Welcome to the Diocese of Down and Connor Safeguarding website

The Diocese of Down and Connor is committed to promoting the welfare of its children and young people and all the lay faithful.

The practice of safeguarding within the diocese refers to the wide range of services, plans and activities that are put in place to protect both children, young people, and adults.

Safeguarding within our Church community is about making our Church a safe, welcoming, and enriching place for children, young people, and adults and those who may be at risk of harm. Although the Safeguarding Office may take a lead role in outlining the key aspects of what needs to be in place to protect children, young people, and adults from harm, safeguarding is very much a shared community responsibility in which each and every one of us has a part to play, whether that is reporting a concern about a child or adult or by volunteering in your parish in any activity.

The role of the diocesan safeguarding team is to provide professional advice, guidance, support, and training to all our staff, clergy and volunteers who work within the diocese. This is to ensure that they can meet their safeguarding responsibilities both legally and morally as well as providing support to those who may have suffered abuse or exploitation within the Church.

Creating and maintaining a safe environment for all in the Diocese of Down and Connor within parishes is managed by our Parish Safeguarding Committees (PSCs) within our existing 86 parishes. The role of our PSC’s is to ensure that all volunteers within a parish setting, working with children, young people, and adults, are safely recruited, vetted, and trained.

Responsibility for the practical operation of safeguarding across our parishes and diocesan pastoral groups rests with the Diocesan Safeguarding Committee. This committee is chaired by Amanda Stewart. Amanda is also Chair of the Carrickfergus PSC.

When it comes to safeguarding, the diocese is largely directed in its practice by statutory and legal requirements. However, it must also demonstrate its safeguarding compliance with Catholic Church guidelines and standards, set by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI). These can be viewed on their WEBSITE

In day-to-day practice, the Safeguarding Office liaises closely with colleagues within the statutory, voluntary, and community sector through its membership of a number of fora. The aim of these voluntary, community and statutory arrangements is to share best safeguarding practices, knowledge, and skills.

The diocese is also represented on the Safeguarding Board for NI, Inter-faith Sub-group which brings together in a statutory forum all those from faith backgrounds to reflect upon our shared task in promoting safeguarding practice.

We hope you find our website useful and informative. Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us via EMAIL

The Safeguarding Office