The welfare of children and vulnerable adults is of paramount importance to the Diocese of Carlisle. We urge anyone wishing to give information or make disclosures of church-related abuse to make direct contact with the Diocesan Safeguarding Team.

If you need support for yourself or someone elseand it is not connected to the church, we have supplied a list of local and national places where you can seek support. There is always someone ready to listen to your story so please reach out.

• Responding Well: A Guide to Support for Victims and Survivors: This Guide outlines what support you can expect if you have experienced abuse within a church setting and decide to report it to a Diocesan Safeguarding Team.
• Safe Spaces: Safe Spaces offers a free and independent telephone support service for anyone who has experienced any form of abuse through their relationship with either the Church of England, the Catholic Church of England and Wales or the Church in Wales. Safe Spaces comprises a team of specialist support advocates who are skilled in supporting survivors of sexual violence and who have received additional training in how the churches respond to abuse cases. The team understands the way in which faith and church-related settings have been used to carry out abuse and the particularissues affecting people who have had, or still have, a relationship with the church.