Safeguarding
Safeguarding is about keeping children and vulnerable people safe from abuse, explotation or victimisation. Abuse is never the fault of the child or vulnerable person who was abused, and it is always the responsibility of a person in a position of power or trust to ensure that appropriate boundaries are maintained, and that children and other people in their care who are vulnerable to abuse or neglect are kept safe.
If you want to report concerns or abuse or if you need support, even if the event occured in the past, then you can contact either the Vicar of the Polden Wheel here or the Polden Wheel Safeguarding officer here. Both will treat any report as confidential and will respond to you by whatever means you wish.
Alternatively, you can make a report or find support by contacting the Bath and Wells diocese or the Church of England directly by following links to the websites below.
Bath and Wells Safeguarding can be found here
Church of England Safeguarding can be found here
Safeguarding Training and Awareness for Church Members and Volunteers
If you volunteer for a Church activity the Church of England has recommended that you complete the Basic Awareness Safeguarding course. This is available as an online and can be found on the Bath and Wells Safeguarding Training page here or by going to https://safeguardingtraining.cofeportal.org/
Full guidance on training can be found in the Church of England Practice Guidance: Safeguarding Training and Development. Those who are recommended to do Basic Awareness is as follows but not limited to: Vergers, Servers, Welcomers, Caretakers, Refreshment helpers, Shop Staff, Sidespersons, PCC members, church wardens, bell ringers, choir members/musicgroup members, employees of the Diocesan Board of Education and Diocesan Board of Finance.