Training & Events Safeguarding Team
National safeguarding policy dictates that the church ‘will train and equip church officers to have the confidence and skills they need to care and support children, young people and vulnerable adults and to recognise and respond to abuse.’
Attendance at Diocesan Safeguarding Training is mandatory for anyone performing certain roles connected with church activity. It is also a requirement to refresh training every three years. Details about what is required in relation to safeguarding training can be found within the new Parish Safeguarding Handbook and is detailed within the template for a parish safeguarding action plan.
The CofE Safeguarding Learning and Development Framework sets out details of the Church’s safeguarding learning pathways, and expectations of Church officers in respect ofthose pathways. You can find information on the different training pathways from page 20.
Basic Awareness (C0) and Foundation (C1) Training
The Church of England training website provides the C0 - Basic Awareness and C1 - Foundation training with an online version. To do this you can log on via The Church of England Portal. This is often a better way for people at the parish level to access this material. It is delivered in a stimulating way with a mix of styles to engage the person completing the training.
Basic Awareness (C0) Safeguarding Training, is an e-learning module. C0 is suitable for all individuals within our Church communities who need to have a basic awareness of safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults. It is also for those who need to complete further modules - Foundations (C1) and Leadership (C2).
Instructions on how to complete Basic Awareness (C0).
Once you have completed the material you have the option of printing a certificate and will receive a notification to your email address that the course material has been completed.
Safeguarding Foundation training takes approximately two hours to complete and is required for anyone with safeguarding responsibilities/contact with children and/or adults at risk.
Instruction on how to complete Foundations (C1) online.
Currently there are no face to face Foundations (C1) training planned.
Leadership (C2)
This is designed for those people who play a lead role in shaping the culture of the Church body concerned.
This is required to be completed by:
- All Clergy holding the Bishop’s licence, commission, authorisation, or permission, including Honorary/Assistant Bishops and Chaplains.
- All Readers and Hereford Local Ministers
- Parish/benefice Safeguarding Officers
Are planned 2025 training is below.
|
Cohort |
Date |
Time |
Location |
Type |
| 1 | 28.01.2024 | 9:30am | Hereford - Diocesan Office | Leadership Training |
Get in touch to book on to a training session.
Our C2-Leadership Training will be delivered to Clergy, Readers and Parish Safeguarding Officers from September to November 2024, those with Permission to Officiate will have dedicated PTO training. All training will be delivered face to face across various Diocesan venues. Those who are due to update their training will be contacted directly by our team.
PTO Pathway
Retired Clergy with PTO will now be offered a new learning model which is offered face to face at venues across the Diocese. Like Leadership (C2) you will need to renew your Foundations (C1) before completing the PTO Pathway. If this applies to you – you will receive a separate email inviting you to book one of the dates available.
Current 2025 training planned below
|
Cohort |
Date |
Time |
Location |
Type |
| 2 | 18.02.2024 | 9:30am | Hereford - Diocesan Office | PTO Pathway |
There are tasks for participants to undertake prior to the training sessions and although initially participants felt this would be too onerous, the feedback after the training has been completed, raised that this element has enabled them to consider safeguarding at a deeper level.
Domestic Abuse Awareness
Domestic Abuse (DA) training can be completed online via the CofE training portal, instructions can be found here.
This course will help you to develop 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. How does this relate to Christian faith and Church communities? By the end of the course you will have an increased awareness of the needs of domestic abuse survivors in order to support them effectively, while at the same time understanding the boundaries and limitations of your own role. This course is recommended for everyone and is required to be completed by the following:
- Anyone holding the Bishop’s licence, commission, authorisation, or permission (clergy, PtO, Readers, LLMs)
- Bishops Visitors / Pastoral Visitors
- Safeguarding Officers
- Ordinands during IME 1
- Chaplaincy Council Members
- Staff at Theological Education Institutions with student-facing roles
- Members of the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel.
Please refer to the Pathway for more information on the course aims and outcomes. You will need to log in to your Church of England Safeguarding Training Portal account to access the learning.
Training for 2024 is now over but we will start up again in early 2025.
Safer Recuitment Awareness:
This training can be completed on line via The Safeguarding Training Portal (Click Here) or you can book onto a group training session on the dates below.
The aim of the training is to equip key people with an understanding of safer recruitment, including why it is important and when it should be used, and the skills and practices necessary to promote positive safeguarding behaviour (and detect safeguarding risk) once a person is in role.
It is required to be completed by the following:
• 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 IME 1.
Training for 2024 is now over but we will start up again in early 2025.