The Support Services Team

 

Home Mission supports the work of the Support Services Team based at Didcot

 
Over the last two years we have seen child abuse and the mistreatment of vulnerable adults become regular front page news. The Jimmy Saville case, Operation Yewtree, the Winterbourne care home scandal and many others have meant that safeguarding has a profile that becomes more prominent and more complex as the months go by.

Within the Baptist Union, we have had safeguarding policies, procedures and training in place for many years.  Thanks to the work of volunteers in churches across the country, supported by staff in the regional and specialist teams, we are able to make sure that all those who work with children, young people and vulnerable adults are properly checked, and that church leaders have the right level of training to meet their responsibilities.

What does this look like in practice?  It shows in the life of our churches in lots of different ways, enabling churches as they set up and operate pre-schools for local children, run youth clubs and holiday camps, run lunch clubs for older people, and visit vulnerable people in their homes.

Like many other denominations, we have chosen to invest time and resources to carry out a major review of our safeguarding approach, and this is currently underway.  We will be gathering the views of churches, association teams and the safeguarding advisers and specialists who work with us to look for ways in which we can continue to bring best practice to this sensitive area of church life.  This work includes a historical case review as well as an in depth review of the policies, practices and structures in place in other denominations. 

Our intention is to continue to offer support to associations and churches as they build good safeguarding skills and practices, and help all those with safeguarding responsibilities to feel confident that they have the knowledge and support they need to deal with  questions and concerns when they arise.

Please pray:

• For the small team within Support Services who focus on safeguarding as they support churches with very sensitive and difficult situations
• For the team as they act as our link to national and inter-denominational groups working to improve safeguarding in church life
• For all those in Baptist churches in the UK who are facing difficult situations and supporting those affected by abuse in any form
• For the wider Support Services Team as they support churches and associations in financial and legal matters

 

Click here for a printable Fact File about the Support Services Team to share with your church.

Click here to read more stories about how the money you give to Home Mission is being used to bring the love of God to communities around the country.