“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven” (Mt 18:10)

Care for the little ones, a concern that encompasses a wide variety of sympathetic attitudes is at the heart of the Gospel message. It is enshrined in the very mission proclamation of Jesus at the beginning of his public ministry (Lk 4:18-19). The Church that is called to continue the mission of Jesus today, understands that upholding the inalienable dignity of every human person, is an important task of her ministry. The Church, as she lives out her call and mission, takes into consideration the positive developments in the ethical and legal disciplines towards providing a just, caring, and responsible environment for all. Divine Retreat Centre (DRC) is committed to ensure that all, especially the children and the vulnerable adults feel safe in our communities. The DRC Safeguarding Lead is assigned to coordinate and promote our safeguarding practices in accordance with the policy and directives of the National Catholic Safeguarding Commission (NCSC). The DRC safeguarding lead is an expert from the fields related to safeguarding and also he will liaise with the National Safeguarding Advisory Service (NSAS) and will update us on the developments in this field.

The safeguarding lead and the director board are  to develop the safeguarding policy for the DRC, based on the policy of the National Catholic Safeguarding Commission (NCSC). T

Yours in our Lord and our God,

Fr. Joseph Edattu VC

Director, Divine Retreat Centre Ramsgate

Safeguarding applies to both adults and children.

Children’s safeguarding is shaped by the Children Act 1989, but the key statutory guidance for faith groups is ‘Working together to safeguard children’

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as:

• Protecting children from maltreatment;
• Preventing impairment of children’s health or development;
• Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care;
• Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes

The Care Act 2014 provides the legal basis for adult safeguarding. Under it, adults with care and support needs at risk of or experiencing abuse and unable to prevent it themselves must be supported.

‘Vulnerable adult’ means a person aged 18 or over whose ability to protect himself or herself from violence, abuse, neglect or exploitation is significantly impaired through physical or mental disability or illness, old age, emotional fragility or distress, or otherwise; and for that purpose, the reference to being impaired is to being temporarily or indefinitely impaired.

There are many different types of abuse which the Church have a huge potential to identify and prevent. These include:

Including the roles and responsibilities

Superior

As the Superior the Director of the DRC has overall pastoral responsibility for DRC ministry all over UK and those who are associated with it. Through the Trustees he delegates the implementation of national safeguarding polices to the Safeguarding Commission which does this in his name. He seeks the advice of the Commission on all safeguarding issues in particular when allegations have been made against a person who exercises a ministry within the church.

Safeguarding Representative

The Safeguarding Representative was formed in November 2017 and has been a driving force to implement the national policies and procedures.

The Safeguarding Representative receives all national policies updates in a timely fashion.

The Safeguarding Representative also acts upon new reports of allegations/concerns of abuse of children, young people and vulnerable adults that have occurred within a Church environment and works with the statutory agencies accordingly. Existing cases are reviewed regularly. The Safeguarding Representative also regularly updates the Superior on all safeguarding matters and advises him accordingly. Annual reports are made to the Trustees and Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Services.

All concerns must be brought to the Safeguarding Representative, who in turn will contact the Lead. Never delay taking action. If you are unable to contact the Safeguarding Representative, you can contact the Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service (CSAS) if you require advice.

Is there any immediate risk or danger? – Yes

• Immediately contact the Police, Social Services or Local Authority Designated Officer
• Contact the Safeguarding Lead
• Take notes and pass on within 1 day (Form in policy)
• A record will be kept
• Safeguarding representative will provide feedback

Is there any immediate risk or danger? – No

• Contact the Safeguarding representative
• If the Safeguarding Representative is not available contact the Police, Social Services or Local Authority Designated Officer
• Take notes and pass on within 1 day (Form in policy)
• A record will be kept
• Allegations of past abuse should be reported to the police, even if the alleged perpetrator is no longer alive or not perceived to be a current risk to children / adults at risk
• Safeguarding representative will provide feedback

Contact safeguarding

If you live in England, Wales or abroad, or would like to receive direct support from the Vincentians you can email the Vincentian safeguarding coordinator and she will be happy to help you access psychological and well-being support, including other practical support. She can also out you in touch with someone independent:
[email protected].

If you have information of a safeguarding nature where a child or adult is in immediate danger or requires immediate medical attention call the emergency services on 999. If you wish to report any safeguarding concerns, past or present, please email the safeguarding coordinator on
[email protected]. She will ensure that any concerns are dealt with in a timely and appropriate manner.