Last updated 21st October 2025

Welcome

Safeguarding: Everyone's responsibility

Safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults is central to our mission and ministry and is integral in the Diocesan Vision, which asks us to consider how to make our church communities healthier.

It is everyone's responsibility

These safeguarding pages guide all those in the Diocese of Blackburn on the part that they need to play to ensure the church is a safe environment where concerns are responded to and people can flourish.

You can navigate the safeguarding menu on the homepage to explore our other safeguarding pages or click the links below to go straight to particular pages.

Safeguarding Pages

These pages are listed below for quick access ...

• Overview
• Reporting a safeguarding concern
• Diocesan Safeguarding Team 
• Parish Safeguarding Dashboard and Hubs
• Safeguarding Training
• Parish safeguarding guidance
• Diocesan/national policies and guidance
• Safer recruitment: DBS 
• Safeguarding Matters newsletter
• Past Cases Review 2 Updates
• Past Cases Review 2: Resources/information
• Past Cases Review 2: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

By drawing in specialist support where needed and by working together in a transparent way, all those with safeguarding responsibility in parishes and the Diocese can help to create healthy Church communities which have a positive and transformative effect on our society.

All churches and faith communities are required to have in place arrangements which include:

•  Procedures to identify, respond to and report concerns
•  Codes of safer practice
•  Safer recruitment procedures

Our policies will govern the work undertaken with children, young people and vulnerable adults who attend church or take part in activities on church premises (or that are organised by the church) within the parish.

Liability insurance in relation to such issues may be invalidated if such policy is not in place and being implemented.

Safeguarding Sunday - November 16th 2025

This year the emphasis of the campaign is ‘Action Speaks Louder’ – encouraging churches to not just talk about safeguarding but to take positive action.

The campaign is now in its 7th year and last year saw over 5000 UK churches take part, all from different traditions and denominations. Churches are encouraged to not just reflect but also act on improving safeguarding practices, learning from where they may have got things wrong. To build on the ways they are supporting those who have been hurt, and highlight all the good work being done behind the scenes to protect vulnerable people. In the face of overwhelming stories about abuse in churches, the day creates a fantastic opportunity to show your community that you take safeguarding seriously as an outworking of your faith in a just and loving God.

It’s a day of hope, demonstrating that good news stories do exist, and your churches are one of them! 31:8 Safeguarding Sunday resources.

Confidentiality Declaration

The Diocesan Safeguarding Team has a secure electronic system for retaining any safeguarding information we receive.  Access to the information is restricted to those in the team who are working on the concern and complies to our privacy commitment under the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). We may, on occasions, share this information with statutory organisations to comply with our obligations under national legislation.   Where it is necessary for the safeguarding of children or vulnerable adults, we will share information with others involved in safeguarding within the church, but we will inform you of our intention to do so.  Further information can be obtained from the Safeguarding team upon request.