Safe Enough to Speak: A Young Person’s Reflection on Church, Belonging, and Safeguarding

Church should be one of the safest places a child or young person ever walks into. Yet “safety” isn’t always the first word we associate with faith communities, and it can slip into the background behind programmes, services, and good intentions. This reflection from Caroline, aged 15, voices what many young people feel but don’t always get to say: that belonging, being heard, and being able to speak without fear are as vital to safeguarding as any policy or training.

Drawing on her lived experience of Church life and youth group, this piece invites all of us—leaders, volunteers, parents, and peers—to pay attention. Safety is a culture we build together. Young people are a valuable part of that community. Their voice and their safety matter. Our first task is to listen.

Caroline’s reflection:

"Safe is a word that I think is not generally associated immediately with church and faith, and can sometimes be overlooked in a faith setting, when in reality the church has a major impact on the lives and childhoods of children and young people. When thinking about the role of a church, we often see it as a place of praise to meet with God and grow spiritually as an individual, but the community side is just as (if not even more) important in a person’s faith journey and the church’s role in their life.

Growing up within the church, I have seen many different ways of leadership and praise, and the church community has become a part of my life. Church can be a vital and key support network for many people of all ages.

Going to a place that is so connected with such a clear vision and focus once every week means the people you are with and the interactions you have while you're there, whether positive or negative, will make a big impact on your life and also your faith. The people you talk to and learn from in a church community begin to shape your view on religion and your beliefs, and this impact is especially prominent in children who are constantly learning and forming their own views.

This is why the concept of your church being a safe place is so important. To give children and young people a community they can feel a part of and an environment of acceptance and love they can fall back on. The children and young people of the church are a key aspect and are the most influenced and affected by those they interact with and what they are taught, and for a church to be a safe place within their life leaves room for them to develop and explore their beliefs without fear and with the knowledge that they will be accepted. 

In Romans chapter 12 verse 4 to 5, we are taught of collective support and connection that should be a part of the church and that the wellbeing of those within the church, especially the vulnerable, such as children. The church should be a collective responsibility rather than the job of one person. This culture of looking out for each other and prioritising their mental health and wellbeing is what makes a place safe and is fundamental to make a church the environment that children and young people need and can rely on. 

In schools and other clubs, the health and safety of the children is recognised and widely seen as an important aspect within those communities, but in church the focus on the safety of those who attend is rarely mentioned and does not appear as a core focus. There are things in place such as equipment and first aid training to make an active step towards making a safer place for children and in a church there are similar things going on behind the scenes but I feel like it would valuable to bring the issues around safety to light and to show a clear response to show the members of the community that they are protected and cared for. More discussions around the topic of safety and the church culture could be beneficial to play a more active role in improving the experiences of the church life of young people and children.  

A place in the church where I personally spend most of my time is in the youth group I am a part of. Here, I have made valuable friendships and had experiences that have helped grow my faith and feel like a part of the much wider church communities. A memory that particularly stands out when thinking about safeguarding is when we started a new focus within our group, and each person was able to contribute ideas under certain themes that would become the topic we would pray for and discuss within the sessions. This helped the learning we received in those lessons be relevant and made the people who gave the ideas feel seen and acknowledged without judgment. This ability to express ideas and who we are is key to building a safe and comfortable environment where children and young people can feel protected and encouraged.

These feelings and the emotions that are evoked when coming to church is, in my view, as equally important as following different guidelines and policies and are an important part of safeguarding of young people within a church. I recognise the need for the vital work done by safeguarding leaders but if the people within a church do not feel safe or comfortable to express themselves, then the loving and supportive nature of a church community cannot be upheld."

Final thoughts:

Caroline reminds us that safeguarding is a posture and a culture. A church becomes “safe enough to speak” when belonging isn’t assumed but actively cultivated, when listening is not occasional but routine and when young people are invited to shape the community they inhabit, not simply attend it. Policies, training and named roles matter deeply, but their purpose is made clearer in a culture where every child and young person knows they will be heard, believed and supported.

Let’s build communities where courage is met with compassion, questions are welcomed without judgment, and the youngest voices help set the tone for everyone. That is how safeguarding moves from the background to the foreground—how a church becomes not only a place to worship, but a place to belong, heal and grow.