The Catholic Church in England and Wales embraces its role in supporting children to achieve their full potential in an environment where they are protected from exploitation, abuse and maltreatment.

All adults within the Church have a responsibility to act and intervene when it appears that children need to be made safe from harm, whether the risk of harm is Neglect, Sexual Abuse, Physical Abuse or Emotional Abuse.

The Church will act in an open, transparent and accountable way in working in partnership with Children's Social Care Services, the Police, Health Agencies, Probation Providers and other agencies to safeguard children and assist in bringing to justice anyone who has committed an offence against a child.

Anyone who brings concerns or allegations to the notice of the Church will be responded to sensitively, respectfully and seriously. All concerns and allegations will be dealt with within the national procedures and in a timely manner. The Church is fully committed to acting within the guidance as set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015 and acknowledges that the Church must work in partnership with other agencies and not act alone.

Pastoral care will be made available to children and their families and to other relevant people where there have been concerns and allegations of some form of harm or maltreatment of a child; and where services and support are provided to an adult who has acted to harm a child, safeguards should be put in place to manage the risk that the adult may harm another child.