Forms and Guidance

Below are all the forms, documents and guidance notes for each of the Administrative departments for download:

Mediation
Safeguarding
Finance
Church Buildings/DAC
Surveyors
Legal
Committee and Parish Support

Church of England - Dignity at Work Booklet

Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy

General Data Protection Regulation - A Guide for PCCs, Data Controllers and Data Compliance Officers

General Data Protection Regulation - Q&A for PCCs

Mediation

Mediation booklet

Safeguarding

Guidance - Children

 Protecting All God's Children (2010)

 Responding Well (Sexual Abuse) (2011)

 Safer Environments and Activities (2019) (This replaces Section 5 of Protecting All God’s Children, 2010, including Annex A5 and Guidance Practice 2 and Appendix  3 of Promoting a Safe Church, 2006)

NB:  The Diocese's Safeguarding Executive Committee is currently looking at how this guidance can be applied. For further advice speak to the Children and Young People Team or the Safeguarding Team. 

 The Code of Safer Working Practice  (2019)

 Guidance - Online Communication with Young People (2019)

 Parental Consent Form for Single Events 
 Registration Parental Consent form for regular specified group activities 
 Health and Safety Check List - children and young people 
 Activities Check List Form and Risk Assessment Form - children & young people 
 Responding to CP concerns actions plan & check list for those making referrals

Guidance - Adults

 Promoting a Safe Church (2006)

 Responding Well (Sexual Abuse) (2011)

 Safer Environments and Activities (2019) (This replaces Section 5 of Protecting All God’s Children, 2010, including Annex A5 and Guidance Practice 2 and Appendix  3 of Promoting a Safe Church, 2006)

 The Code of Safer Working Practice (2019)

Guidance - Domestic Abuse

Responding Well to Domestic Abuse 2017

Guidance - Safer recruitment

  Safeguarding Practice Guidance - Safer Recruitment 2016
House of Bishops Policy on PTO July 2018
PTO Safer Recuitment Practice Guidance

      For appendices and model recruitment forms please see below:

 Safer Recruitment - Appendix 3 Model Application Form
 Safer Recruitment - Appendix 4 Model Reference Form
  Church of England Confidential Declaration Form Appendix 5  (new guidance)
Safer Recruitment for those not eligible for DBS - Declaration of suitability
Policy on recruitment of ex-offenders
  Parish induction for new volunteers and workers
Young Leaders
 Young Leader Helper consent form

DBS guidance

DBS Flow Chart
Policy and Procedure for dealing with a blemished declaration or DBS 2020
Blemished Disclosure Risk Assessment Form 2020
Update Service and Blemished Disclosures April 2020

New ID Checking Guidelines

Enhanced ID checking guidelines making it more difficult for people to apply for disclosure using a false identity were introduced in summer 2012.  The main changes are that DBS now has three different routes through which applicants can be checked, the second of which will involve an external ID validation and the list of acceptable documents has also been regrouped and reduced.

Please see below for the DBS' latest version of the new guidelines.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-identity-checking-guidelines

Guidance - Allegations/Offenders

Responding to assessing and managing concerns or allegations against church officers (Replaces - Chapter 7 ‘Managing Allegations against Church Officers’, Chapter 8 ‘Suspected abusers and known offenders’ and ‘the model agreement with offender’ in ‘Protecting All God’s Children 2010’) and replaces Promoting a Safe Church (2006) (that relates to concerns or allegations against church officers)

Safeguarding Agreements who should know

Serious Incident Reporting

The Church has worked with the Charity Commission to agree bespoke guidance for DBFs, PCCs and Religious Communities on how to identify and report a Serious Incident.

Please find below the relevant guidance and forms required. You can also find more information on the Parish Resources website here:

•  Explanatory Note explaining what the new Guidance and Templates are and what action needs to be taken. 
•  Guidance for DBFs, PCCs and Religious Communities on identifying and reporting Safeguarding Serious Incidents. 
•  Practical Guidance on how to make a Safeguarding Serious Incident Report (including a template report). 
•  Guidance for PCCs on identifying and reporting non-safeguarding Serious Incidents (including a template report). 
•  Example Delegation for the PCC trustees to adapt and pass in order to delegate authority: 

You can also find a dedicated page on our website here

Guidance - Policy Statements

Promoting a Safer Church poster incorporating relevant contact details

Promoting a Safer Church – House of Bishop’s policy statement (2017)

Formal Safeguarding Statement

Guidance - Training

 Safeguarding Training and Development Practice Guidance (2019)

Guidance - Other

Glossary Reference Guide

 Safeguarding Joint Practice Guidance - Safeguarding Records 2015
 Safeguarding Joint Practice Guidance- leps 2015
 Safeguarding Practice Guidance - Safeguarding in Religious Communities 2015

 Spiritual Abuse  - explanation and guidance (January2020) 

Roles and responsibilities practice guidance

Complaints and whistle blowing policy
PCC Membership Eligibility Criteria 2019
  Parish induction for new volunteers and workers 
Young Leaders
 Young Leader Helper consent form
Lone working
Model Risk Assessment Checklist for Home Visiting

Serious Incident Reporting

The Church has worked with the Charity Commission to agree bespoke guidance for DBFs, PCCs and Religious Communities on how to identify and report a Serious Incident.

Please find below the relevant guidance and forms required. You can also find more information on the Parish Resources website here:

•  Guidance for DBFs: Identifying Safeguarding Serious Incidents and Reporting to the Charity Commission
• Guidance for PCCs: Identifying Safeguarding Serious Incidents and them to Reporting to the Charity Commission
• Example template: Delegation by the PCC Members: Reporting of Serious Incidents to the Charity Commission
• Example template: Delegation by the DBF Directors: Reporting of Serious Incidents to the Charity Commission
• Serious Incident Reporting to the Charity Commission Church of England internal Guidance: Frequently Asked Questions

You can also find a dedicated page on our website here

Theological texts

• Forgiveness & Reconciliation in the Aftermath of Abuse (2017) - House of Bishops commended document from Faith and Order Commission
• The Gospel, Sexual Abuse and the Church: A theological resource for the local church (2016) - House of Bishops commended document from Faith and Order Commission

Both of these documents are available to purchase through Church House Publishing

Guidance relating to overseas visits

General safeguarding guidance for overseas travel

Safeguarding guidance for church groups travelling overseas

Finance

Forms

 Parish Finance Form
Parish Finance Form
 Return of Church Finance & Stats for Mission
Return of Church Finance & Stats for Mission

Electronic version is available here https://parishreturns.churchofengland.org/
 Weekly Accounting Sheet

Guidance

DBF Fees collection

DBF Fees Summary Nov 2019
Summary of Parochial Fees (inc. Retired PTO) 2020
Manual Quarterly Fee Return 2021
Parochial Fees Table 2021
  Quarterly Fee Return 2021
  Parochial Fees 2021
Vacancies and Sequestration Accounts Guidelines Nov 19

 Administration as a Spiritual Gift
Budgeting and Reporting
 Checklist of Documents for IE
Church Repair Fund and Diocesan Loan Fund Guidelines
Expense Claim Form
Fees for Occasional Duty 2021
Financial Controls Procedures 
 Independent Examinations
 Parish VAT Guide
Parochial Fees Table 2020
Parochial Fees Guidance Notes Feb 2020
 Parochial Expenses Booklet
 Payments to Clergy on Jury Service
 PCC Treasurer Job Description
 Return of Church Finance & Stats for Mission
 So Now You are the Treasurer
Vacancies and Sequestration Accounts Guidelines
 Year End Procedures

Companion Dioceses Financial Guidelines
Companion Diocese Financial Guidelines Summary for PCC Treasurers Dec 2019

Information

  Budget 2021 presentation for Diocesan Synod
Budget 2021
Treasurers' Conference Finance 25 Nov 2020
Treasurer Conference 25 Nov 20 Stewardship Presentation
Treasurers' Conference  Other Matters 25 Nov 20

Mailings

 Accounting Advisors
Utility Savings Update

Church Buildings / DAC

 Archaeology Policy 
 Architect , Surveyor Employing One
 Bats in Churches National England Guide
Bells in Your Care May 2017
 Brasses Care of
 Burials headstone various types 
 Burials re-use of grave spaces 
 Carpets in churches
 Church Maintenance Calendar 
 Churchwardens' Advice note 
 Churchyard regulations (1981) 
 Churchyard Chancellor's memo (2007)
 Churchyards: English Churchyard Selection 
 Churchyards - extension of churchyard procedure
 Clocks, Auto winding (CCC) policy 
 Closure of Churchyards - Home Office Guidelines
 Closure of Churchyards- Diocesan Guidelines
 Conservation reports for monuments (CCC) guidelines
CR1 headstone request form
 Churchyard preferred rules of Gardens of Remembrance
 DAC 2021 dates and deadlines for parishes
 Easy access to historic buildings English Heritage
 Electrical - Risk Assessment & Electrical Safety
 Faculties - How to Apply (2019)
 Faculties - Preparation of Documents
Faculty Jurisdiction Rules 2015 as amended by the Faculty Jurisdiction (Amendment) Rules 2019
Faculty rules:Schedule 1 List A and List B
 Fire Risk Assessment Audit check list
Flags - CBC guidance 2017
 Floors advice 
 Font and baptism policy
 Form for sale of Church Plate
Grant Making Trusts 2014
 Headstone Request form CR1 
Interior redecoration: mortars, plaster and wall coatings
 Lightning Protection  Historic England
 Lightning Protection Guidance updated 2014
  Lightning protection – Guidance for architects and surveyors 2017
Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme (VAT) June 2014
 Maintenance caring for God's acre 
 Maintenance old burial grounds 
 Making changes to a listed church
 Notice boards 
 Oil storage regulations 2002 
 Organs pipe and digital
 Seating in churches CBC guidance 2017
 Statement of Significance and Needs guidance 2014 
  Statements of significance and need forms 2014 - short
 Statement of Significance and Needs guidance Major projects 2014
 Statements of significance and need forms 2014 - Major projects
Telecoms Equipment – Historic England guidance 2017
Trees CBC Guidance 2016
Trees CBC Summary guidance 2016
 Treasures CBC guidance on security
Treasures CBC guidance 2016
Turret Clock Keepers handbook
War Memorials – Structural work – Historic England guidance 2017
War Memorials – cleaning – Historic England guidance 2017
Window Guards
 Windows guards 
 Windows photo record advice 

Surveyors

 Emergency Telephone Numbers

Legal

Guidance notes and forms

 Letter regarding Hiring Agreements
Church Hall Agreement 1
 Church Hall Agreement 2
 Church Hall Agreement 3
 Chancel Repair Liability
 Chancel Repair Liability Guidance Pack
 Chancel Repair Liability May 2012 update
 Guidelines of leasing/selling church property

Circulars

Circular 1 - Follow-up talk on Chancel Repair Liability (CRL) 15 June 2007
 Circular 2 - PCC Remuneration
 Circular 3 - Conflict of interest
 Circular 4 - Rights of Way
 Circular 5 - Smoking regulations
 Circular 6 - Legal Liability for paying Council Tax
 Circular 7 - Theft of Lead
 Circular 8  - Churchwardens of Pre-Reformation churches
 Circular 9 - Memo on Chancel Repair Liability
 Circular 10 - Water Rates
 Circular 11 - Use of Church Halls as Village Halls

Committee and Parish Support

Elections

Application for Postal Vote
 Churchwardens Six Year Limit Resolution
 SG7 - Results of Elections
The necessary forms for APCMs can be found here - http://www.parishresources.org.uk/pccs/apcms/ Parishes should always use this site as their reference point for these forms, as it will be updated if requirements change at any point.