Writer and broadcaster Ruth Sanderson presented the news report –style presentation on the Council’s work - reading the headlines, conducting live interviews and showing clips from pre-recorded segments.
With a central focus of demonstrating how ‘people really do matter to God’, the main ‘stories’ covered during the ‘broadcast’ included the provision of services for young adults with a learning disability, and the recent launch of PCI’s Adult Safeguarding guidelines, with specific reference to domestic abuse.
Safeguarding and domestic abuse
Named ‘Taking Care of All’, the Church’s safeguarding guidelines were highlighted during a video segment featuring Judith Gillespie, former Deputy Chief Constable of the PSNI.
Referring to the challenges congregations can face in issues of safeguarding the vulnerable, she explained how it was not just a responsibility for “the child protection person or the designated person within a congregation”, but for everyone. “It’s no longer all to do with child protection, it’s about safeguarding, it’s about adults and vulnerability in every respect,” she said.
Moving on to the specific issue of domestic abuse, Judith Gillespie outlined the scale of the issue, saying, “Traditionally we understand domestic abuse means violence … but often it doesn’t. It can involve the most insidious type of controlling behaviour by one partner against the other.
“Even though police statistics in Northern Ireland might say that there are almost 30,000 incidents of domestic abuse reported each year, we know that’s only the tip of the iceberg … by the law of averages there will be victims of domestic abuse, and indeed perpetrators of domestic abuse, in Presbyterian Church congregations, and that’s something we need to be really conscious of.
“You could be sitting beside someone who is undergoing the most painful experiences at their home, and yet putting on a very brave ace as they come to church organisations. The earlier that you can understand that … and intervene and offer support, the more likely it is that victims will be helped, and indeed, lives will be saved. Every year around six people are murdered in domestic homicide situations. This is about preventing murder. It’s not pink and fluffy and soft stuff, it’s homicide prevention.”
Post-19 disability support
The evening’s presentation also focused on the work of the Council’s Disability Services Committee, summarised during an interview with its convener, Rev. Peter Dickinson. “There are four main areas of our work: Residential Care, Day Care and Supported Living for folks with a learning and / or physical disability; and a ministry to deaf people through the Kinghan Church,” he explained.
Highlighting the importance of including people with a learning disability in the life and worship of the local church, Rev. Dickinson commended the Church’s ‘My Place’ events, which explored how the Church could ensure that children with special needs know that they have a place in the local church community, in worship and in children’s ministry.
A major focus of Rev. Dickinson’s interview was on the provision of care for young adults with a learning disability. Describing the current provisions as “a drop in the ocean”, he went on to explain the challenge that these young adults can face as they turn 19: “The provision that special schools have made in recent years has improved dramatically, with speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, music therapy, and sensory rooms. Those things can disappear overnight … when they change from children’s services to adult services.
“Government has in recent years passed many motions in the Northern Ireland Assembly, taking decisions about improving care and facilities for people post 19, but unfortunately implementation has fallen short. We need to encourage them. …We need to see some implementation of the recommendations that have been made,” he concluded.
The provision of support services for those with a learning disability in the post-19 age group will be put before General Assembly on Friday morning, when it is asked to ‘encourage the Council for Social Witness as it explores this matter and, if appropriate, engages with the Department of Health in collaboration with the Council for Public Affairs.’
The evening’s alternative presentation concluded with an ‘expert panel’ on hand to answer questions on social care issues from the Assembly floor. Members of the panel included the Council for Social Witness’s Residential and Supported Services Manager, Linda Wray, and the Health and Social Care Board’s Regional Adult Safeguarding Officer, Joyce McKee.
The Council for Social Witness is responsible for delivering an effective Social Witness service on behalf of the Church and to the wider community in partnership with appropriate organisations. Its report and accompanying resolutions will go before the General Assembly during the final day of business on Friday 8 June, at 11.30am.
Details of each day’s business of the 2018 General Assembly can be found at www.presbyterianireland.org/GA18. Resolutions and reports before the General Assembly can be found in the 2018 Blue Book here.
Most of the public sessions will be streamed live via this website. All public session proceedings can also be followed via live Twitter feed @pciassembly using the hashtag #PCIGA18.