Safeguarding
St Mark’s Church is committed to high standards in the safeguarding and care of children, young people, and adults. We will promote the welfare of children, young people and adults. We will work to prevent abuse from occurring. We will seek to protect those who are at risk of being abused and respond well to those who have been abused. We will take care to identify where a person may present a risk to others, and offer support to them whilst taking steps to mitigate such risks.
Our Safeguarding Officer is Duncan Lennox, 07422 575765. Or contact the Church office, 0114 2663613. Our domestic violence Officer is Cath Williamson who can be contacted contacted through the Church office by calling 0114 2663613.
If you have a safeguarding concern, please contact one of our Safeguarding team. You can also report a concern directly to the Diocese Safeguarding Team or contact them if it is out of hours or you are struggling to reach us. Their contact information can be found
here .
Our Safeguarding Policies:
These policies are current and the date reflects the last time they were amended by the PCC, who review them annually.
Allegations Against Clergy or Lay Ministers
If you would like to raise a concern about a member of clergy or a lay ministers holding the bishop’s license you can contact the Archdeacon directly on malcolm.chamberlain@sheffield.anglican.org or 07740198806.
It was recently reported in the press that Mr M Copeland (aka Cope) has been sentenced to 16 years for sexual offences committed in Sheffield during the 1980s and 90s. He was known to attend churches within this Mission Area. We would urge anyone who is affected by this news to either contact their Parish Safeguarding Officer or the Diocesan Safeguarding Team. Mr Copeland left Sheffield around 2016.
More here.
Other Links and Places for Support
Safe Spaces is a free and independent support service for anyone who has been abused by someone in the Church.
Sheffield Diocese Safeguarding Team
Local Authority contact details including telephone numbers for social care teams in Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham, Barnsley and others.
Helplines
If you or someone you know needs support regarding an incident of church-related abuse, there are several helplines who can offer support:
Safe Spaces is a free and independently run support service for anyone who has been abused by someone in the Church, 0300 3031056.
ThirtyOne:Eight a church related safeguarding helpline, 0303 003 1111
Minister and Clergy Sexual Abuse Survivors (MACSAS): 08088 01 03 40
National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC): 0808 801 0331
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC): 0800 80 20 20
The Samaritans: a free helpline open 24hours a day, every day: 116 123