The Church of England’s policy statement, ‘Promoting a Safer Church’[1], sets out the Church’s commitment to the safeguarding of children and adults. This commitment extends to Religious Communities under the “Whole Church” approach.
Under the Religious Communities Regulations 2020, in order to be a recognised or acknowledged community under the new Canon DA1, communities must ensure their governing documents:
- impose on members and officers of the community (including the Visitor) duties that are equivalent to those imposed by or under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 (duties in relation to safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults);
- make provision as to the persons or bodies who have particular responsibility in relation to the safeguarding of children or vulnerable adults;
- make provision for the Visitor’s functions in relation to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
This document is Safeguarding Code of Practice, issued under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure, and therefore applies to all members of recognised and acknowledged religious communities.
This Code contains both requirements and guidance. The guidance explains, for example, how to deliver the requirements, sets out some good practice examples, and explains why the requirements are necessary. In other words, it explains “why and how” to deliver the requirements. Whilst the case examples and other associated advice should be considered as best practice which should be followed, the duty to comply does not apply to them. For clarity, in this Code, all requirements are clearly marked as such and are in a blue box.
Requirements for Religious Communities are made under the Religious Communities Regulations 2020. Requirements for all other Church Officers are made under s. 5A of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016, as amended by the Safeguarding (Code of Practice) Measure 2021, which came into effect on 1 March 2022.
Scope
This document applies to members of all those religious communities which are recognised or acknowledged under the Religious Communities Regulations 2020. For the avoidance of doubt, this document also applies to alongsider, employed staff, volunteers, oblates, tertiaries and novices where these are appropriate.
Those members of religious communities who are ordained, hold PTO, are licensed or who are otherwise a relevant person under section 5A of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 are expected to also comply with other Safeguarding Codes of Practice as appropriate to that role.
It is acknowledged that Religious Communities vary widely in their size, scope, mission and membership, which can make the development of an overarching Code difficult. This document sets out what is expected, but the reality is it must be implemented in a proportionate manner. For example:
- Very large communities with employed staff who deliver a service or ministry to children, young people and vulnerable adults would be expected to implement this code in full.
- Those with many overseas members/staff would be expected to have an arrangement in place that works for their particular circumstances.
- Very small communities with no staff who do not have any contact with children or vulnerable adults would need to apply very little of this Code.
The key issue is that all aspects of this Code have been considered by a community, in consultation with the DSO if needed, and an evidenced decision has been made.
Definitions
Please refer to the main Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults Guidance for definitions of abuse.
Recognised communities are those which are organised along the traditional Benedictine vows of stability, conversion of life and obedience, or the “evangelical counsels” of poverty, chastity and obedience. Members spend a period – usually at least three years – in temporary/first/simple vows after the noviciate and before Solemn or Life vows when they cease to hold personal property, and live either in community or as solitaries. Recognised communities will have a Rule and Governing Documents which provide for the ordering of the life of the community.
Acknowledged communities vary in their practice and lifestyle. In most cases, the members are dispersed, with opportunities provided for meeting together whilst in others there may be a shared life in one place in what is otherwise a dispersed community. Members may be single, married, in family units or in a partnership. Members make ‘seasonal vows’ of commitment, most holding down jobs in wider society. Each community has a Rule of Life and Governing Documents which provide for the ordering of the life of the community.
Review
This Code will be reviewed no later than July 2028.