Annual Safeguarding Statement
Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh
Annual Safeguarding Announcement
Please find below a message from Archbishop Cushley and Canon James Tracey in relation to the Lourdes Pilgrimage:
Safeguarding concerns every one of us
It is the responsibility of clergy and lay people to ensure that the church is a safe and welcoming place for everyone and to ensure that children and vulnerable adults are protected.
Pope Francis has asked that families are made aware that they have a right to expect to be safe and secure in “our Father’s house”. The Bishops of Scotland are committed to ensuring this.
Safeguarding in the Catholic Church means doing everything we can to protect our children and vulnerable adults.
Firstly, we have a safe system of recruitment for clergy, religious, employees and all our volunteers. This includes PVG checks, references and safeguarding training.
Secondly, we have a reporting system so people can come forward with any concerns, be listened to and have those concerns acted upon. Safeguarding also includes care and support for survivors.
In this Archdiocese, we have a dedicated safeguarding team.
This includes Monsignor Allan Chambers, the Vicar General for Safeguarding, Scott Mackenzie, our Safeguarding Advisor, as well as a Safeguarding Officer and Administrator.
The Safeguarding team is based at the Gillis Centre in Edinburgh and can be contacted by e-mail or phone to advise on any safeguarding matter. You can find details on the Safeguarding page of the Archdiocesan website.
Every parish and group has trained safeguarding co-ordinators. Alongside the Parish Priest/Group Director, they ensure the safe recruitment of volunteers working with children and vulnerable adults in the church.
Please contact us if you have any concerns about a safeguarding matter:
enquiries@edinburgh-lourdes.com.
We do an annual safeguarding audit to assess the safeguarding work being done in. The Church in Scotland has a mandatory reporting policy. This means that if an allegation of abuse is received it is immediately reported to the police.
It is imperative that any abuse, historic or otherwise, will be met with a listening ear, and action taken to restore people’s trust in our Church and our clergy and religious.
Archbishop Leo Cushley, Canon Tracey, and the Safeguarding Team are grateful for all the hard work done by safeguarding co-ordinators and volunteers in every parish and group across the Archdiocese in keeping the Church a welcoming and safe place for all.
Thank-you.