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parish policy on child protection
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St Agnes Birch-in-Rusholme with St John with St Cyprian Longsight
Church of England Diocese of Manchester
Parish Child Protection Policy

A. Parish Policy statement on children, young people and the church

This statement was agreed at a PCC meeting held on 24th November 1998 and updated and
amended by the PCC on 10th April 2002. The policy is reviewed each year and was last reviewed in
September 2007.


It will be read at the Annual Church Meeting each year where progress in carrying it out will be monitored.

Children and young people are part of our church today. They have much to give as well as to receive. We listen
to them. As we nurture them in worship, learning and in community life, we will respect the wishes and feeling of
children and young people.

As members of the Parish we commit ourselves to the nurturing, protection and safekeeping of all, especially
children and young people.

It is the responsibility of each one of us to prevent physical, sexual and emotional abuse of children and young
people and to report any abuse discovered or suspected.

We recognise that our work with children and young people is the responsibility of the whole church.

The Parish is committed to supporting, resourcing and training those who work with children and young people
and to providing supervision.

The Parish is committed to following the guidelines and procedures published by the Diocese of Manchester in
the document 'CHILDREN FIRST'.

Each worker with children and young people must know the recommendations and undertake to observe them.
Each shall be given a copy of the Parish's agreed procedures and Good practice guidelines.

As part of our commitment to children and young people, the PCC has appointed a Parish co-ordinator who is:

Mrs Doreen Healey


B. Parish good practice guidelines for those working alongside children and young people

The following Parish good practice guidelines for those working alongside children and young people should be
read in conjunction with the Parish policy statement on children, young people and the church, and also in
conjunction with the Parish procedure for child protection.

These guidelines were introduced on 24th November 1998 and amended and updated at the PCC meeting on
10th April 2002.

The contents of this document should be considered as recommendations for good practice, but are only
advisory to anyone working with children or young people within the Parish. Group leaders and helpers should
seek, wherever possible, to follow these good practice guidelines. These guidelines are supported by the
recommendations found in the Manchester Diocesan Children First document.

These guidelines will be made available at each Annual Church Meeting, where their progress will be monitored.

1. Time Alone

Time spent alone with any child or young person should be minimised. If it is vital to be isolated with an individual
ensure that another leader is informed of where you will be and why,. If possible remain in view of another leader,
try never to be behind a closed door and tell someone that you are there.

2. Premises Requirements

2.1    Toilets: The ideal is 1 toilet and 1 hand basin per 10 children.

2.2    Warm & Clean: group areas should be warm, adequately lit and ventilated. Maintain high standards of
cleanliness.

2.3    Special Needs: be able and willing to accommodate children with special needs. Be aware of access to the
building and its toilet facilities.

2.4    Entrances & Exits: should be well lit and easily accessible.

2.5    Registration: Social Services need to register premises where activities that take place for more than 2
hours in any day or if a holiday club runs for more than 6 days a year.

3. Health and Safety

A responsible adult should make sure that the premises are open in good time and that children under 11 are
collected at the end of a meeting.

4. Transport

If at all possible do not give lifts to children and young people on their own other than for short journeys. If they
are alone ask them sit in the back seat. Check that insurance covers the vehicle and passengers. Seat belts must
be worn.

5. Touch

Touch is an important part of human relationships: for example, it can be necessary to stop a young child from
hurting himself or herself; it can also be a natural way of responding to someone in distress. However everyone
working with children should be sensitive to what is appropriate and inappropriate physical contact, both in
general terms, and in relation to a specific individual. Leader to be conscious of situations in which their actions,
however well intended, could be misconstrued by others or be harmful.

6. Good practice with colleagues

If you see another member of staff acting in ways that might be misconstrued, be prepared to speak to them or to
your supervisor or group leader about your concerns. Leaders should encourage an atmosphere of mutual
support and care which allows all workers to be comfortable enough to discuss inappropriate attitudes and
behaviour.


C. Parish Procedures for child protection

The following Parish procedures for child protection should be read in conjunction with the Parish policy statement
on children, young people and the church, and also in conjunction with the Parish good practice guidelines for
those working alongside children and young people.

This child protection procedure was adopted by a PCC meeting on 24th November 1998 and updated and
amended by the PCC on 10th April 2002.

The contents of this document must be considered mandatory for anyone working with children and young people
within the Parish. It is a contractual obligation for each person working with children or young people in the Parish
to follow all of the procedures listed below and also, wherever possible, the good practice guidelines
accompanying these procedures.

These procedures will be made available at each Annual Church Meeting, where their progress will be monitored.

1. Declaration & Contact

1.1    Anyone who volunteers to work with children or young people in the Parish will be expected to complete a
declaration form CP2 contained in the Diocesan Children First handbook, including supplying the names and
addresses of two referees. When completed, this declaration must be handed to the  Parish Child Protection
co-ordinator who will keep it safe and treat the information it contains in confidence. The protection co-ordinator
will contact the referees named, and any appointment made will be conditional upon receiving satisfactory
references.

1.2    Anyone who volunteers to work with children or young people in the Parish will be given a volunteer contract
by the Child Protection co-ordinator, stating clearly the particular responsibilities the volunteer has been recruited
to undertake. This should be kept safely by the volunteer and an annual review of the volunteers work will be
undertaken.

2. Adult / Child Ratio

2.1    The required ratio of leaders to children according to their age, shall be:

For 0-2 years - 1 leader to every 3 children (1:3)
For 2-3 years - 1 leader to every 4 children (1:4)
For 3-8 years - 1 leader to every 8 children (1:8)
For over 8's - 1 leader for the first 8 children followed by 1:12

2.2    There must always be more than one leader for any group, no matter the group size. If only one leader is
available, then the group must not take place.

3. Administration

3.1    An up to date register and record of children, their parents and contact phone numbers, attendance and
other specific information (such as medical conditions) will be kept. The co-ordinator of each group will be
responsible for insuring this information is kept safely for each group.

3.2    A daily register, completed whenever the group meets must be kept, and be easily accessible in an
emergency. The daily register must be kept in a safe place whenever the group is not meeting.

4. Insurance

It is the responsibility of each group co-ordinator to inform the PCC of any activities that are taking place, and to
ensure the activities are adequately insured. The existing Parish insurance covers indoor activities for children
and young people; additional insurance cover may be needed for other events.

5. Health & Safety

5.1    All leaders must know the location of the nearest telephone.

5.2    Adults must be aware of the safety / fire procedure and how to evacuate the premises being used. Group
leaders must ensure that fire extinguishers are available and in good working condition.

5.3    No smoking is permitted in or near the areas children will be in, immediately before, during or after children
are present.

5.4    Children must submit a health form before a residential or hazardous activity. These health forms must be
taken with the leaders when going off-site.

5.5    All accidents must be recorded in the accident book, making note of any action taken and signed by the
leader involved.

5.6    A first aid kit must be available in any premises used by children or young people, and its location must be
well-known. No medication must be administered without written parental consent.

6.Finance

If money is collected as part of a group?s activity, account of this must be given to the PCC.

7. Volunteers

Volunteers, particularly those under the age of 18, must never work unsupervised and must be given clear
guidance and support.

8. Casual Visitors

Casual visitors i.e. those who have not been authorised by the church as leaders or helpers, must not have
access to children without the presence of an adult who is deemed responsible for the group.

9. Communication

Clergy, the PCC and parents must be clearly informed of all the activities in which children and young people take
part in on church premises or through the church in any way.

10. Practice of leaders and helpers

10.1  All children and young people must be treated with the respect and dignity befitting their age; special
attention must be given to language, tone of voice and use of the body.

10.2  Leaders and helpers must not engage in any of the following:

·         invading the privacy of children when they are showering or toileting;

·         rough, physical or sexually provocative games;

·         making sexually suggestive comments about or to a young person, even in fun;

·         inappropriate and intrusive touching of any form;

·         any scapegoat-ing, ridiculing or rejecting a child or young person.

10.3  Leaders and helpers must control and discipline children without using physical punishment.

10.4  No child or young person should be involved in excessive attention seeking that is overtly sexual or physical
in nature.

10.5  No child or young person may be invited to a leaders home on their own, only a group may be invited. The
leader must ensure someone else is in the house, and the parents know where the children or young persons are.

10.6  A leader must not share sleeping accommodation with children or young people if a group is taken away.

11. Other organisations


11.1  The PCC must ensure that any tenants or other groups using their premises make their own provision for
ensuring child protection. They must take full responsibility for their own children and leaders. (Details here.)

11.2  Where another group using church premises has a sponsoring agreement with the Parish, the Parish Child
Protection co-ordinator must ensure declaration forms are completed by its leaders and kept safely, and must
also ensure that all procedures of the group comply with these Parish procedures.


See also:
Child Protection Guidelines for users of the Community Centre
Parish Health & Safety Policy
The parish child protection policy was adopted in 1998 and can be read below. It will also be available to
download from this page shortly. During 2008 the policy will be reviewed and rewritten in line with the latest
Diocesan and national guidelines.