Safeguarding in the Antioch Community
Safeguarding Statement
The Antioch Community is committed to creating a healthy community environment and culture. We want everyone who comes into contact with us to feel safe, valued, and cared for. We believe that each person is made in the image of God, and as a result have an inherent dignity and worth. Members of the community are committed to caring for one another in Christian love and this forms part of the Antioch Covenant of Membership.
As a Christian Community, we are committed to safeguarding everyone who participates in community life, regarding care for the vulnerable as a biblical imperative and not just as a legal requirement. We work with local and national partners, doing all we can to keep everyone safe. We will strive to fulfil all our legal duties to protect both children and adults at risk of abuse, but we aim to go above and beyond and to discharge our safeguarding duties in a way that is biblically faithful and pleasing to our loving heavenly Father, who calls us to act with justice, love kindness and to walk humbly before him.
Antioch Safeguarding Policies
Safeguarding Policy (link)
Defined Terms
To assist with the use and understanding of the Safeguarding Policy, we use the following terms;
What is Safeguarding? Safeguarding is a proactive process to seek to protect children and youth and vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect and harm and promote their well-being and safety.
What do you mean by Children and Youth? Children and Youth are persons aged less than 18 years old. We generally use the term Children for those aged less than 11 or up to School Year 6, and Youth for those aged up to the last year of Secondary School or School Years 7 to 13.
What do you mean by Vulnerable Adults? Vulnerable adults, or “adults at risk”, are any persons of 18 years or older who have needs for care and support, are experiencing or are at risk of abuse or neglect, and as a result of those needs are unable to protect themselves against the abuse or neglect. More details are in this link.
What do you mean by abuse? This is a legal term and is best defined for Domestic Abuse and that for Child Abuse (non-sexual) and Child Sexual Abuse.
Our Designated Safeguarding Leads for Children:
• Hugh Potter (hugh@antioch.org.uk)
• Paola Turner (paola@antioch.org.uk)
Our Designated Safeguarding Leads for Adults:
• Neil Yates (neil@antioch.org.uk)
• Rebecca Delargy (rebecca@antioch.org.uk)
Other email contact:
• safeguarding@antioch.org.uk
Resources:
• Children's Activity Consent Form
• Incident or Concern Report Form
• Key Safeguarding Contacts
Complaints Policy (link)
To assist with the use and understanding of the Complaints Policy, we define a
complaint as follows;
What is a Complaint? Our meaning of complaint in the context of a Christian
Community is an observation by an adult of another adult of an act or speech that is
potentially immoral, harmful, or offensive and IS NOT a Safeguarding matter, in the
judgement of the observer. A fuller definition of what may be considered a complaint
is given in the purpose of our Complaints Policy. Any complaint of an act or speech
that may breach criminal law can and will be reported to the Police.
Complaints Administrator:
• Neil Yates (neil@antioch.org.uk)
Resources:
• Adult Complaints Form
Public Safeguarding Letter from Antioch Leadership August 2025