St. Cassian’s Retreat Centre provides a place for young people to visit so as to discover more about themselves and God, through the inspiration of St John Baptist de la Salle. Our challenge, every day, is to be

“Ambassadors and Ministers of Jesus” (Mtr 3) “to inspire and lead” (Med 2) 

young people on their life journey. We are constantly reminded that our work here is to

​‘touch the hearts of those entrusted to our care’. (Med 180:3)

We aim to ensure that St. Cassian’s is a safe and welcoming place for all who visit our Centre. This document contains guidelines for all who live and work in St. Cassian’s and for all whom we welcome to the Centre.
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These Guidelines, Policies and Procedures[2] are built on the foundation of Lasallian Values, our faith traditions and the requirements of the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency set out in the National Safeguarding Standards. With regard to St Cassian’s Centre, they apply to any member of the Institute, to any Lasallian partner or member of Staff including, but not limited to employees, agency workers and volunteers. They reflect the Institute’s commitment that Safeguarding is the responsibility of every person involved in a Lasallian ministry. 
Emma Biggins
Director – St. Cassian’s Centre.

1. Code of Practice

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  • Any group of young people visiting the Centre must be accompanied by responsible adults, the gender of the accompanying staff should complement the gender of the visiting group.

  • LEA guidance on the ratio of staff/leaders accompanying children or young people should be followed. The direction of the DFE is that for every ten, or part of ten children or young people, there should be one adult.

  • All those working with children and young people should be aware of potential risks in a situation which could lead to difficulties and/or embarrassment, accusations or temptations. For example:
    1. Members of the Retreat Team and/or Volunteer Team and other Support Staff will always work in pairs when their presence is required in and around the sleeping quarters of a residential group when young people are known to be present on residential corridors. The request for the presence of staff or volunteers should always be initiated by an adult accompanying the group.
    2. Under no circumstances will one adult (Retreat Team or Volunteers or other Support Staff) and one child or young person be together in private; for example, any one-to-one situation during activities; providing transport for groups etc.
    3. Any form of physical contact between an adult and a child or young person should be at the instigation of the child or young person. While each situation is unique, any form of physical contact must be appropriate to the situation and carry no element of risk to the safety and welfare of either party.

  • The Retreat Team, the Volunteer Team and other Support Staff[1] must recognise that good practices are in place to protect both themselves and the child or young person with whom they are working.

  • All children and young people are encouraged to talk to parents, leaders, employed staff or volunteers if they have any concerns.

  • If a child or young person discloses abuse, or if a member of the Retreat Team, the Volunteer Team or other Support Staff is observed behaving inappropriately, the prescribed procedure should be followed. (See the ‘How to Deal’ section below.)
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  • Safe recruitment requires that each member of staff or volunteer:
    1.  Completes an application form.
    2. Is interviewed.
    3. Has at least one reference taken up; in the case of those who will have direct contact with children and young people, this reference should be from a person who has direct experience of the applicant working with children and young people.
    4. Is appointed only after an Enhanced DBS Disclosure is received.
    5.  Confirmation of an employment or volunteering position is only given on the successful completion of a probationary period.
    6. The DBS Disclosure will only be taken up if the post fulfils the Enhanced DBS process criteria.

  • It is a requirement that adults leading visiting groups have DBS Disclosure at enhanced level.

  • Adequate insurance cover is always held for activities at St Cassian’s.

  • For particular service-led activities, an appropriate consent form has been received.
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  • First Aid kits are held on the premises and are frequently checked.

2. Review

  1. These Guidelines Policies and Procedures will be reviewed every year by the Management Committee at its Autumn meeting.

  2. Each member of Retreat Team, the Volunteer Team and other Support Staff is made aware of the Code of Practice and the Guidelines, Policies and Procedures when they accept a post at St Cassian’s. They are reminded of the Code of Practice and the Guidelines, Policies and Procedures annually.
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  3. Training in Safeguarding of children and young people is regularly given to all staff, including the Volunteer Team, annually.

3. House Rules

  1. All young people and accompanying teachers staying overnight at St. Cassian’s are accommodated in single, double or, very occasionally, triple bedrooms, almost always situated in the “Wings” area of the Centre. Male and female visitors have separate accommodation.

  2. The ‘Orchard Room’ can be used for accommodation should the visiting group require it. In these circumstances the young people using this room will be informed of the nearest adult room in case attention is required during the night. Although there is a lock, Fire regulations do not permit the room to be locked. This ban applies to all bedrooms.

  3. No member of the Retreat Team, the Volunteer Team or other Support Staff may enter this accommodation except in an emergency, under the direction of the Coordinator of the Retreat, and in the company of appropriate staff from the relevant school, or another member of the Retreat Team.

  4. At no time should young people visiting St. Cassian’s be invited into the private areas of the house without the express permission of the Director.

  5. Visitors to the Centre will be allowed to pass through the ‘Private’ areas to reach the nearest exit if the fire alarm is sounding.

4. What is Expected from Visitors and Users of the Centre

  1. Schools that book retreats at St. Cassian’s should ensure adequate and competent staffing. Two free staff places are granted for twelve young people. The gender of the accompanying staff should complement the gender of the visiting group.

  2. The accompanying members of staff are ultimately responsible for the safeguarding of their group.

  3. At no time should staff or young people be present in the sleeping areas of members of the opposite sex. There may be an exception to this in the case of an emergency but, in such a case, a member of staff of the same sex must also be present. If this occurs, a record of the incident will be made.

  4. At no time should visitors enter the Private areas of the house that are reserved for the Resident Community[1]. These areas are clearly indicated with signs marked “Private”.
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  5. As St. Cassian’s often welcomes pupils from several schools at any one time, accompanying staff need to be clear that their responsibility is confined to their group only, except in an emergency.

5. ​Procedures to be followed if Disclosures or Allegations are made within St. Cassian’s

  1. In the event of a disclosure or allegation is made about the Director of the Centre, then the Assistant Director and the Safeguarding Advisor of the Centre shall be informed as soon as possible. The Safeguarding Advisor will then inform the Chair of the Management Committee and any other relevant people and/or Agencies. The Chair of the Management Committee is responsible for informing the Trustees and keeping them informed of the progress of the ensuing enquiry. The Director will be obliged to withdraw from work at the Centre while the ensuing process unfolds. At the end of the process, the Management Committee will make a recommendation to the Trustees concerning the future of the Director at the Centre.

  2. In the event of a disclosure or allegation is made about the Assistant Director of the Centre (or another employed member of the Retreat Team), then the Director and the Safeguarding Advisor of the Centre shall be informed. The same procedures indicated in Number 1 above will be followed with regard to informing relevant statutory bodies, the Management Committee and the Trustees. At the end of the process, the Management Committee will make a recommendation to the Trustees concerning the future employment of the person concerned.

  3. If a disclosure or allegation is made about a Volunteer or about a member of the Resident Community, then the Director and the Safeguarding Advisor of the Centre shall be informed. The same procedures indicated in Number 2 above will be followed with regard to informing relevant statutory bodies, the Management Committee and the Trustees. At the end of the process, the Management Committee will make a recommendation to the Trustees concerning the future employment of the person concerned.

  4. In addition to the procedures outlined in Number 3 above, if the disclosure or allegation concerns a member of the Institute, the De La Salle GB Safeguarding Lead (contact details required) informs the Institute’s Office of Safeguarding and Integrity ([email protected]) to ensure that the directives of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life are followed.

  5. If the disclosure or allegation is made about a member of the domestic/ancillary staff, the Director and Safeguarding Advisor of the Centre shall be informed. The person involved will be required to withdraw immediately from the Centre pending an investigation by the relevant authorities. This matter will be referred to the Management Committee.

  6. In the event of a disclosure or allegation against a person accompanying a visiting school, then Director of the Centre, the Safeguarding Advisor of the Centre, and the Headteacher of the school involved shall be informed. The Director will liaise with the Headteacher (who is not an employee of St. Cassian’s). The Centre will ensure that the person against whom the allegation is made is not in contact with the child/young person concerned and cooperates fully with the Headteacher and/or relevant Agencies. It is essential to ensure that the person making the disclosure is offered appropriate support and that the Safeguarding procedures for responding to any concerns or allegations are followed.

  7. If the disclosure or allegation is made about another young member of a visiting group, the Director and the Safeguarding Advisor of the Centre shall be informed. They, in turn, will inform the senior member of the accompanying staff and the Headteacher. The person named will be immediately returned to his/her school pending an investigation. The Centre will then co-operate with the school and the relevant agencies.

  8. The Director of the Centre, along with the Safeguarding Advisor of the Centre, will ensure that those involved receive all the support and guidance that the Centre, acting on behalf of the Trustees, can offer.

  9. As a general rule, if a disclosure or allegation is made while a group is undertaking any activity at St. Cassian’s, the Director or the Safeguarding Advisor of the Centre will inform only those of the visiting staff, and the staff of the Centre, who need to know.

  10. In the event of a disclosure of abuse, unrelated to the Centre, made by a retreatant while at St. Cassian’s, the person receiving the disclosure will report it immediately to the Retreat Coordinator[1]. It is then to be reported to the Director as soon as possible, and to the Safeguarding Advisor of the Centre.

  11. The person receiving the disclosure must then record on file the events as they happened. This is to be done as soon as possible. It is to be signed and dated and then given to the Retreat Coordinator. This document will be emailed to the Director and saved in the appropriate file in the OneDrive.

  12. A copy of all reports will be sent to the Safeguarding Officer of the visiting school which the young person attends.

  13. If the St. Cassian’s Safeguarding Advisor cannot be contacted in the event of any disclosure or allegation referred to in this section, the matter must be reported to the De La Salle GB Safeguarding Lead. (Mr. John Biggins, [email protected])​

  14. While at St Cassian’s, if advice is needed with regard to suspected inappropriate behaviour, or with regard to disclosure of an abuse allegation, whether it directly involves St Cassian’s Centre or not, the following can be contacted:

The Director of S.t Cassian’s Centre,
Mrs. Emma Biggins
​01488 658267 or 07834562241

St. Cassian’s Safeguarding Advisor,
Ms. Heather Jamieson
​​07876213619
15.   Notices are prominently displayed throughout St Cassian’s Centre giving details of contacts for Safeguarding matters.

​A copy of this leaflet is given to all school staff accompanying retreat groups and to leaders of other groups of young people visiting St. Cassian’s.

6. How to deal with the disclosure or discovery of abuse

  • Reassure the child or young person that they are in no way to blame for what has happened and that they have done the right thing in telling someone.

  • Do not promise to keep things secret, but do promise to share the information only with those who need to know.

  • Do not press the child or young person into giving more information, but allow them to speak freely. Do not ask for more details than they are willing to give.

  • As soon as is practicable thereafter, write down what has been disclosed in a clear and detailed way. Include the names as given by the child or young person of anyone involved and dates, times and places. Sign, date and record the time the document is written.

  • These and other relevant records will be kept in a secure OneDrive file.

  • Do not make anyone else aware of the disclosure except those named in the section below on confidentiality.

  • Immediately speak to the Retreat Coordinator. If you are a member of the Volunteer Team, speak to a Retreat Team Member. If you are a Retreat Team member, speak to the Director. If you are a member of the Support Staff, speak to the Director.

  • Following initial liaising with the adult responsible for the group of which the child/young person is a part, the Director will contact the Headteacher and the St. Cassian’s Safeguarding Advisor. Police and/or Social Services will be contacted if any person is in immediate danger.

  • In all cases, the St. Cassian’s Safeguarding Advisor will be contacted if action has to be taken.

  • If there are concerns about the safeguarding of a child or young person at the Centre, the St. Cassian’s Safeguarding Advisor can be contacted by anyone at any time.

  • Anyone who receives a disclosure of abuse will be offered professional and pastoral support.

7. ​Confidentiality

​An abuser will often use threats to ensure the silence of the victim. Any child or young person, therefore, who discloses abuse has taken a risk and broken the barrier of secrecy. By re-assuring him or her, and offering appropriate action, you will be the means by which help can be found to prevent further abuse. Any allegation of abuse will be treated with the utmost sensitivity and seriousness. Tell the person that some people will need to be informed but only those with responsibility for protecting children, young people, or others at risk. Even if it appears that the disclosure or discovery is trivial, malicious or frivolous, it must be reported.
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Additional information, including the types of abuse and how to recognise the signs of abuse is covered during Safeguarding Training in Induction weeks.

8. The Use of Personal Computers

Attention is drawn to the statement in the 'Guidelines' regarding Internet accountability in the use of Trust computers. Appropriate monitoring software has been installed in all Centre computers that are in common use. Similar responsibility in this matter will be expected from all Centre Staff in the use of computers which are for their personal use.

9. The Conference Area (“The Old Stables”)

​This area, attached physically to the Retreat Centre at St Cassian’s, is to be seen and treated as an independent entity. As such, because of necessary Safeguarding considerations, it is not permitted for any person/group making use of these facilities to move beyond the allocated section into areas that are the reserve of the Retreat Centre.
Approved by Management Committee         Date:  July 2025
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Date for review          Annually
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[1] What follows indicates how these Safeguarding Guidelines, Policies and Procedures are implemented at St. Cassian’s Centre, Kintbury.
[2] It should be noted that the Centre has separate policy documents covering Employment (in the form of an Employees’ Handbook) and Health and Safety. These are available for consultation from the Centre
​[3] Definitions on p. 19 as follows:  
  • A Retreat Team member: a Retreat Team Member includes the Director of the Centre and the employed Retreat Team members.
  • A member of the Support Staff refers to a Volunteer or to any other employee (domestic or ancillary staff) who works at, or in support of, the Centre.
  • A Volunteer is a member of the Volunteer Team appointed by the Director for a limited period at the beginning of the Centre’s activities in August/September
[4] The Resident Community is made up of the Brothers’, Volunteers and Retreat Staff who are living in the Centre
[5] Always a member of the Retreat Team
[6] Working alone in the context of health and safety is covered in the Centre’s Health and Safety Policy.