This code of practice seeks to promote the Diocese’s policy in relation to the mistreatment of adults. It is designed to encourage members of the Diocese to recognise the equal value of all before God. It is also designed to reduce the incidence of the mistreatment of adults, and to enable abuse to be recognised and dealt with appropriately in ways which demonstrate the love of God for all involved. It is commended to all within the Diocese, lay and ordained, for consideration as part of their Christian discipleship.

The code is offered to:
• Clergy (whether stipendiary, non-stipendiary or OLM)
• Readers and other accredited ministers
• Churchwardens, Lay Elders and others who exercise a local leadership
• Those who take responsibility for particular aspects of church life (church officers, musicians, Junior Church leaders, house group leaders and many more)
• Ministry teams, PCCs, Synods and other decision-making bodies
• The whole church community, locally, and of the Diocese

Scroll down to read the Code of Practice or click on the appropriate heading below:
1. Professionalism and the proper conduct of church life
2. Power
3. Theology
4. Boundaries and confidentiality
5. The conditions in which ministry takes place
6. In cases where abuse takes place, or is alleged

1. Professionalism and the proper conduct of church life

Being professional in ministry and reducing the risk of our mistreating others, requires an understanding of power, theology, boundaries and confidentiality, and the conditions in which ministry takes place. Above all it requires us to understand ourselves – who we are in relation to others and in relation to God; and it requires that we not only pay attention to the well-being of others, but also to our own well-being. A key aspect of this code of practice is the call to act in a professional way, both in the sense of having a proper professionalism in ministry and in the sense of living out our profession of faith in the way we relate to others.

For all in accredited ministry:
Consideration of their well-being should focus on the obvious things: the limits of their availability; time-off for themselves and with family and friends; regular holidays; an annual retreat. It should also touch on less obvious areas, especially what their own emotional needs are and how they may appropriately be met. It would be good too to think about support structures, especially whether ministers have someone to turn to as spiritual director, soul friend, counsellor, or supervisor, outside our immediate situation of ministry, to further self-awareness.

For PCCs and other decision making bodies:
Conduct of their business and of the business of the church should be built on respect for each other, and a care and concern for each other, as well as on a firm commitment to act together professionally. The way in which business is conducted should be reviewed as part of this commitment, with reflection on, for example, the timing, frequency and length of meetings, ways in which people are enabled to participate, and the manner in which decisions are taken.

2. Power

Exercising ministry, especially public ministry, places people in a position of power. It creates inequalities in the relationship between those ministering and those ministered to. This needs to be constantly recognised and recalled by all concerned. Awareness of the dynamics of the pastoral relationship is the key to appropriate and creative ministry. This awareness is always the primary responsibility of the minister. However, recipients of ministry can also helpfully be aware of the inequality in the relationship. And those who share in the ministry of the ordained, as lay people, can be alert in their support both of those who exercise pastoral care, and of those who receive it.

Accredited ministers should remember that:
They have the power to create a safe space for others, to enable them to grow and develop – this is a model of empowering those whom they serve. But ministers have the power to exploit others in their moment of need – this is an abuse of the power entrusted to them.

Those who receive the ministry of the accredited might be aware that:
The inequality may also work the other way. In the best of pastoral relationships, the one ministered to enables the minister, respecting their boundaries. In other situations, accredited ministers may find themselves exploited or manipulated as the expectation on them grows beyond reasonable bounds.

Those who, as lay people, share in the church’s caring ministry may have the opportunity:
To support clergy, readers and others in their pastoral ministry helping them consider the boundaries of their ministry, holding a supportive watching brief for the balance of pastoral relationships in the parish.

Members of PCCs and Synods might reflect:
That meetings too are arenas in which power is exercised and inequalities develop. People may be browbeaten into agreeing policy, or into making greater commitment to sharing in the life of the church than they can actually sustain. Conduct of meetings should be characterised by listening to each other, as well as the care and respect mentioned above.

3. Theology

The language of theology is a powerful one. It can be used to liberate or to subjugate people. A number of questions warrant careful attention:
• What directs our use of theological language – are we actively aware of the effect the language has on the church community and those outside it?
• When we use theological language to legitimate our own position is this appropriate and helpful, or might our use of language verge on bullying people?
• What theological concepts require particular care in their handling? These might include powerful words (such as obedience, or sacrifice), or words which people find difficult because of their own experience (such as Father, family, etc.).

These questions are not designed to discourage us from using powerful theological language, but rather to be aware of how it touches people and of our motivation in using it.

The ordained and Readers:
Have a particular responsibility for theological language in worship, in preaching and in every area of church life. The questions highlighted above might well be usefully asked whenever theological language is used. Especially when such language is used to encourage people to take particular actions, or make a new commitment, the motivation of such encouragement needs addressing.

4. Boundaries and confidentiality

Pastoral ministry is complex, involving people relating to each other in different ways, in different settings and at different times. It may involve: worshipping together; relating in the safe space of a one-to-one pastoral relationship, in which people can talk about their concerns and feelings; offering and receiving friendship; working together in committee meetings; meeting on social occasions. It is therefore particularly important that all concerned reflect on what is appropriate behaviour in a particular situation, and what is appropriate behaviour when we encounter each other in many settings. The particular concern, in seeking to behave appropriately is that we do not abuse our relationship of trust with each other.

All those involved in pastoral ministry will need to consider:
How to set boundaries, both for the sake of the person to whom they minister, and for their own sake (and in many cases the sake of their family). They need to address the following issues:
• What may be discussed in particular settings
• How one-to-one meetings can be conducted in ways which are safe for both parties
• The appropriate timing of pastoral meetings (both in terms of time of day and length)
• The appropriate behaviour of the minister, in relation to closeness to the person being supported, touch, humour, etc.
• How the minister can avoid taking information from pastoral encounters into other situations in which he or she will encounter the person ministered to
• The ways in which the minister will discuss the parameters of the meeting with the person to whom the support is being offered

Working relationships between ministers raise similar questions, sometimes acutely. And in both pastoral and working relationships, self-awareness is key – especially in relation to our feelings and our sexuality. Such matters could be usefully discussed by ministry teams as a way of making explicit the challenges of working closely together.

The previous section implies that confidentiality must be considered very carefully within the church community. Knowledge about people represents power over them, and such knowledge must be handled with great care.

It is recommended, for information about people that is not in the public domain, that:
• There should be a clear understanding of who is within the circle of confidentiality, and a clear rationale if this circle extends beyond the minister and the person whom they are supporting
• Confidentiality is discussed not only by ministers amongst themselves, but also by ministers with those who receive their ministry
• Information should not be shared with the minister’s spouse, without the explicit permission of the person whom it concerns
• Colleagues in ministry should develop clear and workable guidelines as to what information they share with each other, and the permission required from those to whom they minister before information is shared
• Those involved in pastoral ministry should be clear about circumstances in which confidentiality may be broken (for the sake of the person concerned, or for the sake of a third party), and whether, in such cases, they seek permission, or inform the person

Ministry teams and PCCs might with advantage:
Discuss the issue of confidentiality within team or benefice, evolving a policy which is shared with all members of the church community

5. The conditions in which ministry takes place

Ministry provides an opportunity for people to offer freely of their time, their resources and their lives. However, for both stipendiary ministers and those who give their time voluntarily, there exists the possibility that their generosity will be exploited and they will find themselves giving more than can reasonably be expected.

Stipendiary clergy (and in much of what follows all voluntary accredited ministers):
Have the right to proper remuneration, housing, holidays, days off and working expenses.

The whole church community, but especially ministry teams and PCCs:
Should reflect on the collusion that is possible between ministers and other members of the church, which leads to an unrealistic expectation of availability and sacrifice. Equally, they should consider that it is often lay people who are expected to contribute to church life (in addition to the many other commitments they have) in ways which exceed reasonable expectation. All concerned should be alert to notice the point at which someone’s willing offer of service has become an over-heavy burden on them.

6. In cases where abuse takes place, or is alleged

In such situations the code of practice advocated by the House of Bishops will be implemented – see appendix 1 in relation to clergy, appendix 2 in relation to lay people licensed by the Bishop

The whole church community:
Has responsibility for an awareness of the possibility of mistreatment and abuse of adults. Certain people will focus and hold this responsibility, especially clergy readers and other accredited ministers, churchwardens and elders, and PCCs. It would be good for these people to discuss and publish, as part of a policy, how abuse may be recognised and dealt with in the local church community, and what resources are available to people caught up in abusive situations.