The Churches’ Child Protection Advisory Service has today unveiled new guidance with a call to churches to raise the bar in their protection of children.

The Key Facts booklet has been produced by the CCPAS to help church leaders and workers know how to deal with suspected or alleged abuse and to keep in step with evolving child protection legislation.

The booklet summarises the CCPAS’ 10 ‘Safeguarding Standards’ for places of worship and other organisations.

Among the recommendations made by the CCPAS are the implementation of a formal safeguarding policy, staff training in child protection, and the adoption of a formal recruitment policy for paid and voluntary workers.

CCPAS founder David Pearson said that child protection guidance had become much more detailed in the last few years in light of a number of high-profile abuse scandals.

“This demands a lot of places of worship - hence the need for simplification and help, which is why we are publishing Key Facts at this time,” he said.

“We would urge churches not to be downhearted in the light of all this complexity. What is important is that everyone involved with child protection aims as high as they possibly can in order to ensure that the children in their care are as safe as possible.

“Key Facts will we hope play an important role in achieving this.”

The release of the guidance comes just weeks after Ireland’s Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse issued a harrowing report exposing decades of abuse at institutions run by the Catholic order of Christian Brothers.

Key Facts is being distributed free across churches and organisations in the statutory and voluntary sectors. It follows the launch of a new online manual, ‘Safe and Secure’, as well as a 60-minute ‘Safe and Secure drama documentary. The DVD is sponsored by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and has been made available in eight languages. It aims particularly at places of worship where English is not the first language.