Monday 28th June 2004
A SURVEY of churches in the Oxford Diocese found that 78% have carried out all the necessary checks to protect children and young people in their congregations.
The survey was commissioned by Stephen Barber, child protection coordinator, and carried out by an independent researcher, Bridget Robb.
She found evidence of considerable commitment to children’s work and to bringing in the recommended safeguards.
Many parishes – nearly 50% of those who responded to the survey – have a child protection policy which is regularly reviewed and operate full recruitment processes, including induction, job descriptions support and training.
Some 75% said they were active in their work with children and used child protection procedures as an integral part of the way they work.
Mr Barber said: ‘We are very pleased that so many parishes are taking this seriously.
We think that Criminal Record Bureau checks work best in the context of a proper recruitment and selection process. Parishes are at all stages on this, however – some are just beginning, some are very experienced and some are struggling with the processes.’ So far, 1500 checks have been carried out on volunteers across the Diocese.
Many parents thinking of sending their children to church now ask for evidence that necessary child protection checks have been carried out, and there is anecdotal evidence of some parents refusing to send their children because a church has not followed all the procedures.
The survey also picked up concerns about the difficulty of using the constantly changing CRB process, and the diocesan procedures were also complicated. Mr Barber said the procedures were now being reviewed in the light of this feedback.