The safeguarding of children, younger people and adults is of vital importance to us. As a community, we strive to ensure that our environment provides a framework which is built on love and sensitivity for our neighbours. We completely support the work of the local archdiocese in ensuring a "one Church approach" to safeguarding. This involves a constant vigilance and as such we work with the safeguarding departments within our Catholic Church to ensure that good practice and due diligence is adopted within our community.
The Conference of Religious of England and Wales also publishes a basic set of guidelines for Religious called
Integrity in Ministry. St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth works within the parameters of this important publication to ensure that our own safeguarding practices adequately protect the interest of vulnerable individuals.
Reporting abuse
If you are concerned about the welfare of a child or adult at risk, do not delay in contacting the police, using 999 if a child or adult is believed to be in immediate danger.
It is the policy of the Catholic Church in England and Wales to report all allegations of abuse to statutory authorities, regardless of whether the abuse occurred recently or in the past, or whether the accused person is living or deceased.
If you are in any rôle within the Catholic Church in England and Wales, you must refer allegations directly to the safeguarding office for your diocese or religious congregation, or directly to the Police.
If you are a member of the public, please refer allegations directly to the Police (call 999 in an emergency, otherwise 101) and also to the Safeguarding Office in our diocese (Roman Catholic Diocese of Arundel & Brighton): https://www.abdiocese.org.uk/safeguarding/home
You can also contact CSSA, the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency: https://catholicsafeguarding.org.uk
SAFEGUARDING
Rev Dunstan Keauffling OSB is appointed as Safeguarding Representative at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth. His details are given below, should you wish to contact him about any issue concerned with Safeguarding at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth or our wider community. We take all concerns seriously and have processes in place to best handle them.
The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency's vision is for a safe Catholic Church throughout England and Wales. It works towards that vision by regulating safeguarding and by sharing what it finds. The Agency is independent and offers assurance to the public by driving safeguarding standards in the Church.