Safeguarding Policy
Please click this link for our full Safeguarding Policy:
St Andrew's Biggleswade Safeguarding Policy
To contact the Safeguarding Officer, please email.
If urgent: Call 07951 554484
Safeguarding Starts with Culture
A message from your Parish Safeguarding Officer
Safeguarding in church isn’t just about policies and checks—it’s about the kind of culture we create together.
When a church is open, welcoming, and honest, it becomes a safer place for everyone. People feel able to speak up, ask questions, and raise concerns if something doesn’t feel right.
Here are some simple ways our church culture helps preventsafeguarding issues:
• Listening well – When people feel heard and believed, they’re more likely to share concerns early.
• Clear boundaries – Leaders and volunteers model respectful, healthy relationships.
• Shared responsibility – Safeguarding is something we all play a part in, not just the job of one or two people.
• Being open about safeguarding – We talk about it, include it in our prayers, and make sure information is easy to find.
• Putting people first – We take care, especially with children, vulnerable adults, and those who’ve had painful experiences in the past.
Let’s keep building a culture where everyone feels safe, valued, and supported. If you ever have a question or concern, please don’t hesitate to speak to me.
Helen
Parish Safeguarding Officer
“People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them “let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it and he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.”
Mark: 10, 13-16
We as members of St. Andrew’s Church, Biggleswade, care about and wish to support, the children and young people of Biggleswade and the surrounding area. We value the opportunity to offer activity, to offer guidance and nurture and share the love of God in support of their development.
This we do by offering activity-based groups, holiday clubs, youth events and nurture activities linked to our church services. To these groups we invite all young people from Biggleswade and at times, involve others from the surrounding area. We do not set any specific entry criteria but we do expect an acceptable level of behaviour and respect for the beliefs of the Church.
Our Safeguarding Policy sets out the policy of St. Andrew’s towards this important work. This policy is fully in line with St Albans Diocesan safeguarding policy. It includes appointment procedures for leaders as well as guidance for the operation of groups. It covers all activities that are organised in the name of St. Andrew’s with the agreement of the Parochial Church Council.
Reflecting the importance attached to this work, the PCC has appointed a Safeguarding team to oversee adherence to safeguarding policy within the Parish. This includes a Parish Safeguarding Officer to oversee any disclosure incidents a small team of lay representatives, the PCC Youth coordinator and a DBS “recruiter” who will assist in the recruitment process and manage the submissions to “thirtyone:eight”, St Albans diocese appointed DBS agents.
We thank God for our children and young people, and seek to learn more about God through each one of them. We pray that God will watch over them and us, that He will guide us in our nurture and that each child will valued as one of His Children.
A copy of the Church of Englend Parish SafeGuarding Handbook can be downloaded here.
Further Links:
Church Officers
Central Bedfordshire Council
Childline
Website 0800 1111