Introduction to Safeguarding

Introduction to Safeguarding

Introduction to Safeguarding

Introduction to Safeguarding

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Safeguarding and Other Ministries of Wellness and Care

The final promise of our Baptismal Covenant urges us to “strive for justice and peace among all people, and to respect the dignity of every human being.” In the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, we live into that promise by creating environments in our congregations, schools, and institutions that are free of abuse, exploitation, and harassment. Toward that end, the ministry of Safeguarding sets healthy boundaries on our behavior and relationships and provide mechanisms for screening and training and for reporting and investigating misconduct. Additional protections are provided by Title IV of the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church, the disciplinary canons of the Episcopal Church that apply only to members of the clergy. For more information regarding Safeguarding, please contact any member of the Wellness & Care Team. For more information about Title IV, please contact the Canon for Wellness and Care, the Rev. Canon Lisa S. Burns.

The ministries of Wellness and Care also encourage respectful and loving relationships in ways that go beyond boundary-setting and enforcement. The pursuit of wellness means seeking wholeness and balance in our lives, which includes caring for our bodies, minds, emotions, and relationships while growing spiritually. Please explore these pages for information about a variety of wellness ministries and resources, with a particular emphasis on supporting clergy in the practice of self-care. Clergy wellness leads to healthier leadership, which leads to healthier congregations and organizations in the diocese. For more information about these ministries of Wellness and Care, please contact the Rev. Canon Lisa S. Burns.

Safeguarding
Safeguarding Certification: Where do I Begin?   
Heads of Organizations: Information and Resources
SRAs and Coordinators: Information and Resources
Trainers: Information and Resources
Safeguarding Policies and Help Sheets

Reporting
Reporting Misconduct

Training Programs that Do Not Require a Trainer
Vestry and Board Policy Review
Safeguarding God’s People in the Workplace

Safeguarding for Youth Helpers
I KNOW! Curriculum
Educational Resources

Title IV Clergy Discipline
Title IV: Information and Resources

Wellness Ministries
Recovery Commission Contact the Rev. Bob Lowry
Veteran’s Fellowship (EVF) Contact the Rev. David Peters 
Living Compass

Wellness Resources
General
Clergy and Clergy Families