The Catholic Parish of St Hugh of Lincoln is committed to the Safeguarding Policies of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults from any form of abuse or maltreatment and to promote a safe environment for them.
This commitment flows from the fact that we are all made in the image of God, and with the Church’s common belief in the dignity and uniqueness of every human life.
We start from the principle that each person has a right to expect the highest level of care and protection, love encouragement and respect that we can give.
Everyone in the Church has a responsibility to safeguard and promote the wellbeing of those who worship in our Church or who join us for any activity facilitated by Church members.
We will liaise closely and openly with statutory agencies to ensure that any concerns or allegations of abuse that are raised are promptly reported and properly investigated, victims supported, and perpetrators held to account.
Parish Safeguarding Representative
Mrs Julie Webster
Julie.WebsterPSR@dioceseofnottingham.uk
Tel: 07513725258
Diocesan Safeguarding Co-ordinator
Rachael Campion
0115 953 9849
safeguarding@dioceseofnottingham.uk
https://www.dioceseofnottingham.uk/departments/safeguarding/parish-safeguarding-toolkit
The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency
The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency has been established to advise on and audit the work of the Catholic Church in England and Wales as it develops the highest calibre regime of safeguarding.
The CSSA holds a regulatory function extending to all dioceses and Religious Life Groups. It monitors compliance by Church bodies with the safeguarding standards adopted by the Church, using its own independent audit and review function and is empowered to undertake its role as a regulator through the freely entered into contractual relationships between it and the Church bodies it provides a service to. Through this, the CSSA has the powers to ensure that each Church body partnered with it, is complying with the published standards.
There are many resources on its website this can be found: https://catholicsafeguarding.org.uk/ .
Safe Spaces
Safe Spaces is a free and independent support service, providing a confidential, personal, and safe space for anyone who has been abused through their relationship with the Church.
https://www.safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk/
SAFEGUARDING SUNDAY - message from Bishop Patrick
What is Safeguarding? Safeguarding is about protecting ourselves and others from harm. We all get things wrong, and sometimes the things we do and say can hurt others, or we can get hurt by them. This can happen anywhere - at church, school, home, or with friends – and makes us feel sad, worried, or confused. Just like an umbrella that keeps us safe from the rain, safeguarding protects us from being hurt by others. It’s important because each of us is special to God and deserves to feel, and be, safe. In our country we have rules and laws to help keep people safe. Just like a lollipop person helps us cross the road safely, we have people in our church who make sure we follow these rules to make it a safe place. Everyone has a job to do. If you ever feel worried, upset, or unsure about something that happened to you or someone else, tell someone you trust. By speaking up, we can help keep everyone safe. Remember, safeguarding is all about protecting ourselves and others from harm.
Diocesan Safeguarding Sunday 2025: This year’s focus is on the theme of “The Empty Chair”. Many of us are saddened by reducing numbers in our churches. This is happening for a wide variety of reasons, but our thoughts are on those who are not there because they have suffered abuse in a church setting and cannot face being here. They may be the families or friends of survivors. They may be former members of a community affected by allegations or convictions for abuse. They may be people who are simply so disgusted or ashamed by what they have heard about abuse within the Church that they no longer want to be part of it. All these groups and others are represented by “The Empty Chair”.