Safeguarding training modules

The Church of England’s Practice Guidance: Safeguarding Training and Development (2021), provides a framework for safeguarding training. 

This takes into account the specific roles and context of the church from members of the congregations to senior leaders. A range of Core safeguarding training modules is a mandatory requirement for particular Church roles. 

Safeguarding training should be updated every 3 years at the highest level only. 

What training is available to parishes?

The national church currently offers the following modules of Safeguarding Training: 


The Safeguarding Learning and Development Matrix shows who is required to undertake what training

 

Basic Awareness course

The Basic Awareness course can be completed by anyone wanting or needing a Basic Awareness of Safeguarding. It is required to be completed by: All Church Officers and anyone going on to complete any other safeguarding learning pathway. 

You can complete the course online at The Church of England Safeguarding Training Portal
 


Follow our step by step instructions on how to login to the online courses 
 
How to access online courses

 

  1. Click ‘Online Courses’
     
  2. You will then be prompted to register:
    *Create a username and password
    *Enter your email address and confirm this
    *First name
    *Surname
    *City
    *Country
    *Diocese – selected via a drop down list
    *TEI – If not part of a training institution – please select ‘Not part of a training institution’ option 1 on the dropdown list.
     
  3. Enter the name of your church and parish (or cathedral).  If you work or volunteer in a parish and the cathedral, put both; it is important that your training is counted against the correct parish/cathedral.
     
  4. Enter your church role.  It is important that your training is counted against your role.
     
  5. The above details will then be assigned for Basic Awareness and Foundation training.
     
  6. Upon completion of this information, you will receive an email to the email address you have used to sign up; this email contains a link that must be followed to confirm your registration.
     
  7. Once confirmed, you will be able to log in using the username and password you created and complete the course.
     
  8. At the end of the course, you will be able to print a certificate and you will also receive a second email confirming your course completion.


 

Foundation course

The Foundation course builds on the learning gained from the Basic Awareness course. It is required by: 

  • Anyone holding the Bishop's Licence, commission, authorisation, or permission (Clergy, PTO, Readers and LML's).
  • Anyone in a role that involves work with children, young people or vulnerable adults,
  • Churchwardens,
  • Anyone going on to complete any other safeguarding learning pathway.
  • Pre-ordination or license students, prior to BAP or selection Panel.
  • Vergers
  • PCC Members / Lay Chapter Members.
  • Staff at Theological Education Institutions with student-facing roles.
  • Members of the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel.


The course is available to complete online at The Church of England Safeguarding Training Portal
 

Follow our step by step instructions on how to login to the online courses
 
How to access online courses

 

  1. Click ‘Online Courses’
     
  2. You will then be prompted to register:
    *Create a username and password
    *Enter your email address and confirm this
    *First name
    *Surname
    *City
    *Country
    *Diocese – selected via a drop down list
    *TEI – If not part of a training institution – please select ‘Not part of a training institution’ option 1 on the dropdown list.
     
  3. Enter the name of your church and parish (or cathedral).  If you work or volunteer in a parish and the cathedral, put both; it is important that your training is counted against the correct parish/cathedral.
     
  4. Enter your church role.  It is important that your training is counted against your role.
     
  5. The above details will then be assigned for Basic Awareness and Foundation training.
     
  6. Upon completion of this information, you will receive an email to the email address you have used to sign up; this email contains a link that must be followed to confirm your registration.
     
  7. Once confirmed, you will be able to log in using the username and password you created and complete the course.
     
  8. At the end of the course, you will be able to print a certificate and you will also receive a second email confirming your course completion.

 

Leadership Pathway course

The House of Bishops’ Safeguarding Learning and Development guidance issued in 2021 states that the Leadership Pathway is required for those people who play a lead role in shaping the culture of the Church body concerned. They will always include:

  • 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 Bishops 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.
  • Teaching Staff at Theological Education Institutions who are delivering the Leadership Pathway.

 

 In this Diocese the safeguarding lead for the Bishop has determined that the following roles will also require attendance on the leadership training:

  • Churchwardens
  • those who have overall responsibility for children/vulnerable adult activities e.g.
    • Sunday school coordinator
    • leader of a pastoral care team
    • homelessness project leader
    • youth and children’s workers who have a significant role in leading/supervising/developing work with children and young people
  • Bell Tower Captain
  • Directors of Music where there are children’s choirs

 

Prior to completing the Leadership Pathway course participants should complete or have completed the Basic and Foundation course online. The Leadership Pathway course is a prerequisite for those to attend the Senior Leadership Pathway course.


This training is delivered by the Safeguarding Team via two zoom sessions. Please note that before and after the zoom training sessions there is some course preparation, reflections and reading to complete:

  • Completing a workbook and returning this to the trainer by the specified deadline date which will be advised in the email containing the workbook
  • Completing a further reflection and reading a case study prior to attending the second Zoom session
  • Completion and submission of a self reflection and action plan after the second Zoom session.

 

Please note:  The Leadership Pathway course via zoom has now been in existence for three years.  The contents of this course have recently been updated by the National Safeguarding Team, so are different from the previous Leadership Pathway course.

 

A reading list of relevant policies and some other sources is also provided, the reading is not a requirement however attendees are encouraged to develop their knowledge by use of these resources.

Zoom Training Hub - We think there are real advantages for leaders in a Parish or other local group of churches to complete the course together in a Zoom Training Hub. Before the training, the hub participants complete the preliminary tasks collaboratively to reach a shared understanding of their own culture and practices. They gather in one place to join the Zoom sessions, forming a breakout group in their own right where they can discuss in person. 

Following the training, they continue to support each other in devising and driving a group action plan to bring about genuine transformation of culture and safeguarding practice where it is most needed in their Church community. This leaves just one thing for participants to complete individually - the self-reflection, which is generally done in writing, but where appropriate, we can arrange to receive this verbally.  Groups wishing to complete the training as a Zoom Training Hub should make this clear at the point of registration.

Book a course: To see all current available dates please visit our Events and Training page 


** Please note you are required to attend both of the two Zoom sessions for a particular course, these dates are not interchangeable.  You only need to book once to have a place on both Zoom sessions. Please do not book on behalf of others, as the preparation documents and Zoom session links will be sent to the email address supplied in the booking.


***Please note that the Leadership Pathway course involves two zoom sessions, for those who have no access to IT or for whom zoom is not suitable, the Safeguarding Team runs the occasional face-to-face course. This version is only for those who have a genuine need for training in this format, rather than just preferring not to attend via zoom. If you require the Leadership Pathway course in this format please contact safeguarding.admin@rochester.anglican.org or call 01634 560000.

 

Leadership Course - For those that have Permission to Officiate or Permission to Minister

A Bespoke Leadership PTO Pathway has been developed to reflect the level of involvement with the church that the individual has. Those that play a lead role in shaping the culture of the Church body concerned will be required to undertake the main Leadership Training Pathway as outlined above; others who do not fit the criteria will need to attend the Leadership PTO Pathway. This will be on a case-by-case basis and on the authority of the Archdeacon for clergy and the Warden of Lay Ministry for LLMs.

Prior to completing Leadership Training participants should complete or have completed the Basic and Foundation course online.

This training is delivered by the Safeguarding Team via one 3-hour zoom session. Please note that before and after the zoom training sessions there are some activities to complete.

  • Prior to the Zoom Session participants are asked to reflect on three key questions, to identify what has influenced their values and beliefs regarding safeguarding and to read the Parish Safeguarding Handbook

  • After the Zoom Session participants are asked to complete a self-reflection on their learning from the pathway.

A reading list of relevant policies and some other sources is also provided, the reading is not a requirement however attendees are encouraged to develop their knowledge by use of these resources. 

 

Safer Recruitment and People Management

This course aims to equip participants with an understanding of safer recruitment procedures, and the skills and practices necessary to promote positive safeguarding behaviour (and detect safeguarding risk) once a person is in role  (both paid staff and volunteers).

This course is now available online via the Church of England Safeguarding Portal: The Church of England Safeguarding Training Portal 

Those required to undertake the training are as follows

  • Line managers and anyone involved in the recruitment of Church Officers (employees, elected members, and volunteers).
  • Those with responsibility for administering DBS.
  • Safeguarding Officers in all Church bodies.
  • Ordinands during IME 1.


In addition to those required to complete the training, the course can be undertaken by any church officer to enable them to understand safer recruitment and people management within the Church.

**Please note: If your role is included in the list above and you have previously undertaken Safer Recruitment (S1) as a stand-alone course or incorporated as part of the Leadership (C2) or Clergy and Lay Ministers (C3) safeguarding modules, you will need to complete this brand new online training.

Follow our step by step instructions on how to login to the online courses
 
How to access online courses
  1. Click ‘Online Courses’
     
  2. You will then be prompted to register:
    *Create a username and password
    *Enter your email address and confirm this
    *First name
    *Surname
    *City
    *Country
    *Diocese – selected via a drop down list
    *TEI – If not part of a training institution – please select ‘Not part of a training institution’ option 1 on the dropdown list.
     
  3. Enter the name of your church and parish (or cathedral).  If you work or volunteer in a parish and the cathedral, put both; it is important that your training is counted against the correct parish/cathedral.
     
  4. Enter your church role.  It is important that your training is counted against your role.
     
  5. The above details will then be assigned for Basic Awareness and Foundation training.
     
  6. Upon completion of this information, you will receive an email to the email address you have used to sign up; this email contains a link that must be followed to confirm your registration.
     
  7. Once confirmed, you will be able to log in using the username and password you created and complete the course.
     
  8. At the end of the course, you will be able to print a certificate and you will also receive a second email confirming your course completion.

 

 

Modern Slavery Awareness 

In conjunction with The Clewer Initiative - the Church of England's Modern Slavery awareness-raising initiative  - the Church of England has created two online courses around the issue of Modern Slavery.

You can complete this course via The Church of England Safeguarding Portal.  Click on the top tab 'Resources', and the Safeguarding and Modern Day Slavery course is the third dropdown on the menu.

Follow our step by step instructions on how to login to the online courses
 
How to access online courses
  1. Click ‘Online Courses’
     
  2. You will then be prompted to register:
    *Create a username and password
    *Enter your email address and confirm this
    *First name
    *Surname
    *City
    *Country
    *Diocese – selected via a drop down list
    *TEI – If not part of a training institution – please select ‘Not part of a training institution’ option 1 on the dropdown list.
     
  3. Enter the name of your church and parish (or cathedral).  If you work or volunteer in a parish and the cathedral, put both; it is important that your training is counted against the correct parish/cathedral.
     
  4. Enter your church role.  It is important that your training is counted against your role.
     
  5. The above details will then be assigned for Basic Awareness and Foundation training.
     
  6. Upon completion of this information, you will receive an email to the email address you have used to sign up; this email contains a link that must be followed to confirm your registration.
     
  7. Once confirmed, you will be able to log in using the username and password you created and complete the course.
     
  8. At the end of the course, you will be able to print a certificate and you will also receive a second email confirming your course completion.

 

Domestic Abuse Awareness training

A course to equip participants to engage thoughtfully and proactively with the issue of domestic abuse and those affected, by developing a greater understanding of what Domestic Abuse is, who it affects, as well as its impact on individuals, children, the wider family, and the community.

Those required to undertake the training are as follows:

  • Anyone holding the Bishop’s licence, commission, authorisation, or permission (clergy, PTO, Readers, LLMs)
  • Bishops’ Visitors / Pastoral Visitors
  • Safeguarding Officers
  • Ordinands during IME 1
  • PCC Members / Lay Chapter Members
  • Staff at Theological Education Institutions with student-facing roles
  • Members of the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel.

It is recommended that persons holding any other pastoral role within the Church also attend this training.

You can complete this course via The Church of England Safeguarding Portal and then the course can be found under  Online Courses

Follow our step by step instructions on how to login to the online courses

 

How to access online courses
  1. Click ‘Online Courses’
     
  2. You will then be prompted to register:
    *Create a username and password
    *Enter your email address and confirm this
    *First name
    *Surname
    *City
    *Country
    *Diocese – selected via a drop down list
    *TEI – If not part of a training institution – please select ‘Not part of a training institution’ option 1 on the dropdown list.
     
  3. Enter the name of your church and parish (or cathedral).  If you work or volunteer in a parish and the cathedral, put both; it is important that your training is counted against the correct parish/cathedral.
     
  4. Enter your church role.  It is important that your training is counted against your role.
     
  5. The above details will then be assigned for Basic Awareness and Foundation training.
     
  6. Upon completion of this information, you will receive an email to the email address you have used to sign up; this email contains a link that must be followed to confirm your registration.
     
  7. Once confirmed, you will be able to log in using the username and password you created and complete the course.
     
  8. At the end of the course, you will be able to print a certificate and you will also receive a second email confirming your course completion.

 

Parish Safeguarding Officer Induction 

Aims to equip learners with an understanding of the role of the PSO and induct them into key working practices and relationships. It is required to be completed by:

  • Persons taking on the role of PSO and recommended for existing PSOs.

The Diocesan Safeguarding Team will email PSOs when dates are available
 

 


Key Contacts

Greg Barry

Lead Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser

Get in touch

 
Caroline Smith

Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser

Get in touch
 

Anthony Glockling

Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser

Get in touch

 
Alison Jones

Safeguarding Administrator 

Get in touch
 

Ruth Campbell

Safeguarding Trainer
07585 101624

Get in touch

   
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