We are committed to delivering high-quality training for clergy and parishes.
The Church of England’s Safeguarding Learning & Development provides a framework for safeguarding training which sets out details of the Church’s safeguarding learning pathways and the expectations of those pathways.
For details of what role requires which level of training please download the following: who requires what level of safeguarding training Safeguarding training should be updated every 3 years, and set out below are the details of the training pathways available.
We are committed to making sure that officers and volunteers in our parishes have the right level of training. It is PCC’s responsibility to make sure that these duties are fulfilled.
Core Safeguarding Learning Pathways
Basic Awareness course
This course will connect the core principles and practices of Safeguarding to the Christian Faith and can be completed by anyone wanting or needing a Basic Awareness of Safeguarding. You can complete the course online at The Church of England Safeguarding Training Portal
This training is mandatory for|: All church officers, staff in church bodies, bell ringers and anyone going on to complete any other safeguarding learning pathway.
Recommended Attendees: Anyone wanting or need a basic awareness of safeguarding
Foundation course
The Foundation course builds on the learning gained on the Basic Awareness course and helps connect an understanding of good safeguarding practice in relation to your role and responsibilities, recognise commonalities and differences arising from the age or circumstances of those affected and how this informs appropriate action, identify wider support, accountability, and governance arrangements relevant for safeguarding in their context, analyse and respond appropriately to variety of safeguarding scenarios whilst recognising the boundaries of their own role.. You can complete the course online at The Church of England Safeguarding Training Portal
This training is mandatory for: Anyone holding the bishop’s licence, commission, authorisation, or permission -including clergy, those with permission to officiate, readers, licensed lay ministers (LLM’s), anyone (volunteers and employees) in a role which involves work with children, young people or vulnerable adults, including tower captains and ringing teachers, church wardens, pre-ordination or licence students prior to Stage 1 panel, vergers, PCC Members/lay chapter members, DBS trustees, members of the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel.
Leadership course
This course is designed for all those who play a lead role in shaping the culture of the Church. It will help you:understand how safeguarding concerns and abuse can be prevented within your context, how healthy culture and safe and effective leadership shape Christian communities that are healthy, safe and have the capacity to deliver high quality safeguarding practices, recognise when risk assessment and management processes are required, understanding when, why and how they must be utilitised, understand more of the impact that abuse and trauma have on individual lives’, relationships and interactions in a community setting leading to better response to victims and survivors, evaluate your learning and translate this into an individual plan of action that will improve your churches safeguarding practice and responses.
Prior to completing Leadership Training participants should complete or have completed the Basic and Foundation course online. Leadership training consists of two training sessions and is now being delivered by the Safeguarding Team via zoom and face to face. Before attending this course you will be required to work through some pre-reading material which will be sent via email once you have booked to attend a leadership course.
This training is mandatory for: All clergy holding the Bishops licence, commission (including PtO where exemption has not been given) including honorary/assistant bishops and chaplains, all readers and LLM’s holding Bishops licence together with all 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, safeguarding officer/leads in all church bodies, tower captains at prominent towers and district chair/district safeguarding lead of bellringing guilds/councils, church wardens prior to a church going into vacancy or interregnum, people who significantly influence the culture of your church body: leaders of children’s, young peoples and adults groups, lay ministry staff employed by a PCC or Bishops Mission Order.
Clergy and Readers will be sent directly via email details of the training, the dates available and booking links.
Leadership training for Parish Safeguarding Officers, Church Wardens & for those who have overall responsibility for running youth groups and children’s groups is available – please contact Debbie Doran or Karen Williams for details
Role Specific Pathways
Permission to Officiate Safeguarding Training
This two hour session will explore and reflect on the safeguarding dimensions involved in the ministry of those who hold PtO (whose role does not meet Leadership training criteria). Before attending the course you will be required to work through some pre-reading material which will be sent via email once you have booked to attend Permission to Officiate training. Prior to completing PtO Training participants should complete or have completed the Basic and Foundation course online.
This training is mandatory for: Anyone holding PtO role who does not meet the Leadership pathway criterion.
Course dates available and booking links will be sent directly via email to those with PtO
Parish Safeguarding Officer Induction Training
This 2 hour course is specifically designed for all new in post Parish Safeguarding Officers and will be delivered by the Diocese Safeguarding Team. It will give you an understanding of what a Parish Safeguarding Officer does and as a result of attending the training you will be equipped with all the tools you need to carry out this role successfully.
Prior to attending the course you will be required to work through some pre read material which will be sent once you have registered to attend Parish Safeguarding Officer Training. In addition you should also have completed the basic and foundation online safeguarding training which can be accessed using this link: https://safeguardingtraining.cofeportal.org/
This training is mandatory for: all persons taking on the role or the Parish Safeguarding Officer
This training is recommended for: existing Parish Safeguarding Officers
For details of the next available induction session please contact Debbie Doran or Karen Williams
Toolkit Pathway
Safer Recruitment and People Management
This course explores the scope of safer recruitment procedures in the church context for all paid staff and volunteers. It will help you to reflect theologically on personnel recruitment and safer people management, understand the recruitment and people management process, its intersection with relevant legislation, how each stage contributes to safer people management, explore good people management practice to be implemented once a person is in post/role.
It is available online via the Church of England Safeguarding Portal: The Church of England Safeguarding Training Portal
This training is mandatory for: recruiting 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, including designated safeguarding person in a religious community, ordinands during IME1.
The Safeguarding Team will also be delivering this training as a face to face session – please contact Debbie Doran or Karen Williams for details.
Issue-based Pathway
Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse
Will equip participants to engage thoughtfully and proactively with the issue of domestic abuse and those affected by it. It will help you: recognise the signs, types, myths and stereotypes of domestic abuse, understand how to respond well through keeping people safe and sign posting to specialist support, identify safeguarding actions to protect the victims or those at risk whilst also understanding the limitations and boundaries of your role, understand that scripture does not permit domestic abuse and be aware of how theology can be used to exert control, understand the impact on children living in a household experiencing domestic abuse, be aware of the characteristics of a healthy relationship.This course available online via the Church of England Safeguarding Portal: The Church of England Safeguarding Training Portal
This training is mandatory training for: all those who hold Bishop’s licence, commission, authorisation or permission (including clergy, Pt), readers, LLM’s) or serving as an officer of the Bishop, anyone (volunteers and employees) working with children, young people, or vulnerable adult, including Bishops Visitors and Pastoral Visitors, safeguarding officers/safeguarding leads including designated safeguarding persons in a religious community and pre-ordination or licence student, prior to BAP or selection panel.
This training is recommended for: All church officers, PCC and Chapter members and members of the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel
The Safeguarding Team will also be delivering this training as a face-to-face session, please contact Debbie Doran or Karen Williams for
Modern Day Slavery
This course from the Clewer Initiative Charity aims to provide a general undertanding of modern day slavery and human trafficking and how you can recognise and respond to concerns relating to it. The course is free of charge and can be accessed via the Church of England Safeguarding Training Portal.
For further information or queries relating to training please contact The Safeguarding Team via email: safeguarding.team@liverpool.anglican.org