safeguarding
Resources for Victims and Survivors
Thank you for choosing this resource page
We welcome contact from anyone hurt by abuse, whether that be through your experience within the Church or elsewhere. As a Diocese we want to improve the way in which we engage with survivors and provide a good and compassionate response. We are here to listen to you and offer support. Our Diocesan Commitment to Victims and Survivors can be downloaded here
In his prayer intention for March 2023, Pope Francis prays for victims of abuse and says the Church must serve as a model of safeguarding and offer safe spaces for victims. A video showing the Pope’ prayer intention can be found here
The safeguarding coordinator is available as a point of contact for survivors and can be contacted either by email, letter, telephone or arrangements made to meet in person or online. You may also wish to make contact with a parish local to you, whether that be with the safeguarding representative or member of the clergy. Details of further support are included as part of this resource page, in particular the independent support that is available through Safe Spaces.
This resource page highlights further important aspects of survivor engagement including our local Healing and Reconciliation group and the A Time to Listen initiative, by which appointments can be made to meet personally with a senior member of our diocese.
Lastly, we wish to draw attention to the attached booklet, Empty Chair – A Survivor’s Story, recently gifted to the diocesan safeguarding team. The booklet contains personal experiences and reflections and calls for continued transparency, justice, and survivor-centred care. The author identifies how clerical abuse leaves lasting scars on survivors, erodes faith, and exposes systemic failures within religious hierarchies. It also details how understanding the past helps us protect the future. The Empty Chair is a testament to the resilience of survivors and a call to conscience.
Safe Spaces
Safe Spaces is a free and independent support service, providing a confidential, personal and safe space for anyone who has been abused through their relationship with either the Church of England or the Catholic Church in England and Wales. Although the churches have funded the service, it is run independently by the charity First Light. If you have been affected, however, long ago, Safe Spaces can provide you with support.
Visit the safespaces webiste here
A telephone helpline (0300 303 1056) is available between 9am and 9pm from Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm on Saturdays and 1pm to 5pm on Sundays. Email enquiries can be sent to safespaces@firstlight.org.uk
NORTHAMPTON HEALING AND RECONCILIATION GROUP
The Healing and Reconciliation group is a sub-group of the Safeguarding Advisory Board and was formed in early 2019 as part of the Diocese’s aspiration to improve the way that we respond to and engage with those who have been hurt by abuse.
Download a leaflet explaining what we do and our impact here
The group aims to:
Promote and facilitate healing and reconciliation.
Provide a safe environment for those seeking comfort and healing from spiritual, emotional and other forms of abuse.
Raise greater awareness of abuse and increase understanding of its impact.
Projects so far:
- A Time to Listen – Opportunities have been offered for anyone affected by abuse to speak with a senior member of our diocese in a safe and non-judgemental environment.
- Towards Healing and Reconciliation – The group helped to plan and deliver a Mass in 2019 dedicated to victims and survivors of any form of abuse, their families, supporters and those affected. Photographs from the day
- National Days of Prayer – We have promoted and participated in these days, which have included the input of survivors.
- Healing Garden – Designed and built as a place of sanctuary for survivors of abuse and all those in need of healing. The Healing Garden, created in the grounds of Northampton Cathedral, NN2 6AG is an ongoing project and open to all.
- A Time for Hope and Healing – A four day event was held at the Catholic Church in Beaconsfield in May 2023, including a LOUDfence, which represents a visual display of support for those impacted by all forms of abuse.
- Commitment to Victims and Survivors.
- Blessing of the St Francis Statue in the diocesan Healing Garden in October 2024. For more information https://northamptondiocese.org/the-statue-of-st-francis-of-assisi/
- Blessing of the Remembrance Wall in the diocesan Healing Garden in November 2024
- Luton LOUDfence. Hope for Survivors of Abuse – A journey towards healing where there has been pain.
Membership of the group is made up of appointed members of the Safeguarding Advisory Board and individuals who have lived experience of abuse, which may include, direct experience, as a parent, family member or partner of a person who has been abused, or a person with experience of working with victims and survivors of abuse.
Current membership includes:
- Deacon Peter Collins (Chair)
- Kathy Franklin
- Danielle Dixon (Safeguarding Coordinator)
- Three survivor representative
Join Us on Our Journey
We would very much welcome people with lived experience of abuse to consider joining us in our endeavour. We value your insight and would like to be able to listen, hear and act upon your advice to help improve our response to those who have been hurt by abuse. We will be sensitive to those we speak with and not presume to know what they can offer.
If you think that you might be able to help us in our work, whether as a group member or less formally as an advisor, then please contact the diocesan safeguarding coordinator using safeguarding@northamptondiocese.org or 01604 723514. Terms of reference for the group are available.
Resources from previous events supported and organised by the group:
Prayer for Healing and Reconciliation
Final Order of Service from 2019 Mass
Final Order of Service 2021 Prayer Service
Order of Service 2022 Opening and Blessing of the Healing Garden
Healing Garden How To Guide
A Time for Hope and Healing prayer card and order of service for opening and closing services
Order of service 2025 Luton LOUDfence
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HEALING GARDEN AT NORTHAMPTON CATHEDRAL
- Designed and built as a place of sanctuary for survivors of abuse and all those in need of healing. The Healing Garden, created in the grounds of Northampton Cathedral, NN2 6AG is an ongoing project and open to all. For further information please visit www.northamptondiocese.org/healing-garden
A TIME TO LISTEN
A senior member of our diocese is available to meet with anyone affected by abuse, as a victim, survivor, their families or supporters, where private discussions can take place in a safe and non-judgmental environment. Pastoral meetings can be accessed through our safeguarding office on 01604 723514 or safeguarding@northamptondiocese.org
GRIEF TO GRACE
THE ISAIAH JOURNEY GROUP
The Isaiah Journey (formerly ‘Let’s Be Honest’) is a working group of the Bishops’ Conference that has grown out of the need for a pastoral and spiritual response to the suffering of victims and survivors of abuse in the Church.
Many in the Church have been broken and their faith extinguished. The group outline that together as people of God, we seek to acknowledge the immense harm that has been inflicted. We intend not to ‘grow faint or weary or be discouraged’, but with renewed trust, we believe in God’s power to bring healing and hope, to victims and survivors, families and communities and the wider church.
Further information and pastoral resources developed through the group’s work, including to help mark the National Day of Prayer for Survivors can be found here https://www.cbcew.org.uk/the-isaiah-journey/
USEFUL CONTACTS AND LINKS
Age UK: Provides support, advice, and companionship to older people in the UK 0800 055 6112 / www.ageuk.org.uk
Barnardo’s: Compassionate support for children, young people, and their families, from one of the UK’s leading charities https://www.barnardos.org.uk/get-support
Catch 22: Support for young people, parents, and carers, with the aim of preventing or stopping child exploitation https://www.catch-22.org.uk/
Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency: 020 7901 1920 admin@catholicsafeguarding.org.uk
https://www.catholicsafeguarding.org.uk/
CEOP: law enforcement agency keeping children and young people safe from sexual exploitation and abuse, use the following website to report abuse https://www.ceop.police.uk/ceop-reporting/
CIS’ters: A survivor-led charity offering emotional peer support to adult females, who as children were sexually abused/exploited by a member of their immediate/extended family https://www.cisters.org.uk/how-we-help/
Child Line: Free 24 hour service for children and young people run by the NSPCC 0800 1111 / www.childline.org.uk
Domestic Abuse: Bright Sky: Free appproviding information and support for people experiencing domestic abuse or who are concerned about someone else www.hestia.org/brightsky
Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247 / www.nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk
Family Action: Provides practical, emotional and financial support to families at every age and stage of life 020 7254 6251 / www.family-action.org.uk
Havoca: International charity providing support to adults who have experienced child abuse https://www.havoca.org/
Hourglass (formerly Action on Elder Abuse): Specialist organisation focusing exclusively on issues relating to the abuse of older people 0808 808 8141 / www.wearehourglass.org
MACSAS: Supports those who were abused as a child or adult by a clergyperson, minister, pastor, church leader, religious or religious sister 08088 01 03 40 / www.macsas.org.uk
Marie Collins Foundation: Specialist, caring support for people affected by technology-assisted child sexual abuse and exploitation https://www.mariecollinsfoundation.org.uk/
MIND: Mental health charity 0300 123 3393 / https://www.mind.org.uk/
NAPAC: Offers support to adult survivors of all types of childhood abuse 0808 801 0331 / https://napac.org.uk/
Rape Crisis: Delivering specialist services to those affected by sexual violence and abuse, and aiming to educate, influence and make change https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/want-to-talk/
Action on Spiritual Abuse: Independent charity supporting those who have experienced abuse and trauma within faith https://www.actiononspiritualabuse.org.uk/
Samaritans: Charity dedicated to reducing feelings of isolation and disconnection that can lead to suicide 116 123 / https://www.samaritans.org/
Spirituality Network: Contact Rev Canon John Udris spirituality@northamptondiocese.org for Spiritual Direction enquiries.
Survivors Voices: Survivor led organisation that works to improve responses to abuse and trauma https://survivorsvoices.org/
SurvivorsUK: Supports men, boys, and non-binary people aged 13+ who have experienced sexual violence 02035983898 / https://www.survivorsuk.org/ help@survivorsuk.org
Stop it Now: helpline supports anyone with concerns about child sexual abuse and its prevention 0808 1000 900 / https://www.stopitnow.org.uk/
The Survivors Trust: Umbrella organisation supporting specialist services for survivors of rape, sexual violence and sexual abuse 08088 010818 / https://www.thesurvivorstrust.org/
To contact the Police in an emergency call 999 or other enquires 101
FEEDBACK
SAFEGUARDING COMPLAINTS
Privacy Notice
Commitment to Victims and Survivors
Please access our Commitment to Victims and Survivors here. Contact can also be made with the Diocesan Safeguarding Coordinator to discuss further.
LOUDfence
LOUDfence UK started as a kitchen table project by a lay activist in response to a local crisis in 2020. It started as a small act of compassion which has grown and spread. LOUDfence is an event where ribbons of all colours and styles are tied to railings, suspended wires, around trees and on internal displays as a visible act of solidarity with survivors which enables people to send and receive messages of care and support. The aim of LOUDfence is to give survivors, the entire church and wider society a voice. LOUDfence celebrates the act of openness and truth telling.
For further information including how you can arrange your own LOUDfence please visit https://loudfence.com/work.
