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This module aims to refresh the understanding of good safeguarding practice, tackle potential obstacles, and reflect on responsibility for sharing concerns about children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
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Creating Safer Space Foundation ModuleRefresher 2016 Edition Safeguarding Children, YoungPeople and Adults
Trainers Name Role Name Role Chaplain Name Role
Housekeeping Mobile phones – silent or off Toilets Fire exits Refreshment break Timekeeping Question Park
Looking after ourselves • This training can be difficult for any of us, at any time. • If you need a break, feel free to move about or leave the room. • There is more than one trainer here, so we can be free to spend time with you apart from the main group if necessary. • If this raises painful issues for you, share this with somebody you trust. • Look after yourself!
The FM Refresher aims to: remind you that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and integral to being Church refresh your understanding of good safeguarding practice within the Methodist Church learn from the Past Cases Review and note the current national context identify how to tackle potential obstacles to responding well within the Church reflect on your responsibility for sharing concerns about a child or vulnerable adult recognise emerging forms of abuse consider the needs of survivors.
Learning together, we will: listen without interrupting respect the feelings, experiences and views of other people listen to different views and question in a constructive way that enables learning respect confidentiality unless it puts others at risk take responsibility for our own learning and share as well as receive learning be aware of the potential impact of the subject on ourselves and others.
What’s been happening in the Church? • 2010 – Methodist Conference agreed Past Cases Review (PCR) • 2011 – President’s Inquiry published and recommendations agreed • September 2011 onwards – Foundation Module delivered • 2012 Conference received PCR pilot report and national programme started
What’s been happening nationally? • October 2012 – ITV documentary about Jimmy Savile; Operation Yewtree launched • January 2013 – Giving Victims a Voice published • April – June 2014 celebrity convictions • August 2014 – Rotherham Child Sexual Exploitation reports published • Explosion of social media abuse
Key national and Church milestones • May 2014 – Care Act • July 2014 – Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse • March 2015 – updated Working Together • May 2015 – PCR report published • June 2015 –PCR report approved by Conference
Past Cases Review • 2,566 responses reporting a safeguarding concern relating to 1,885 perpetrators or alleged perpetrators • 125 (25%) of case sample (503) have been referred to statutory agencies • 21 formal risk assessments were commissioned resulting in 12 Covenants of Care and 6 other safeguarding measures
OUR RESPONSES OUR ACTIONS
So what do you make of all this? • How does reading the PCR make you feel? • When you hear about a celebrity or person in authority being suspected, arrested, charged, convicted or cleared, how do you react? • Do adults at risk get the attention they need? • As a result of these events how have you been challenged to do things differently?
Some possible responses • Anger • Sadness • Frustration • Disgust • Possibility • Hope • Challenge • Disappointment • Fear • Learning • Potential • Safer spaces • Denial • Opening up And more...
What have you done to Promote, Prevent and Protect? • Promote the well-being of all through a culture of shared responsibility for safeguarding, within clearly assigned roles. • Prevent harm through best practice and the creation of a culture of informed vigilance. • Protect through responding effectively when safeguarding concerns arise.
And in respect of… • Premises – making the building safer • People – safely recruited workers doing the right job • Policies – guidance and resources to help you • Practice – what we do everyday • Recognise – spotting a concern • Respond – doing something about a concern • Record – writing down what’s happened • Refer – passing on a concern
Since attending the Foundation Module... In pairs – share, and then record on your personal record, responses to the following: • Something I have done • Something I’ve learnt • Something I have seen • Something I heard
Tackling the obstacles • Reflecting on the last activity, think about any obstacles you encountered in trying to take forward safeguarding. • How did you overcome these? • Share your experiences
A reminder why churches may not respond well they may not want to hear this doesn’t happen in church the person/family is well known and respected the limits of confidentiality/confession are misunderstood embarrassment desire to keep this within the church not knowing who to consult church is about forgiveness not condemnation confusion about falseallegations
PCR findings added to our learning • Leaders and ministers not understanding the nature of safeguarding • Not recognising abuse of power and vulnerability issues • Thinking it’s all about DBS checks and ticking boxes • Anxiety about dealing with statutory authorities • Lack of reflective space
Ways to emphasise importance of safeguarding • Remind churches that the PCR provides evidence of abuse happening in the Church • Training raises awareness, opens up discussion and allows for questions and challenge • National developments can be cited as examples of why this matters • Churches being asked to audit their practices • Gaining experience gives confidence to speak out
More ways to emphasise safeguarding • Take appropriate opportunities to raise safeguarding in a range of settings • Take personal responsibility for accessing on- line resources to update knowledge • Spot where practice could be improved, policies and guidelines made clearer • Build alliances with people who are committed to safeguarding
Recognising emerging types of abuse • Abuse using social media • Child sexual exploitation • Trafficking • Modern slavery • Domestic abuse • Spiritual abuse • Radicalisation • Self neglect (adults)
ACTIVITY On flip charts, for each heading, identify what you know about these types of abuse. Remember some of these affect both children and adults.
Abuse using social media – possible signs • Excessive time online, texting, gaming or using social media • Appearing withdrawn, upset or outraged after using the internet or texting • Secrecy about online conversations and activity • Having many new phone numbers, texts or email addresses • Inappropriate comments posted on church Facebook sites • E-communications to children and young people sent from personal email accounts • Children and young people reporting unwanted contacts or abusive communications
Child sexual exploitation – possible signs • New mobile phone and secretive use • Picked up or dropped off in cars by unknown adults • Sexualised behaviour • Older ‘boyfriend’ • Under the influence of drugs or alcohol • Mood swings or changes in well-being • More time online and secretive about usage • Excessive gifts and unexplained new possessions • Academic performance deteriorating
Domestic abuse – possible signs • Unexplained bruises • Injuries in hidden areas • Inconsistent explanations • Hesitancy and embarrassment in telling story • Minimising injuries • Withdrawn in presence of partner In children: • Becoming aggressive • Displaying anti-social behaviour • Suffering from anxiety and depression • Not doing as well at school • Worrying about a parent
Spiritual abuse – possible signs • Tithing causing hardship • Church members fearful of not attending church • Healing ministries causing significant emotional response • Expecting people to make unreasonable choices about church, family and friends • Church leader expecting unquestioning obedience • Social media being used to bully, coerce or frighten people to comply with church teachings • Declining levels of personal confidence and self esteem • Feeling isolated and excluded from ‘in’ group
Thinking more about survivors • The PCR stressed the courage of victims/survivors in coming forward and the need for better support • The lack of a preventive approach led to harm • Workers with children, young people and vulnerable adults should aim to see what the church now expects through a survivor ‘lens’
What we have learnt from survivors about churches as safe spaces • Not being listened to significantly adds to distress • Safe spaces should provide swift and easy access to care and support services • To feel safe there needs to be recognition that how churches do things can trigger memories and steps should be taken to respect this • Policies should be adhered to
Case studies • What is it in the case example you recognisethat concerns you? • How would you respond to your concern? • What would you record? • To whom would you referthis?
Reflection What new things have you learnt? What are you going to do?
Feedback After the devotions, please take a couple of minutes to complete the feedback form. Please leave the form in the tray on the table before you leave.
Creating Safer Space Foundation ModuleRefresher 2016 Please collect your certificate of attendance. Please place your feedback form in the tray by the door. Thank you for giving up your time to undertake this training.