Safeguarding

The care and protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults involved in church activities is the responsibility of the whole church. Everyone who participates in the life of the Lightwave Community has a role to play in promoting a Safer Church for all.

Safeguarding is an integral part of the mission and ministry of the church in this diocese and is in line with the diocesan Growing in God strategy. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

It is our policy to:

• Promote a safe environment and culture;
• Safely recruit and support all those with any responsibility relating those groups who are at increased risk of harm or abuse within the church;
• Respond promptly to every safeguarding concern or allegation
• Care pastorally for victims/survivors of abuse and other affected persons;
• Care pastorally for those who are the subject of concerns or allegations of abuse and other affected persons;
• Respond to those who may pose a present risk to others.

The Lightwave Community has adopted the Church of England’s House of Bishops’ Safeguarding Policy for children, young people and adults, Promoting a Safer Church with more details to be found in the Parish Safeguarding Handbook and Addendum and the Roles and Responsibilities Practice Guidance.

Lightwave has its own comprehensive Safeguarding Policy (see resources below) and our volunteers who work with young people or vulnerable adults are DBS checked and receive Safeguarding training. We review our Safeguarding Policy and our safeguarding practice each year. 

A short guide for Safeguarding in Lightwave Groups is being prepared - in the meantime we would encourage you to read the policy linked in the resources below.

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Reporting and Recording Concerns

If you have any concerns at any time about safeguarding in our groups or hubs please contact one of the following:

If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm, please contact the head of the safeguarding team, or the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer, Karen Galloway 07785 621319 or safeguarding@cofesuffolk.org If you  have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority’s children or adult social care services. 

Other contacts are as follows:

Head of Safeguarding Team, Roz Armstrong - safeguarding.bungay@lightwave.community or phone 07305 109021

Leader of Lightwave, Archdeacon for Rural Mission, Sally Gaze - archdeacon.sally@cofesuffolk.org or phone 07446 933129

Diocesan Safeguarding Officer - safeguarding@cofesuffolk.org or phone Karen Galloway on 07785 621319 

Karen Galloway Diocesan Safeguarding Officer is available 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.
If you need safeguarding advice outside of these hours use the link below to report your concern directly or find additional resources.

Safeguarding Resources

• For more details about reporting a concern click here
• You can download a form to keep a record of your concerns here
• See resources to the right to see the Lightwave Safeguarding Policy and a poster which you can use at all of your Lightwave events
• For all Safeguarding Resources for the Church of England in Suffolk - click here