St Andrews Church

In the footsteps of St Andrew the Fisherman
Home 9 Safeguarding

Safeguarding

We are committed to the safeguarding, care and nurture of everyone within our community.

The Church of England will:

  • Promote a safer environment and culture
  • Safely recruit and support all those with any responsibility related to children and vulnerable adults within the Church
  • Respond promptly to every safeguarding concern or allegation
  • Care pastorally for victims/survivors of abuse and other affected persons
  • Care pastorally for those who are the subject of concerns or allegations of abuse and other affected persons
  • Respond to those that may pose a present risk to others

These policy commitments are based on our five foundations:

  • Gospel
  • Human rights and the law
  • Core principles
  • Good safeguarding practice
  • Learning from the past

Reporting abuse or raising a concern

If someone is in immediate danger or needs urgent medical attention, contact the emergency services on 999. If the situation you are reporting is not an emergency, please use the contact details here.

There are Safeguarding Advisers in every Church of England diocese across the country and Safeguarding Officers in every parish. If you are worried about someone and want to raise a concern or report abuse, please contact your Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser. Details can be found using our Diocesan Safeguarding Teams map which links to relevant contact information in each area.  For St Andrew’s in Boreham, our Safeguarding Officer is Christine Horton. Contact details appear on Safeguarding posters in the Pelly Room and Church Porch.

The National Safeguarding Team manages safeguarding cases relating to senior clergy including bishops and deans.
Contact: safeguarding@churchofengland.org or use the form at the bottom of this page.

Reports of children and young people at risk of abuse and neglect should be made to the children’s social care team at their local council. You can find contact details for these teams via the Government website.

Adult safeguarding concerns should be reported to their local authority adult social care team. You can find contact details for these teams via the NHS website.

Finding support

Contact details of agencies that are available to assist either on a 24-hour basis or through specialist helplines and services:

Safe Spaces: an independent service supporting survivors of church-related abuse

Church of England Interim Support Scheme – offering immediate help and support to survivors whose life circumstances are significantly affected by the abuse suffered, and the response to it.

Contact MACSAS, which supports women and men who have been sexually abused, as children or adults, by ministers, clergy or others under the guise of the Church.

Survivors Voices, is a survivor-led organisation that runs peer support groups for victim-survivors of all kinds of abuse, including faith-based abuse.  It has a newsletter and other special events for survivors of abuse experienced in churches and other faith-based communities.

Getting support from other organisations

  • NSPCC Child Protection Helpline: 0808 800 5000 (lines free and open 24 hours). Phone if you are worried about a child.
  • Child-line: 0800 1111 (lines free and open 24 hours). Phone if you are a child or young person and are worried about anything.
  • National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (lines free and open 24 hours). Phone if you are experiencing domestic abuse.
  • Samaritans Helpline: 116 123 (open 24 hours). Phone if you feel you are struggling to cope and need someone to talk to.
  • Action on Elder Abuse Helpline: 0808 808 8141 (free phone Monday to Friday 9-5pm)
  • National Rape Crisis Helpline: 0808 802 9999 and is open every day from 12-2.30pm and 7-9.30pm.
  • The Survivors Trust: 0808 801 0818 and is open Monday to Wednesday 10-7.30pm, Thursday 10-6pm and Friday 10-2pm.
  • LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0800 999 5428 help@galop.org.uk
  • Men’s Advice Line: 0808 801 0327 info@mensadviceline.org.uk
  • Age UK Advice Line: 0800 678 1602
  • A fuller list of organisations offering support to survivors, including therapy and counselling resources, helplines and self-help resources, is available to download.