WHEN YOU hear the word “Safeguarding” in the Church of Ireland, what is your immediate response? Is it a relief that those who are vulnerable are going to be protected? That we are fulfilling our Christian responsibility to look after the young or the vulnerable adults who need to be protected? Or, on the other hand, under the pressure to keep up to date with changes in practice, do we see it as an overcomplicated nuisance, giving us too much red tape and too much administrative stress – something that is gets in the way of what we are really about? As a rector, it is something that I take very seriously. There is no ‘wriggle room’ on this one. There have, in the last few years, been many incidences of people who have been accused of some form of abuse. The scary thing is that, although many people are guilty and have been proven so, if you are innocent, yet accused, it can have a profound effect on your life, ministry and relationships. The old adage “There is no smoke without fire” can be so damaging. At Synod this year the new Clergy Tenure Bill was passed, which has had a mixed response. Part of the Bill was to protect clergy from vexatious allegations. The process of investigation has changed to reduce the time a cleric has to wait while the allegation is investigated; and the bill has introduced sanctions on individuals who use legislation improperly to punish or for personal reasons.Safeguarding Training can be so valuable. By sticking to the rules and the Training, you are not only protecting those in your care, you are also protecting yourself from the potential of false accusations. The background to the Church of Ireland Safeguarding Board is as follows:“The Board is charged by the Standing Committee to ensure that all within the Church of Ireland have a special duty of care towards Children and Adults at Risk, so a culture of collective responsibility, working in partnership with other statutory (including the Gardai and TUSLA), community and voluntary organisations is encouraged. “The Board follows basic rights which are embedded in both our gospel values and in international and domestic law to protect those at risk of harm. It is committed to a process of continuous improvement, constantly monitoring and updating the effectiveness of the Church’s safeguarding arrangements. The Safeguarding policy is built around three overarching standards: Protecting – creating safe environments and preventing abuse. Responding – ensuring concerns and allegations are handled correctly. Complying – ensuring every parish and diocese can demonstrate compliance through governance, training and record keeping. ProtectingWe are mandated as clergy and called as parish volunteers and workers to love one another. “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.” (Matt. 7:12) It is so important that we care for one another. This means protecting each other against all eventualities and strictly following the rules set out by both church and state to protect those who are vulnerable. We have seen what can happen in the past when the rules were more lax or non-existent. Reporting is key, even when there is a suspicion of historical abuse. I remember an incident that happened many years ago. There was a youth leader who gave out to a child for mild misbehaving. The boy, who was usually no trouble at all, jokingly said something along the lines of, “If you give out to me again, I’ll say you abused me!” This was in a hall where other people were present, although no one else was listening. The leader, more seriously, said to him, “Please don’t say anything like that again, unless someone actually does something to you. Then, of course, please do report it.” The boy didn’t realise the potential seriousness of the situation. It never happened again. Keeping a record of such events in the locked Safeguarding record cabinet is advisable. On another occasion, I recall having a discussion with a Church minister from a different tradition. He had recently returned to duty following a false allegation being made against him. The accuser subsequently admitted that they had completely fabricated the incident. The minister had been badly affected by the situation and was very upset. Nevertheless, that is no reason not to follow up any report that is made. Both those occurrences illustrate that we must do all we can to avoid any chance of being left alone with a vulnerable child or adult. When I was a chaplain in a large hospital, I made a point of never being on my own with a child under 18. That even meant, in a 6 bed ward where there was one unaccompanied child, just passing the bed with a smile and wave, which was counter-intuitive but necessary. It is all about protecting everyone involved. Awareness of potential risk situations is vital and any queries may be channelled through a local Safeguarding Officer or direct to the RCB Safeguarding Office. RespondingIt is important to respond when incidents come to light. So far, I am very thankful that nothing has happened in my ministry that I have felt I needed to report. Yet, it is important to be aware of what needs to be reported and how to report it. If in doubt, ask! ComplyingTraining is provided, indeed it is mandatory, every three years for all volunteers, staff and also the panel. This happens regularly throughout the year, mostly face to face, but also occasionally online. Administrative burdenI remember, in my previous parish, and also my first parish, being very worried about Safeguarding. It was all falling on my shoulders. Granted, it wasn’t a large parish and there were not a lot of young people in it. But that didn’t mean anything really. There were still children and possibly vulnerable adults to protect. Was I going to do it adequately or was I going to make a mess of...
