In this reflection for Safeguarding Month, Angela Colman, Willesden Area Safeguarding Adviser, shares how her Christian faith shapes her work. She describes safeguarding as “love in action”—a living expression of the Gospel that protects, restores, and empowers. Angela reminds us that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and lies at the very heart of discipleship and community.
Safeguarding has always been close to my heart. Before joining the Diocese of London, I worked in safeguarding in other settings, so when the opportunity arose to serve the Church, I felt God calling me to bring my experience into this space. The Church of England is a vast family with extraordinary people—thousands of volunteers and leaders who give their time and love to make church a place where everyone can belong. Working in safeguarding within the Church is a privilege and a responsibility. It’s a chance to support parishes in creating environments where everyone can safely explore and live out their faith.
Beyond the rules: The heart of safeguarding
When I began this role, I was struck by the structures already in place to keep people safe and the commitment I saw across our parishes. Safeguarding can sometimes be seen as another set of rules or forms to fill in, but when people understand the principles behind it—why we do what we do—their passion shines through. My role isn’t just about policy; it’s about helping people understand how safeguarding expresses love and discipleship in action.
I often say that knowledge changes behaviour. Just as public attitudes to smoking in cars with children changed when we understood the harm it causes, our understanding of safeguarding keeps evolving too. As we learn more about trauma, vulnerability and power, our practice changes—and that’s a sign of growth, not failure. Safeguarding will always keep developing, because our calling to protect and nurture others never ends.
Creating a true spiritual home
At its heart, safeguarding makes church a true spiritual home — a place where every person can grow in faith and feel safe to do so. It’s somewhere that what we teach from the front is lived out in the way we welcome, listen, respond and care. When someone walks into a church — whether for Sunday worship, a food bank, or a community group — they should know instinctively that they are safe and valued.
Safeguarding is also about equality before God. No-one, whether lay or ordained, is ‘untouchable’. Our understanding of safeguarding must be consistent and transparent for everyone. Scripture reminds us that God is just and impartial; Jesus himself welcomed children, spoke with tax collectors, and offered love without hierarchy. He met people on the street, not just in the temple. That’s the kind of Church I want us to be — living out the truth of God’s word being open, compassionate and accountable.
Forgiveness and boundaries: Love in practice
There are times when forgiveness and accountability feel in tension. We know that in Christ, everyone can be forgiven — but accountability must always remain. Someone who has caused harm may truly repent, but there are still boundaries that must be kept. A safety plan in place so that an individual can attend church doesn’t mean a lack of forgiveness; it’s a way of loving wisely. As Jesus taught, we render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s. The law of the land and the law of love work hand in hand.
Faith that sustains difficult work
When I face difficult cases, my faith sustains me. There are days when I go to bed praying that a family is safe, or that a survivor finds the courage to take another step toward healing. I’ve seen moments where God clearly intervenes—like an elderly survivor who, after years of silence, finally agreed to receive counselling. Months later, her family told me how much that decision changed her life. I may never see all the outcomes, but I trust that God has a plan, as Jeremiah 29:11 says:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
That verse reminds me that even in pain and injustice, God is at work. The Christian faith is not about removing difficulty and challenge it is about living through it. Safeguarding isn’t just about preventing harm; it’s about restoring hope. It’s the Church living out Christ’s command to love one another in truth and transparency.
Part of the fabric of church life
If I could change one cultural mindset, it would be to help everyone see that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and is active not passive. It isn’t a burden or a bureaucratic exercise—it’s an expression of who we are as disciples. When safeguarding is visible in our pew sheets, our posters, our conversations, and our decision making it becomes part of the fabric of church life, not something separate from it. For everyone to actively bring the national safeguarding standards into their own context—standards that focus on culture, leadership, and capacity. This means working towards prevention, recognising and managing risk, supporting victims and survivors, and committing to ongoing learning, supervision, and support.
My prayer is simple: that our churches continue to be safe places, led by people who understand their power and use it with humility and integrity. And that the wider world would begin to see and celebrate the good safeguarding work happening across the Church of England—stories of transformation, care, and faith in action.
Because ultimately, safeguarding is not just about protection it’s about belonging in love. And love, as we know, is at the very heart of the Gospel.
Find out more
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility—and it starts with knowing how you can help. Explore practical guidance, training opportunities, and resources to support safe and welcoming church communities on the Diocese of London Safeguarding page.