Safeguarding
Our Team
Joanne Hever
Yvette Hansbury - Robinson
North Western Synod Safeguarding Officer
M: 07827 390299
E: safeguarding@nwsynod.org.uk
Safeguarding – creating safe and welcoming churches
Our Commitment to Safeguarding
North Western Synod of the United Reformed Church is committed to promoting a culture where everyone can feel safe, welcomed, valued and respected. Safeguarding is an important part of the life of our churches, helping us to protect children, young people and adults who may be at risk of harm, abuse or neglect.
We recognise that safeguarding is a shared responsibility. It is not simply about policies and procedures, but about creating church communities where people feel able to speak openly, where concerns are taken seriously, and where appropriate support and action are provided when needed.
Our aim is to work alongside our churches to strengthen good safeguarding practice, build confidence and ensure that safeguarding remains an integral part of our worship, activities and community life.
Our Safeguarding Priorities
North Western Synod works with churches to support them in five key areas:
Advice and Guidance
Supporting churches and Church Safeguarding Coordinators to understand safeguarding responsibilities and navigate what can sometimes feel like complex requirements.Policies and Procedures
Helping churches to maintain up-to-date safeguarding policies, procedures and good practice guidance.Safer Recruitment
Promoting safer recruitment processes, including appropriate checks, references and safeguarding considerations when people take on roles within our churches.Responding to Concerns
Supporting churches to respond appropriately and proportionately to safeguarding concerns, allegations or disclosures, ensuring that the welfare of those involved remains central.Training and Development
Providing relevant and accessible safeguarding training to help ministers, elders, Church Safeguarding Coordinators, volunteers and others develop their knowledge, skills and confidence.
Working Together
Safeguarding works best when we work together. North Western Synod is here to provide advice, guidance and support to our churches and their safeguarding coordinators, helping us all to build communities where everyone can participate safely and feel confident that they will be listened to and supported.
Safeguarding
Promoting safeguarding is a vital and important part of church life
The main areas of North Western Synod’s safeguarding focus are:
Ensuring that churches have the latest policies and procedures in place
Embedding safer recruitment practice
Responding appropriately to safeguarding allegations and concerns
Delivery of quality and relevant safeguarding training
Safeguarding Policies and Procedures
The URC’s Good Practice 6 contains information to assist you in your day-to-day safeguarding responsibilities. You can download a copy here: Good Practice 6 (PDF | 3mb) or visit the URC Bookshopto order a printed copy.
All the Appendices - Forms, Templates and Codes of Conduct - are available via the URC website.
Please click the following link for the latest North Western Synod Safeguarding Policy
To update your own Church Safeguarding Policy, click here for a template.
Safer Recruitment
Safer recruitment is a framework which uses a range of measures designed to deter and prevent unsuitable individuals from working (either paid or unpaid) with children and/or adults at risk. A DBS check is only one part of the process. For further information, see Section 2.4 of Good Practice 6.
Please click here for the DBS Matrix detailing which roles require a disclosure, at what level and who is responsible for instigating and keeping records of the check.
Safeguarding Allegations and Concerns
Download the Safeguarding Concern Form here.
Safeguarding Training & Events
Please click herefor the URC Safeguarding Training Matrix – 2025 which outlines the levels of mandatory training required for roles within your church.
Online and Face-to-Face Safeguarding Training is delivered by your Synod Safeguarding Officer, Yvette. Upcoming Safeguarding Training Dates can be found here.
Safeguarding Contacts:
North Western Synod Safeguarding Officer - Yvette Hansbury-Robinson
Mob: 07376 053 044 Email: safeguarding@nwsynod.org.uk
For general safeguarding queries relating to safeguarding training, DBS and the Annual Safeguarding Return (ASR), please contact:
Joanne Hever Tel: 08000 903 903 Email: helpdesk@nwsynod.org.uk
URC Safeguarding Office:
(This should only be used if you are unable to contact your Synod Safeguarding Officer during office hours)
Email: safeguarding@urc.org.uk
Emergency and out of office contacts:
Where a person is in imminent danger of harm or a criminal act may have been committed, the police must be notified immediately on 999. Otherwise, you can call 101 to report a crime or any other concerns that do not require an emergency response.
You can also contact your local authority Emergency Duty Team (EDT) when outside normal office hours (evenings, nights, weekends or bank holidays), this team includes the Duty Manager or on-call senior social worker who can make safeguarding decisions. Use the main local authority safeguarding number (for your area) and many councils have an out-of-hours option that redirects you to the EDT.
URC Safeguarding Office: safeguarding@urc.org.uk
This should only be used if you are unable to contact the Synod Safeguarding Officer during office hours.
Helpful links:
