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Blackfriars Hall > Policies and Codes of Practice > Safeguarding Policy

Safeguarding Policy

BLACKFRIARS HALL SAFEGUARDING POLICY

Blackfriars Hall takes very seriously its responsibility to provide a safe environment for all its members and visitors, and especially to protect minors (those under the age of 18) and adults at risk from harm. We recognise that abuse can include: physical, verbal, sexual, emotional, spiritual, and domestic abuse, and modern forms of slavery; it may be discriminatory, or organisational; it may take the form of neglect, or self-neglect, and may be financial or material.

Our safeguarding policies follow the guidelines for best practice set down by the University of Oxford, and by the Hall’s parent charity, the English Province of the Order of Preachers.

This policy applies to all Blackfriars Hall Fellows, officers, staff, and any contractors acting on behalf of the Hall.

  1. The Moderators (Local Executive Board) shall appoint from among themselves a Safeguarding Lead.
  2. The Moderators ((Local Executive Board) shall appoint from among the Fellows of the Hall one or more Designated Safeguarding Officers.
  3. The Safeguarding Lead and Officer(s) shall receive appropriate training, normally before taking up office.
  4. The names and contact details of the Safeguarding Leads and Officers shall be easily accessible to members of the Hall and Studium, including through the website.
  5. Attendance of children (aged under 18) at public lectures or other Hall events in Blackfriars Priory shall be subject to the Safeguarding Policies of the English Province of the Order of Preachers and of Blackfriars Priory.
  6. It is agreed between Blackfriars Hall and Blackfriars Priory that all non-Hall events at the Priory are subject to the Safeguarding Policies of the English Province of the Order of Preachers and of Blackfriars Priory.
  7. Blackfriars Hall and the English Province of the Order of Preachers share use of the Blackfriars Annexe. Persons under 18 are not permitted to enter the Annexe unless escorted at all times by a responsible adult (parent or designated carer) and are not permitted in any circumstance to enter the accommodation on the 3rd-floor of the Annexe.
  8. Blackfriars Hall manages student accommodation at 16-17 St John St to which this same Policy also applies. Persons under 18 are not permitted to enter Blackfriars student accommodation.
  9. All external contractors and their employees who require access to Blackfriars student accommodation at the Annexe (33 St Giles) or 16-17 St John St must be accompanied by a member of Blackfriars staff at all times when students are resident. Appropriate due diligence checks will be undertaken of any contractor who may need to work in the accommodation alone, such as cleaning and regular maintenance contractors.
  10. All Blackfriars staff who are not students who must enter student sleeping accommodation must be clearly identifiable to students as Blackfriars staff (e.g., carry a Blackfriars photo ID).
  11. Processes for dealing with suspicions or allegations of abuse are to be followed in accordance with the Safeguarding Policies of Blackfriars Priory and the English Province of the Order of Preachers.
  12. This Policy shall be reviewed by the Moderators annually.

If you have any concerns or matters you wish to discuss, you are invited to contact one of the below:

Hall Designated Safeguarding Lead: richard.finn@bfriars.ox.ac.uk (Fr Richard Finn OP is a friar and Secretary of Studies in the Hall).

Hall Designated Safeguarding Officer(s): Appointment to be announced.

  • Designated Safeguarding Lead for the English Province of the Order of Preachers: safeguarding@english.op.org(this role is held by a friar, Fr John Patrick Kenrick OP)

 

THE BLACKFRIARS PRIORY SAFEGUARDING POLICY

The local policy specific to Blackfriars Priory includes areas where children may or may not go, and what is to be done if there is an issue, etc. There are also two lay Safeguarding representatives: Maggie Swarbrick and Stefan Enchelmeier.

They can be contacted at:

maggie.swarbrick@english.op.org (Tel: 07874311383)

or

stefan.enchelmaier@english.op.org (Tel: 07874311389).

The Local Safeguarding Friar is Dominic Ryan OP. He can be contacted at dominic.ryan@english.op.org (Tel: 07472 552426).

Any issues with friars are handled by the Religious Life Safeguarding Service, an independent body providing safeguarding services for religious orders and similar groups in the Catholic Church in England and Wales.

 

OUR PARENT CHARITY

Blackfriars is a branch of the English Province of the Order of Preachers (the Dominican Friars).

The Province’s safeguarding policy can be viewed online at: https://english.op.org/policies/safeguarding-policy/

The Religious Life Safeguarding Service (safeguarding@religioussafeguarding.org ; 0151 556 2311) for any issues relating to the friars.

Approved 16 February 2026