Click on a link below to take you to the relevant section:
- Basic Awareness
- Foundation
- Safer Recruitment and People Management
- Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse
- Leadership
- PSO (Parish Safeguarding Officer) Induction
- Courses PCC members are required to complete
- Courses Parish Safeguarding Officers (PSOs) are required to complete
- Courses Lead & Additional Recruiters (DBS Administrators) are required to complete
- When/how often do I need to complete the Church of England Safeguarding Course(s)?
Basic Awareness
Recommended for anyone wanting or needing a Basic Awareness of safeguarding.
Required for:
- ALL Church Officers, including, but not limited to:
- Safeguarding Officers / Leads (e.g. PSOs)
- Anyone holding a licence, commission, authorisation, permission to officiate or permission to carry out similar ministerial functions (including Honorary/Assistant Bishops, Chaplains, Reader Emeritus & ALPs)
- Anyone in a role which involves working/volunteering with children (under 18 year olds) and/or adults at risk (vulnerable adults)
- Bishops Visitors / Pastoral Visitors
- Line managers and/or anyone involved in the recruitment, selection, appointment, management of Church Officers (employees, elected members, and volunteers)
- Those with responsibility for administering DBS (Lead and Additional Recruiters)
- Churchwardens
- PCC Members
- Lay Chapter Members
- Vergers
- Non-executive members of Chapter
- Pre-ordination or license students, prior to BAP or selection Panel.
- Anyone going on to complete any other Church of England safeguarding course
Access the e-Learning (online) courses
Foundation
Required for:
- Safeguarding Officers / Leads (e.g. PSOs)
- Anyone holding a licence, commission, authorisation, permission to officiate or permission to carry out similar ministerial functions (including Honorary/Assistant Bishops, Chaplains, Reader Emeritus & ALPs)
- Anyone in a role which involves working/volunteering with children (under 18 year olds) and/or adults at risk (vulnerable adults)
- Bishops Visitors / Pastoral Visitors
- Line managers and/or anyone involved in the recruitment, selection, appointment, management of Church Officers (employees, elected members, and volunteers)
- Those with responsibility for administering DBS (Lead and Additional Recruiters)
- Churchwardens
- PCC Members
- Lay Chapter Members
- Vergers
- Non-executive members of Chapter
- Pre-ordination or license students, prior to BAP or selection Panel.
- Anyone going on to complete any other Church of England safeguarding course
Completion of the Basic Awareness Course is a pre-requisite.
Access the e-Learning (online) courses
Safer Recruitment and People Management
Required for Line managers and anyone involved in the recruitment, selection, appointment, management of Church Officers (employees, elected members, and volunteers). Including, but not limited to:
- Those with responsibility for administering DBS check and/or requesting overseas criminal record checks (Lead/Additional Recruiters)
- Safeguarding Officers in all Church bodies (e.g. PSOs)
- Ordinands during IME 1
Completion of the Basic Awareness Course and then the Foundation Course is a pre-requisite.
Access the e-Learning (online) courses
Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse
Recommended ALL Church Officers, PCC and Chapter members
Required for:
- Anyone holding the bishop’s licence, commission, authorisation, or permission (including clergy, PtO, Readers, LLMs) or serving as an officer of the bishop
- Anyone (volunteers and employees) working with children, young people, or vulnerable adults, including Bishops Visitors and Pastoral Visitors
- Safeguarding Officers / Safeguarding Leads including Designated Safeguarding Person in a Religious Community
- Pre-ordination or licence students, prior to BAP or selection Panel
Completion of the Basic Awareness Course is a pre-requisite
Access the e-Learning (online) courses
Leadership
Required for:
- All clergy holding the bishop’s licence, commission, authorisation, or permission (including PtO where exemption has not been given) including Honorary/Assistant Bishops and Chaplains
- All Readers and Licensed Lay Ministers holding the bishop’s licence (under Canons E6 & E8), together with all others who hold the bishop’s commission, authorisation, or permission to carry out similar ministerial functions (including PtO where exemption has not been given)
- Non-executive members of Chapter (unless their role in the diocese requires a higher level)
- Safeguarding Officers / Leads in all Church bodies (e.g. PSOs)
- Tower captains at prominent towers (including Cathedrals, towers with frequent visitors or people learning)
- District chair / district safeguarding lead of bell ringing guilds/councils
- Ordinands (need to have completed Leadership before their diaconal ordination)
- Lay ministers in training (need to have completed Leadership before they are licenced, authorised or commissioned)
It should also, according to the local context, include such other people who significantly influence the culture of that Church body. These may include, for example, lay ministry staff employed by a PCC or BMO, locally appointed leaders of new worshipping communities, focal ministers, and Churchwardens.
Within the Diocese of Chelmsford it is a requirement for all Churchwardens at parishes in interegnum to have a Leadership certificate dated with 3 years.
Completion of the Basic Awareness Course and then the Foundation Course is a pre-requisite.
PSO (Parish Safeguarding Officer) Induction
Recommended for existing PSOs (Parish Safeguarding Officers)
Required for persons taking on the role of PSO (Parish Safeguarding Officer)
Completion of the Basic Awareness Course and then the Foundation Course is a pre-requisite.
Access the PSO Induction course
Courses PCC members are required to complete
- Basic Awareness
- Foundation (every 3 years)
- PCC members that are also line managers and/or involved in the recruitment, selection, appointment, management of Church Officers* (employees or elected members or volunteers) would also be required to complete the Safer Recruitment and People Management course (every 3 years) too.
- Churchwardens at parishes currently without an Incumbent would also be required to complete the Leadership course too, but ANY Churchwarden is welcome to attend.
Courses Parish Safeguarding Officers (PSOs) are required to complete
Then these 4 courses in any order:
- PSO (Parish Safeguarding Officer) Induction
- Leadership (every 3 years)
- Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse (every 3 years)
- Safer Recruitment and People Management (every 3 years)
Courses Lead & Additional Recruiters (DBS Administrators) are required to complete
- Basic Awareness
- Foundation (every 3 years)
- Safer Recruitment and People Management (every 3 years)
When/how often do I need to complete the Church of England Safeguarding Course(s)?
It is expected that people work to achieve the required level of learning as soon as is practicable upon starting a new role. For example, PCC members often end up standing for election on the day and their appointment takes effect immediately. It is not therefore realistic to say that they must be trained before they start. The required core safeguarding learning pathways should be a priority with Basic Awareness and Foundation being completed as part of an induction process and the remaining core pathways being completed within six months of an individual taking up a post - Church of England Safeguarding Learning & Development Framework 2021
Once an individual has worked their way up the ‘core’ pathways (courses) and reached their highest level required for their role, they need to re-fresh their highest required ‘core’ pathway (course) every 3 years.
These are the NST’s ‘core’ pathways (courses):
Examples:
- After a Bell Ringer has completed Basic Awareness, 3 years later they are required to re-fresh the Basic Awareness ‘core’ pathway (course).
- After a PCC member has completed Basic Awareness and then Foundation, 3 years later they are required to re-fresh the Foundation ‘core’ pathway (course).
- After a member of Clergy has completed Basic Awareness, then Foundation and then Leadership, 3 years later they are required to re-fresh the Leadership ‘core’ pathway (course).
Please note: This does not apply to the old Chelmsford Diocesan online Adult safeguarding training and Child Safeguarding Training as these certificates are no longer recognised by the Church of England National Safeguarding Team. All church officers must complete the Church of England National Safeguarding Team’s CPD certified courses.
‘Additional’ pathways (courses) such as Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse & Safer Recruitment and People Management should be refreshed on a three-yearly cycle IF they are a requirement of that individual’s role.
There should be a note of your course completion date(s) in your parish's safeguarding training records which are reviewed, at least, yearly. Some parishes have delegated the role of safeguarding training reminders to their PSO(s), but we would recommend adding a 3 year reminder note in your own diary/calendar.
Key Roles and Responsibilities of Church Office Holders and Bodies Practice Guidance:
- With the Incumbent the PCC will ensure that all church officers who work with children, young people and/or vulnerable adults attend diocesan safeguarding training at least every three years.
- The PSO should regularly report on safeguarding in the parish. Safeguarding should be a standing agenda item at each PCC meeting. At the APCM the PCC will provide an annual report in relation to safeguarding.
Church of England Model Parish Safeguarding Checklist:
- To assist with the creation of a safeguarding culture each PCC (or equivalent charitable body) must ensure that all church officers who work with children, young people and/or vulnerable adults attend diocesan safeguarding training at least every three years...[this] will be checked during parish visitations.
Incumbents and PSOs can email us a request for an e-Learning report, but please allow 1 week to receive this.