Safeguarding
The care and protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults visiting and participating in Cathedral activities is important. Everyone who participates in the life of the church has a role to play in promoting a Safer Church for all. The Cathedral follows the Church of England safeguarding guidance; these policies can be found on the diocesan website. If you have any worries or concerns about yourself or another person that may be being harmed or is at risk of harm, we will do our best to help you. If you have any concerns that an individual working or volunteering at the Cathedral may be acting inappropriately or harming another we want to know.
Our staff and volunteers understand their responsibilities regarding safeguarding.
If a child, young person or adult is in immediate need of protection the police should be called.
Social services in each local authority can also be contacted to advise on a safeguarding concern.
The National Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children operates two 24-hour helplines
Help for children and young people – Childline 0800 1111
Help for adults concerned about a child 0808 800 5000
For victims of domestic abuse National Domestic Violence Helpline 0808 2000 247
The National Safeguarding Team have also published an interactive guide to safeguarding which provides a useful overview of safeguarding in the Church of England: please see their website.
Statement concerning victims/survivors of abuse
If you have been harmed (or affected) by abuse however long ago, the Safeguarding Team at Rochester Cathedral are here to listen and to support you.
Whether you feel able to report the abuse or would rather access support and talk through the options first, we encourage you to speak with someone. That could be someone you already know, a member of Rochester Cathedral Safeguarding Team or a person at another organisation. Contact details can be found here
A chance to read the Cathedral Safeguarding Sunday sermon from Sunday 16th November.
Rochester Cathedral is marking a month-long season of Safeguarding this year, in which we invite everyone to reflect on the past failures of the Church in protecting children and vulnerable adults, here in Rochester and elsewhere.
Reporting on Safeguarding activities at Rochester Cathedral in 2024
This year Rochester Cathedral will again be holding a ‘Safeguarding Season’ during which special attention will be paid to the safeguarding an wellbeing of all with whom we have to do, but especially remembering and showing solidarity for all who are victims and survivors of abuse within and outside Christian Churches.
Rochester Cathedral is marking a 3-week season of Safeguarding in 2022, in which we invite everyone to reflect on the past failures of the Church in protecting children and vulnerable adults, here in Rochester and elsewhere.
[External link] A statement from the Church of England’s lead Bishop for Safeguarding, Jonathan Gibbs
As a Cathedral, we welcome the publication of the Past Cases Review 2. PCR2 was launched nationally by the Church of England in the summer of 2019. It came about after independent scrutiny of the original Past Cases Review of 2008 and 2009 considered that this process had not been carried out thoroughly enough. The purpose of the PCR2 is to ensure that all known cases or concerns about the behaviour of clergy and church officers towards adults, children and vulnerable adults have been dealt with appropriately.
The National Safeguarding Team’s independent lessons learnt review into the recruitment and appointment of a previous Director of Music at Rochester Cathedral, has been published today, Thursday 26 May.
Between Safeguarding Sunday on the 10 October, and All Survivors’ Day on 3 November, Rochester Cathedral and the Diocese of Rochester, will mark a Safeguarding Season to raise awareness of a number of safeguarding issues that have implications for everyone.
[External Link]
[External Link] The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse’s investigation into the Anglican Church has led to the Church committing to significant reform and a new law to add religious leaders to the definition of ‘positions of trust’
Safeguarding Jobs
Safeguarding Events
We are seeking a highly motivated, enthusiastic and experienced safeguarding professional to work as Cathedral Safeguarding Officer. The post-holder will work with the Canon Chancellor in his role as Chapter Safeguarding Lead (CSL) to raise and maintain awareness and understanding throughout the Cathedral community of the safeguarding needs of children and adults, and actively promote a culture to ensure that safeguarding is of paramount importance.
Deadline 6th January
We are seeking a highly motivated, enthusiastic and experienced safeguarding professional to work as Cathedral Safeguarding Officer. The post-holder will work with the Canon Chancellor in his role as Chapter Safeguarding Lead (CSL) to raise and maintain awareness and understanding throughout the Cathedral community of the safeguarding needs of children and adults, and actively promote a culture to ensure that safeguarding is of paramount importance.
Deadline 6th January
The Learning Officer will provide support to the Learning Manager to enable the delivery of high-quality learning activities to a wide variety of groups, ages and audiences. Working alongside a team of Learning Assistants & volunteers the Learning Officer will support all aspects of learning activities, setting up and clearing away resources, delivering sessions, instructing volunteers, and adapting activities to match the audience.
We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic person to work as a Sunday Club and Families Worker to support and be involved in the mission and management of the Sunday Club, assisting with Christian discipleship in families and young people and to support and provide learning and family activities in the Cathedral.
