Reporting abuse & finding support
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is at the heart of our life together. All Saints, Paderborn is committed to being a place where children, young people and adults are safe, valued and heard — and this is the responsibility of everyone in our church family.
If someone is in immediate danger
If a child or adult is in immediate danger or needs urgent medical attention, contact the emergency services straight away. Do not delay.
Once anyone at risk is safe, please also tell the Diocese in Europe Safeguarding Team within 24 hours (details below).
How we work
Our safeguarding policy
All Saints, Paderborn has adopted the Church of England’s Promoting a Safer Church safeguarding policy for children, young people and adults, together with the safeguarding policy and practice guidance of the Diocese in Europe.
In practice this means safer recruitment and training for everyone in a position of trust, background checks appropriate to German law and Church of England standards, a trained Safeguarding Officer, safeguarding as a standing item for our leadership team, and an annual review of our arrangements. Once we are gathered, our safeguarding information will also be displayed wherever we meet.
“Safeguarding continues to be a top priority for me — and I expect this to be the case across our Diocese.”The Rt Revd Dr Robert Innes, Bishop in Europe
Speak to us
Raising a concern with All Saints
If you have a safeguarding concern, or you have been harmed by someone connected with the church — and there is no immediate danger — please tell us. You will be listened to, taken seriously, and treated with care and respect.
As we prepare to launch in January 2027, a Safeguarding Officer for All Saints is being appointed, and this page will be updated with their name and contact details. Until then, please raise any concern with:
You can always contact the Diocese in Europe Safeguarding Team directly instead — you do not have to go through the church first.
Diocesan support
The Diocese in Europe Safeguarding Team
All Saints is part of the Church of England’s Diocese in Europe, under the oversight of the Bishop in Europe. The team runs a consultation line Monday to Friday, 10:00–18:00 Central European Time. All concerns should be reported within 24 hours.
The Diocese in Europe safeguarding pages carry the full guidance, policy documents and reporting forms: europe.anglican.org/resources/safeguarding-diocese-europe
The standards we work to
The Church of England Safeguarding Standards
Our safeguarding is measured against five national standards. As a new worshipping community, we are building each of these in from the start.
A safe and healthy culture, with the leadership, resourcing and scrutiny needed to deliver good safeguarding practice.
A planned range of measures which together are effective in preventing abuse in our context.
Risk assessments, safety plans and the processes around them are of high quality and consistently effective.
Responses to disclosures, and the support that follows, meet people’s needs — including their search for justice and their healing.
Everyone involved in safeguarding receives the learning, professional development, support and supervision they need to respond well.
You are not alone
Independent support for survivors
Safe Spaces is a free, independent and confidential service for anyone who has been abused through their relationship with a church, whether recently or long ago. It is funded by the Church of England, the Catholic Church in England and Wales, and the Church in Wales.
- Safe Spaces England & Wales 0300 303 1056 Answerphone outside opening hours · safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk
- Eden Voice The Diocese in Europe’s advocacy group for victims and survivors — details on the diocesan safeguarding pages.
Helplines
Finding support
Free and confidential helplines for anyone affected by abuse, violence or distress. Many offer support in English or other languages.
In Germany
- Hilfetelefon „Gewalt gegen Frauen“ 116 016Violence against women — 24 hours, free, multilingual.
- Hilfetelefon „Sexueller Missbrauch“ 0800 22 55 530For young people and adults affected by sexual abuse.
- Nummer gegen Kummer — children & young people 116 111Free and anonymous, Mon–Sat, afternoons and evenings.
- Nummer gegen Kummer — parents 0800 111 0 550Free and anonymous advice for parents and carers.
- TelefonSeelsorge 0800 111 0 111 · 116 123Emotional and crisis support, 24 hours.
In the UK
- NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000If you are worried about a child — free, 24 hours.
- Childline 0800 1111If you are a child or young person worried about anything.
- National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247Run by Refuge — free, 24 hours.
- Samaritans 116 123If you are struggling to cope — also works from Germany.
- Hourglass 0808 808 8141Abuse of older people — free helpline.