, listening to concerns, acting appropriately, and helping to ensure that support and protection are provided.
The leaflet explains that everyone in the Church has a duty of care in this area.
Types of Abuse
Main forms of abuse
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse and exploitation
- Neglect and omissions of care
- Emotional or psychological abuse
- Financial or material abuse
Other forms of abuse
- Domestic abuse
- Modern slavery and criminal exploitation
- Self-neglect
- Discriminatory abuse
- Spiritual abuse
These categories are summarised from the safeguarding leaflet.
Understanding Spiritual Abuse
The leaflet explains spiritual abuse as the misuse of faith, belief, authority, scripture or religious practice to control, coerce, intimidate, isolate or manipulate another person. This is contrary to the Church’s teaching and should always be taken seriously.
How to report concerns
All concerns should be brought to the Diocesan Safeguarding Coordinator or Religious Safeguarding Lead. Never delay taking action.
Parish Safeguarding Representative Role
The Parish Safeguarding Representative helps the parish community to be aware of safeguarding issues and supports those working with children, young people and vulnerable adults so that policies and procedures are understood and followed.
The role also involves:
- Keeping up-to-date records of relevant activities within the parish together with details of helpers, volunteers and leaders involved.
- Maintaining contact with activity leaders to help ensure safe practice is followed in line with Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency guidance.
- Ensuring that volunteers are recruited according to diocesan policy and acting as identity verifier when DBS checks are required.
- Helping parishioners know that safeguarding advice is available through the Parish Priest and Safeguarding Representative.
- Maintaining contact with the Diocesan Safeguarding Office / Coordinator.