Every citizen has a responsibility to safeguard children, their welfare must always be of paramount importance. The Dioceses of Achonry and Elphin acknowledge that all who engage with children through their work or ministry have a special duty of care towards them. The Dioceses of Achonry and Elphin, under the Bishop, have established the following formal structures and personnel in order to ensure its safeguarding policies, procedures and plans are fully implemented and monitored.
Bishop – Overall responsibility for Safeguarding Children in the Dioceses.
Directors of Safeguarding – To Support the Bishop in the development, implementation and monitoring of best practice in Safeguarding Children throughout the parishes and agencies of the Dioceses. The Directors work as employees of the Dioceses.
Parish Priests/Administrators – Overall responsibility at parish level for Safeguarding Children.
Local Safeguarding Representative – Every Parish in the Dioceses have appointed at least one lay person as Local Safeguarding Representative in order to promote safeguarding in conjunction with the Parish Priest.
Safeguarding Committees – To support and advise the Bishop and Directors of Safeguarding on matters pertaining to the development and implementation of best practice measures in Safeguarding.
Safeguarding Trainers – The dioceses have NBSCCCI Accredited Safeguarding Children Trainers who are responsible for the provision of all aspects of Safeguarding Children training to Clergy, Staff, Volunteers, Parents and Children/Young People throughout the Dioceses.
