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Safeguarding and Health and Safety

Health and Safety

The safety of all members of the Church community is of paramount importance. We believe that effective Health and Safety management is essential to a successful church; ethically, morally, spiritually, legally and financially.

 

The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSW Act) came into force in April 2016. A guiding principle of HSW Act is that workers and other persons should be given the highest level of protection against harm to their health, safety, and welfare from work risks as is reasonably practicable. The main purpose of HSW Act is to provide for a balanced framework to secure the health and safety of workers and workplaces.

As a result of this legislative change, a revised Diocesan Health and Safety Policy has been approved by Standing Committee.

While the HSW Act is clear that health and safety is everyone’s responsibility, it is also clear that key organisations and the officers of those organisations owe a duty of care not to expose people to risks. Ministry units are responsible to do whatever is reasonably practicable to ensure the health and safety of all people who come into contact with the Church.

Diocesan guidelines for understanding the HSW Act and preparing your ministry unit to comply with the new legislation can be found below.

If you need any assistance, including support with how to make a WorkSafe notification should you need to, please contact the Diocesan Manager.

 

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is about prevention of harm and early intervention to minimise the opportunity for the child, young person or vulnerable adult to be harmed.  

 

Safeguarding is a proactive preventative approach to child, young person or vulnerable adult protection.

Safeguarding includes:

  • Creating a culture where safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults is everyone’s responsibility
  • Regular Safeguarding training
  • Child, youth and vulnerable adult centred practise
  • Safer Recruitment procedures
  • Codes of Conduct for everyone

Child, young person or vulnerable adult protection is a reactive approach. It is part of a safeguarding process but prescribes the action to follow when a child, young person or vulnerable adult is identified as suffering from, or likely to suffer from serious harm. This may include suspected abuse and/ or neglect or a disclosure or a complaint.

Protection includes:

  • A Protection Policy
  • Procedures and guidelines which everyone in the parish knows and uses, including reporting abuse and supporting all those involved in this process.

To find out more about reporting abuse, please click and read:

 

If you need any assistance on any Safeguarding matter, please contact the Safeguarding Officer.

 

 

Key Resources