Our Organisations
Children, Young People and the Church
Whitstable Baptist Church has formulated a policy for the protection of the children and young people in our care and this policy is reviewed and confirmed annually by the Church Meeting. It reads as follows:
Commitment
As a church, we are committed to providing a safe environment for children and young people to meet together within the framework of children’s and youth activities organised by Whitstable Baptist Church.Responsibility
As a church, we are responsible for the spiritual, physical and mental well-being of children and young people whilst they are in the care of the church.Recognition
As a church we are committed to supporting, resourcing and training those who work with children and young people and to providing individual supervision to each worker.In Addition
We recognise that our work with children and young people is the responsibility of the WHOLE church- The church aims to work within the guidelines of the Government recommendations in ‘Safe from Harm’ and the Baptist Union’s guidelines ‘Safe to grow’
- The church aims to prevent physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect of children and young people, and report any abuse discovered or suspected
- Each person who works with children and young people must know the aforementioned recommendations and undertake to observe them. Each such person will be given a copy of the church’s agreed procedure and ‘Good practice guidelines’
- All children’s and youth organisations within the church adhere to this policy and each has its own specific aims and objectives available for scrutiny
As part or our commitment to children and young people, the church has appointed a specific deacon to liaise with the children’s workers and a named person as the Children and Young People’s Advocate.
Also, two people are appointed as Children’s Safety Co-ordinators and they are responsible for the clerical administration of “Safe to Grow”, the Baptist Union’s Child Protection Policy. This reflects the workings and requirements of The Independent Safeguarding Authority, The Criminal Records Bureau and The Vetting and Barring Scheme. The Baptist Union is amongst those Christian denominations that have established the Churches’ Agency for Safeguarding.
The responsibility is to ensure that anyone suggested for, or intending to work with children within the activities of Whitstable Baptist Church meets the legal and recommended criteria for those working in what is termed a “regulated activity”. This involves the collection of relevant data from each such individual by way of their completing an Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure form, including the obtaining and checking of two references. When all is found to be acceptable, the individual is able to begin working within the chosen activity.
A further responsibility is to ensure that the CRB Disclosure is updated and renewed at the required interval of time.
A printable copy of the Child Protection Policy may be downloaded here.