Guidelines on Lone Working and Personal Safety for Clergy
Introduction
Clergy may find themselves working alone for several hours of their working day – this may be less if there is a parish office out of which they work, or more if they operate entirely from home.
Clergy working alone will of course face the same risks in their work as others doing similar tasks. However the work of clergy does carry additional risks and it is important that these are fully understood and that sensible precautions and adequate arrangements are made to ensure they are as safe as possible.
Potential hazards of lone working
There are a number of areas where risks may be greater when working alone:
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Accidents or sudden illness when there is no-one to summon help or first aid.
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Violence or the threat of violence.
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Allegations of inappropriate and/or abusive behaviour.
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Fire or other threat.
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Attempting tasks which cannot safely be done by one person alone, e.g. heavy lifting, or use of certain equipment.
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Lack of safe way in or out of a building (e.g. danger of being accidentally locked in).
Assessing the risks of lone working
The perception of what is a risk and the actual risk itself may be seen differently by individuals. For example, an inexperienced curate may underestimate the risks of an activity; some clergy, especially those in urban parishes may feel particularly vulnerable to violence after dark; or a medical condition may make it unsafe for an individual to work alone.
Clergy should consider these factors and assess the particular risks in their parish environment. Appropriate steps should be taken to reduce the risk, particularly where the environment around the vicarage or church is lonely, poorly lit and / or in an area where criminal activity is more likely.
Guidelines for the Professional Conduct of the Clergy
The guidelines on Lone Working and Personal Safety should be read in conjunction with the good practice advice given in the Guidelines for the Professional Conduct of the Clergy
“At the heart of ministry is risk. Faced by a pastoral situation the minister has to take immediate decisions about what to say and do”.
Clergy will often find themselves in the powerful position of meeting people at the limits of their vulnerability. The Guidelines for the Professional Conduct of the Clergy seek to help you to safeguard and reassure such people, so engendering trust, without which ministry cannot take place. They set out how to maintain appropriate boundaries, which in themselves are helpful in preventing misunderstandings and reducing risks.
Measures to minimise the risks of lone working
There are a number of things which can be done to minimise risks when clergy work alone.
The most important precautions you can take are:
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Know as much as possible about any potentially risky situation
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Ensure you have a mobile phone with you
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Do not put yourself into a situation where you are very vulnerable
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Let someone else know where you are if you feel you must go into that situation alone.
Reporting incidents
Please report any incidents that happen to you, so that you can be supported and so that we can learn any lessons and improve practice in this difficult area. If you have any concerns, please talk to your Area Dean.
Further details on personal safety can be obtained from:
Suzy Lamplugh Trust
http://www.suzylamplugh.org
Home Office
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office
Wellbeing, Counselling and Support
Wellbeing, counselling and support for clergy in our diocese - details found here