Safeguarding
Joanne Burrows is our safeguarding representative at St. Mary & St. Thomas More, Cannock.
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If you have any concerns please do contact her below.
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If you suspect someone is in immediate danger, please call the police or local authorities immediately.
Safeguarding in the Archdiocese of Birmingham
A message from Archbishop Bernard Longley:
One of the scribes asked Jesus “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “This is the first: You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” (cf Mark 12: 28-31).
We are all called to serve our Lord. To love him, to carry out His mission.
This includes the responsibility of keeping people safe from harm and abuse.
Here in the Archdiocese of Birmingham I lead that charge. Together with those who support me, and the Trustees
of the Archdiocese, we are committed to making a positive difference in the parishes and communities we serve.
I accept and acknowledge past failings and am deeply sorry for the suffering that has been experienced by victim/survivors and their families. Abuse has no place in society, least of all in the life of the Church.
Whilst accepting past failings, and learning from them, the Archdiocese is moving forward and we are committed to being a welcoming and safe Church for all. We think particularly of how we support survivors and those who have been harmed by the Church and work with many of them to improve standards further.
Thanks to a dedicated and professional safeguarding team, the Archdiocese has made significant progress in recent years to improve its commitment to safeguarding, and this work continues.
We listen, and learn from, victim/survivors. We turn words into action.
Our Clergy and Parish Safeguarding Representatives are testament to the work being carried out locally, on the ground. Please support your parish representative as they raise awareness and understanding of this vital work in the parish community.
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, not just that of the few. We all need to play our part and keep people safe.
“Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action” 1 John 3:18
The Archdiocese of Birmingham has a zero-tolerance approach to all abuse.