| Diocese of Liverpool Child Friendly Church Award Scheme St Peter Hindley Parish 846 Report to Church Council Date: 08 July 2010 CRITERIA 1. A Parish Child Protection Policy is in place & being implemented OBSERVATIONS St Peter’s Church adopted the Diocese of Liverpool Safeguarding Children Policy & Procedures in March this year. I was very impressed with the board of notification and its clear introduction to the officers of the church. The current parish Safeguarding Co-ordinator is Sue Bray. Sue is also the main CRB verifier. Alice Walsh is the independent named person and Safeguarding Training is delivered by Sue Bray and Sharon Mosedale. I was pleased to hear that all volunteers are authorised by the Church Council. The Church Register, with the names of all of those who come into contact with children in the parish, is kept by Sue Bray. The CRB process is working well. All activities are authorised by the Church Council and insured by the Ecclesiastical Group. Checks are regularly made regarding insurance for trips away, bouncy castles etc. AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT
CRITERIA 2. The church buildings offer a safe environment OBSERVATIONS The church building, The Pavilion and Tudor House all offer clean, warm and safe areas for the children to meet in, with these areas also being appropriately set up. There are volunteer cleaners for these areas. Leaders are aware of any potential hazards. Mark Keegan is the Warden and Health & Safety Officer for the church. He does an excellent job and very helpful health & safety files were observed in the kitchen. Fire Drills are regularly held at the Pavilion and fire drills are to be introduced into the Sunday children’s group programmes. Sue Bray compiles a helpful pack for children’s workers, which includes the First Aiders, but there is no current list of First Aiders displayed in the church. First Aid kits are maintained by Mark Keegan and found in the Kitchen and also Tudor House. The Wardens keep an accident and incident book. Another excellent folder on First Aid is kept in the kitchen. There is regular First Aid training and the most recent was held in May 2010. Registers are used by all groups and they will be invited to be a part of the parish archiving. The parish adheres well to child/adult ratios. AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT To introduce Fire Drills into the programmes of the Special Branch and Creche groups. CRITERIA 3. On-going training and support for leaders is in place. OBSERVATIONS I was very pleased to discover that annual Safeguarding Children training and First Aid training takes place and as such good practice is rare in the diocese I will be communicating this to the Inter Diocesan Safeguarding Children Adviser. Uniformed organisations are regularly updating their training modules and are well supported by their own organisations. Some leaders have recently been to a Godly Play workshop and visited ARK2 Resources Room at St David’s Haigh. Otherwise I was unable to discover anyone who had been on any certificate courses. It is believed that Special Branch use their own home grown resources and also the Creche. The children and youth leaders are not commissioned in a particular service but do have many opportunities to feel affirmed in their ministry. The Boys Brigade has an annual Rededication Service and each organisation has a turn at leading in the 3rd Sunday of the month worship. Leaders are prayed for during intercessions in church. CRITERIA 4. There is provision for children’s nurturing groups (0-16 yrs) OBSERVATIONS Creche (SPLIT: St Peter’s Little Infants and Toddlers) A newly established group. Meets on a Sunday, each week, except 3rd Sunday in the month. Approximately 15 children on the register. 7 leaders on rota. The Creche meets in the Meeting Room. Sunday School (Special Branch) Approximately 15 children attend, in the Tudor House building, 3 Sundays in the month with 5 leaders on a rota. Age range is 3-11 yrs and they meet term-time. Special Branch children are escorted carefully by stewards across the busy main road between church and Tudor House. Church Factor A new worship (3rd Sunday) assisting group for children & young people who play musical instruments or dance. Approximately 12 are currently involved and it continues to grow. They practice in the week and there are 4 leaders. Acolytes & Servers There are approximately 9 currently in this ministry. Choir There are 2 children currently in the choir Bell Ringers One 12 year old currently rings bells with the group. Rainbows Meet on Wednesdays in St Peter’s Pavilion. Brownies Meet on Wednesdays in St Peter’s Pavilion Guides Meet on Wednesdays in St Peter’s Pavilion Pre Junior Boys Brigade Meet on Thursdays in St Peter’s Pavilion Junior Boys Brigade Meet on Thursdays in St Peter’s Pavilion Boys Brigade Meet on Thursdays in St Peter’s Pavilion Information about these groups is well advertised on the church website. The uniformed groups leaders are well prepared for their sessions. The sessions have opportunities for the children to develop socially, physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. Each child is seen as an individual. St Peter’s is aware and caring for anyone with special needs and very sympathetic towards spending requests including generous financial help to the uniformed organisations. I was delighted to discover many outreach opportunities: weekly assemblies at St Peter’s School, once a month at the County Primary School, Confirmation Course in St Peter’s School, St Peter’s School visits church for it’s Leaders Service, Communion in School, Friday Luncheon Club, Walk of Witness, numerous Baptisms, Christmas Fayre, Flower Festival, Harvest, Churches Together at Market Fun Day, Toy Service, Lighting of the Christmas Tree, and lots more. AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT groups to meet once a term, together, with the vicar, and an agenda which allows discussions about the development & needs of the groups and its leaders. This should become a group of encouragement and prayer. Children will benefit greatly if the leaders are well supported and all feel part of St Peter’s vision. The Team may be able to share resource and training needs. A speaker could be invited periodically. The Parish Safeguarding Co-ordinator could be invited in case of any issues. Sheet. It is important to hear the voices of God’s children. 3. Each group to provide an APCM report. CRITERIA 5. There are opportunities for children to be included in child friendly church services OBSERVATIONS The third Sunday of the month All-Age service was introduced in March 2010. All–Age services also include festival times and baptisms. The third Sunday of the month service has introduced the Church Factor involvement with a music group and dance. This is being very well received and developing well under the leadership of Mr James Archer Servers and Acolytes are regularly involved in services. Very young children are welcomed into the congregation during the 3rd Sunday service. At all services the children are welcomed in their own right and have the freedom to move around the building. The leadership at the front explain clearly and carefully to direct everyone through the service and I was delighted to discover that particular thought has gone into new child friendly service/hymn booklets. This resource is regularly reviewed and updated. There is a Loop System for the hard of hearing and large print resources are available to the congregation. AREAS FOR ON-GOING DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA 6. Suitable materials for under 5’s are available in church OBSERVATIONS I believe the church is very good at befriending people and explaining to them where things are. There are excellent toilet facilities in church with a baby changing unit, toddler toilet steps and children’s toilet seat. The Meeting Room is used by the Creche and prams etc are encouraged to park at the rear of the church, for those who choose to stay in the congregation. On the third Sunday service a box of tots resources and a mat are arranged in church for the young children. A key befriender for the under 5s is Cynthia Taylor. Cynthia continues to develop opportunities for those with young families to have a good experience of St Peter’s Church. AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT Communicate the facilities and materials available. Passers by will observe a traditional church and may have no idea of the excellent child friendly facilities within. These facilities could be an attraction for families if they were aware of them. Find a way to advertise them. You should be very proud of what you have. CRITERIA 7. There are opportunities for the voices of 14+ yrs to be heard OBSERVATIONS At the moment this age group is most apparent through the uniformed organisations. There is a gradual inclusion through the Church Factor group which is very encouraging. AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT Plans and ideas need to be in place to encourage the 14+ young people to take active roles in their church. CRITERIA 8. Feedback is obtained from children OBSERVATIONS There are some questionnaire forms available at the back of church and a new simple survey has been introduced onto the church website: www.stpeter-online.co.uk Rev Stephen Mather was particularly keen to create a Youth Council at the Pavilion where young representatives of the groups who use the venue could come together to share in many ways. AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT Create opportunities for direct feedback from the children themselves. CRITERIA 9. Vision for Children’s Work OBSERVATIONS The St Peter’s Mission Statement on the website is: ‘God’s love is the key to our faith.’ On the APCM report it continues: ‘We will do this (serving the needs of the parish) by promoting the spiritual, social and physical development of the people of the parish within a caring fellowship.’ I feel that by taking part in the Child Friendly Church Award Scheme, St Peter’s Church is showing it’s community that it takes children & young people seriously, and this year, as St Peter’s introduces the 3rd Sunday service and a huge involvement of all age worship and the introduction of a Creche and with its huge links with the local schools, this Mission Statement is confirmed and a working document before God. Children’s work is regularly on PCC agendas due to the CFCA scheme. I hope and pray that action on the areas for development will increase everyone’s vision for the parish children’s work. AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT - NONE FOLLOW-UP I hope the PCC is greatly encouraged by this report. Please note the ‘Areas for Development’ in particular the need to complete Self Declaration forms and to determine the aims & objectives, the programming and needs of the Special Branch within the vision of the children’s work at St Peter’s Church. I have the privilege of sharing lots of the good practice found at St Peter’s, in particular the frequency and quality of the Safeguarding Children training, with other parishes in the diocese. It is with great delight that I award St Peter’s Church, Hindley, Wigan, with the Child Friendly Church Award for three years. Please review the criteria annually and after 3 years a short re awarding process will allow us to discover how St Peter’s has developed further in its children’s and young peoples work in the parish. Well done! You receive a certificate signed by Bishop James, a weatherproof logo and you will be put on the new www.childfriendlychurch.org.uk website which shows families worldwide where you can look for child friendly churches. Congratulations on all that you have achieved. Jane Leadbetter Children’s Work Adviser Diocese of Liverpool Church Growth & Ecumenism Team St James’ House, 20 St James Road, Liverpool L1 7BY Tel: 0151-705-2142 Email: Sandra.holmes@liverpool.anglican.org |
