Reporting a Concern
Safeguarding concerns
If your concern is urgent:
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. If there is no immediate danger, then please contact the Safeguarding Office directly or speak with your Parish Safeguarding Representative (PSR).
If you are in any role within the Catholic Church in England and Wales, you must refer allegations directly to the safeguarding office or the PSR for your diocese, or directly to the Police. Any referrals made directly to the Police must also be sent to the Diocese safeguarding team who will make the PSR aware.
If you are a member of the public, please refer allegations directly to the police and also to the Diocese safeguarding team.
The Diocese Safeguarding Team is available Monday to Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm and can be contacted via:
safeguarding@cliftondiocese.com
0117 954 0993
Full contact details can be found on the Diocese safeguarding contact page.
Clifton Diocese Safeguarding Privacy Notice Summary
The Catholic Safeguarding Standard Agency can also be contacted on 0207 901 1920 or via email at admin@catholicsafeguarding.org.uk
Referring to Statutory Agencies:
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 a survivor and do not wish for your details to be shared with the statutory authorities, then the referral can be made anonymously giving the details of the accused person only. We do this to protect other children and adults from harm. Even if you were abused a long time ago, your abuser might still be working with children or adults and we want to make sure they are not at risk.
For Victims/Survivors:
Finding Help and Support Out of Hours
The Diocesan Safeguarding Team is committed to responding to safeguarding concerns, providing support and advice. However, we are unable to offer an emergency or 24-hour service.
Therefore, if you have a concern or wish to speak to somebody outside of office hours, please contact one of the agencies below who are either available on a 24-hour basis, or through the following specialist helplines and services:
Contacting the Police:
If you have an immediate concern that a child or adult is in danger contact the police on 999.
You can also contact them via their non-emergency number 101, 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
Local Authority – Social Services:
You can also report your concerns to your local children and adult services. Most local authorities run an out-of-hours helpline:
Bristol/BANES/North Somerset/South Gloucestershire: 01454 615 165
Gloucestershire: 01452 614 194
Somerset: 0300 123 2327
Wiltshire: 0300 456 0100
Swindon: 01793 436 699
External National helplines:
- NSPCC You can contact the NSPCC Helpline by calling 0808 800 5000 or emailing help@NSPCC.org.uk. Due to an increase in demand across the service, their voice Helpline is currently available 10am–8pm Monday to Friday. You can still email help@NSPCC.org.uk at any time for free, and you don’t have to say who you are.
- Childline (NSPCC): 0800 1111, the line is free and open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call if you are a child or young person and are worried about anything – no problem is too big or too small.
- National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247, free phone 24-hours. Call if you are experiencing domestic abuse.
- Samaritans 116 123, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call if you feel you are struggling to cope and need someone to talk to.
- Hourglass Free helpline 24/7 (Action on Elder Abuse) : 0808 808 8141, free phone Monday to Friday 9-5pm. Free text 078 6005 2906. Support to an older person or anyone concerned about an older person who is at risk.
- The Survivors Trust Monday- Thursday: 10am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-4pm & 6pm-8pm, Friday: 10am-12.30pm & 1.30pm-4pm, Saturday: 10am-12.30pm, Sunday: 6pm-8pm
- NAPAC 0808 801 0331 – freephone Monday to Thursday: 10am – 9pm; Friday: 10am – 6pm; Saturday and Sunday – Closed. Offers support to adult survivors of all types of childhood abuse, including physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect.