Safeguarding

Independent Safeguarding Audit 2026

The Church of England have commissioned the INEQE Safeguarding Group to conduct Independent Safeguarding Audits of the Church of England to make sure dioceses and cathedrals are doing all they can to create environments where everyone feels safe, valued and respected.

They of course are wanting to hear feedback from the Church community to comment on any matters relevant to safeguarding.

Below are links explaining everything for our congregation and access to the survey online.
Parish Community Member Letter
Poster
Survey Link

We know not everyone is comfortable with online usage so Alberta and Yvonne (our Safeguarding Officers) have arranged to hold a focus group which will take place on the 29th March after Church, 11:15 for a prompt 11:30 start in St John's Church hall. We will have hardcopies which anyone from the congregation can complete anonymously. Completed surveys will be put in an envelope and submitted to INEQE directly.

The Survey will close on 8th April at 11:30pm.

Please speak to Alberta or Yvonne if you have any queries.

Why does safeguarding matter in a Christian community?

St John the Baptist works to provide a safe environment for the whole Church family, especially children and adults at risk. We aim to be a place where children and young people are nurtured and protected; and where all people, and especially those who may be vulnerable for any reason, are able to worship and pursue their faith journey with encouragement and in safety.
We follow the national legal and procedural framework for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, and Church of England policy and practice.

Reporting a Concern

The safeguarding officer for St John the Baptist Church is:
Alberta Rosenior
Tel. 020 8863 9413
Yvonne Watkins-Knight
Tel. 077 6644 4402

You can contact either the officer or the parish priest if you have any questions about our policies and procedures or if you suspect a child or vulnerable adult is at risk. If you believe someone is in imminent danger please call 999.

Church Policies

Our Safeguarding policy was reviewed and adopted by the Parochial Church Council (PCC) on 22 Jul 2025. The policy is reviewed annually and displayed at the back of church on the notice board. The policy can also be found here.

Useful links & contacts

If you believe someone is in immediate danger call 999.

If you need help, are concerned about someone or just need to talk, please contact one of our safeguarding officers or the parish priest.

If you would like to get in touch with another agency, such as the NSPCC or need to contact the diocesan safeguarding team directly, please follow this link.

The current edition of A Safe Church can be found at: Safeguarding

Children and parent safeguarding resources:

Faal safeguarding video
Parent Church Safeguarding Leaflet
Child Church Safeguarding Leaflet

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning. People of all ages and backgrounds are welcome to join us. We are an eclectic inclusive church. There is space for buggies and it is a safe place for breastfeeding.

Where and When

We meet in the Church for our Sunday Service starting at 10am. When you arrive, you will be greeted by one of our welcomers.

Accessibility

There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. We don't currently have a disabled toilet.

Our Service

The main service begins at 10am with a warm welcome from the priest. You will then be invited to stand and we sing a hymn while the choir, servers and priest process in. The service can be followed in the service booklet handed out by the welcomers. Our style of worship follows the Church of England Common Worship. It is easy to follow, with a mixture of prayers and hymns (both traditional and modern), and includes Holy Communion each week. We all begin together in church, and on the weeks when there is Children's Church, the children move into the hall before the readings begin. They then rejoin us for Communion. After the service free refreshments are available in the hall.

What about my kids?

Children are welcome in the church service. There are books available and a colouring table. We encourage parents to help the children engage in the service by following the service sheet together, joining in with the talk in All Age services, and joining in with prayers where they can.

On the second, third (and sometimes fourth) Sunday of the month we have Children's Church which uses the Diddy Disciples resources. It involves bible stories, songs, prayers and craft. Parents are encouraged to stay with their children if they are below school age to help them get as much out of the session as possible.

We want parents to be able to feel they can worship as much as possible as well as the children, so that church can be a place of refreshment, friendship and spiritually uplifting for everyone.

As children get older, there are more opportunities for them to participate in the life of the church. For more information please see our Children's Church page.

Children

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

Leadership


Rev. Caroline Risdon		Rev. Jo McCrone
Vicar		Assistant Curate

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes

Caroline