Last updated 20th November 2023

Safeguarding Training Programme

Introduction

The Leadership, Permission to Officiate and, Parish Safeguarding Officer Pathways are all face to face sessions that are run by our Safeguarding Trainer and Volunteer Coordinator: Ann Cooney. These are accessible over eventbrite bookings, see below for more details. 

The Basic, Foundation, Domestic Abuse and, Safer Recruitment can be done online, please see information below. 

For any safeguarding training queries or issues, please send them to safeguarding.training@blackburn.anglican.org

Safeguarding Sunday Message-Safeguarding in the church context

You can listen to Victoria Gibson talking about the importance of safeguarding in the Church on this Youtube clip. Victoria is the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel, Parish Safeguarding Officer representative.

Basic Awareness and Foundation Training

The Basic Awareness and Foundation training are available online through the national training portal. These are required to be completed for most roles, including anyone in a role which involves work with children, young people, or vulnerable adults, Churchwardens and PCC Members. Therefore if you have not yet done so, we would encourage you to complete these courses as soon as possible, you can access the training here. If you experience any problems with the registration process, please contact elearning@safeguardingtraining.cofeportal.org as the training website is not managed by the Diocese of Blackburn.

Training Volunteer Role

Do you have the time and skills to support the delivery of the Safeguarding Leadership and Safeguarding PTO Pathway?

The Safeguarding Learning and Development Framework requires the pathway to be delivered by two facilitators. If you would like to Support the trainer please click on the links ,have a look at the role description and send your  expression of interest form to safeguarding.training@blackburn.anglican.org

Expression of Interest Form

Job Description

How to recognise Modern Day Slavery: Training for Parish Safeguarding Officers  

Clewer Initiative Website

This training will cover:

1. What is modern slavery?
2. How do you recognise, respond, record and refer concerns about modern slavery and exploitation?
3. What do I need to know about safeguarding when working with potential victims?
4. Where can I get further information and training from?

Modern Slavery E-Learning Course

An interactive course in two parts that explores the role of churches in raising awareness and taking action against modern slavery as well as how we engage with concerns. Throughout the session you will gain an understanding of modern slavery and human trafficking and you will learn how to recognise, respond, refer and record concerns.

Sign up here 

The Leadership Pathway

The Leadership Pathway is about leadership and cultural change, the people who participate should be those who play a lead role in shaping the culture of the Church body concerned. This will usually include:

• Anyone holding the Bishop’s licence, commission, authorisation, or permission.
• Cathedral Canons (who are not engaged in the Senior Leadership Pathway)
• Safeguarding Officers in all Church bodies
• Honorary Bishops
• Teaching staff at Theological Education Institutions who are delivering the Leadership Pathway
• Safeguarding Lead in TEIs
• Bell Tower Captains and Safeguarding Leads within bell ringing groups (Clarification from the National Safeguarding Team: Tower Captains will undoubtedly shape the culture of the bell tower in which they are ringing, therefore they meet the criteria for participation in the Safeguarding Leadership Pathway. Safeguarding Officers within all church bodies are listed as required attendees for the Safeguarding Leadership Pathway and this would therefore include the safeguarding officer / lead of a bell ringing group.

Prior to completing the Leadership training, participants should complete or have completed the Basic and Foundation Course on-line.  

There will be some pre-course preparation and reading to complete prior to attendance, details of this will be sent to you in due course following registration.

Eventbrite Bookings 

Permission to Officiate Safeguarding Training

This Learning Pathway builds on the Basic Awareness and Foundation modules, available online at the Church of England’s learning portal.  

This pathway provides a chance to reflect on safeguarding in a church setting. Rather than focusing on simply providing information or ‘step-by-step’ guides, this pathway encourages reflection on the foundations and priorities of good safeguarding and how to contribute to its development.  

This pathway is intended to be different to any other safeguarding learning experience. The aim is that you reflect on your own values and beliefs and integrate these with the values and beliefs underpinning good safeguarding behaviour. The idea is that good safeguarding behaviour can then flow from an inner motivation, rather than be experienced as an external process to be followed under duress.  

Eventbrite Bookings 

Parish Safeguarding Officer Training

The material for this pathway has been produced by the national safeguarding team. Although it is described as an induction session, given that this is the first time there has been the opportunity for PSOs to work together as a group, we are happy to extend invitations to experienced PSOs and extend the opportunity to include the opportunity to network with other PSOs. 

By the end of this pathway participants will be able to:  

Understand the role, responsibilities, and key working relationships of the Parish Safeguarding Officer, including the Local Authority, Diocesan Safeguarding Officer (DSO) and Parochial Church Council (PCC).  

Identify a variety of approaches to raising awareness and improving safeguarding practice.  

Evaluate safeguarding information reported by members of the church or community and determining an appropriate response.  

Create a development plan for safeguarding practice in their context.  

Eventbrite Bookings 

Booking your course

All our Leadership, PtO, PSO Courses, DBS Lead Recruiter Training and Parish Safeguarding Induction courses are booked through Eventbrite. Please click on the link below to go to the landing page for the diocese and then scroll down to current events and select your preferred course to book on :

Eventbrite Bookings 

Safer recruitment and people management

The Church of England is committed to promoting a safe environment and culture across all Church Bodies for children, young people and vulnerable adults. 

An essential part of this commitment is ensuring that all those who work or volunteer with vulnerable groups are suitable for the role they will carry out. 

There is new safer recruitment and people management training course for everyone with responsibility for recruitment, including the recruitment of volunteers which can be accessed here. 

Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse

This new course aims to help participants 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. The resources and training you can access here will equip you and your church to engage positively with the protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults in both a practical and theologically informed way.