Promoting and Protecting Good Practice in spiritual direction
Safeguarding and Spiritual Direction
We offer these draft resources for comment. They are not definitive documents, and do not remove the need for individuals and organisations to manage their own training and good practice with regard to safeguarding.
These are the fruit of the work of the ‘Promoting and Protecting Good Practice Group‘ of the Spiritual Direction Forum UK. The members involved in this group are: Nick Helm, Susanne Carlsson, Ruth Holgate, Rachel Overton & Chris Mason.
Safeguarding - checklists
Checklist for Network Leaders
A checklist for those responsible for networks and groups of spiritual directors in a diocese, region or organisation. This might involve supporting spiritual directors in their ongoing supervision and development, enabling people to find an appropriate spiritual director and ensuring safeguarding policies and practices are maintained by all involved.
Spiritual Directors
A simple framework to enable spiritual directors to reflect on safeguarding within their practice.
Click here or on the document image to download the Individual checklist for Spiritual Directors
A handy single page ‘aide memoir’ with key points regarding what to do when you are concerned that someone is at risk of abuse, is being abused or presents a risk to others, and what if someone tells you about abuse.
Click here or on the document image to download the Spiritual Directors Safeguarding Action points
NB: All these documents are ‘draft’ for consultation purposes. They are not definitive, and do not remove the need for individual spiritual directors and those responsible for networks or groups of spiritual directors to manage their own training and good practice with regard to spiritual direction and safeguarding.
Safeguarding - links to sources of training, support and resources
Safeguarding - resources in use
If you are aware of any other resources available for Safeguarding and spiritual direction that could be shared, please let us know by using our contact link at the foot of the page.
Church of England – National Safeguarding team resources for Spiritual Directors
There are two packages for use specifically with Spiritual Directors. Produced in 2023, they are available for those with appropriate permissions to deliver safeguarding training on behalf of the Church of England. All CofE Safeguarding staff should be able to provide this for spiritual directors in their diocese.
1 Basic Awareness and Foundation combined which is suitable for spiritual directors
2 a shorter package for use with Spiritual Directors if they have already completed Basic Awareness and Foundation.
Spiritual Accompaniment on Retreats
This is the text St Beuno’s Retreat Centre use regarding Safeguarding that is provided to all retreatants.
SAFEGUARDING
At St. Beuno’s we care about the safety and wellbeing of everyone and work in accordance with the safeguarding policy of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. We refer any allegations or disclosures of abuse made against someone working for the Church (clergy, religious, employees, volunteers), whether in the past or recent and regardless of whether the accused person is living or dead, to the Jesuit Province Safeguarding Coordinator.
We also refer any disclosures against any person where there may be current risk to a child or adult at risk. The safeguarding coordinator will take any necessary next steps, which may include the possibility of making a report to the statutory authorities.
Whether a matter is to be reported or not, the Jesuit Province is able to offer professional support to individuals who have made such disclosures while at St. Beuno’s.
Only the sacrament of reconciliation (confession) guarantees absolute confidentiality. It is possible that a retreatant may assume that spiritual direction is treated in the same way as confession, and it will be the responsibility of the retreat director to make it clear to the retreatant if they are disclosing material that the director may not be able to treat confidentially.
If you have any questions about confidentiality, please discuss them with your retreat guide.
