Welcome to the latest safeguarding newsletter from St Albans Diocese.
This issue introduces:
⦁ Safeguarding Training update
⦁ What is a church officer?
⦁ The Diocesan response to the independent review into Soul Survivor
⦁ See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil?
⦁ Updates from the national PSO group
⦁ PSO thank you service and refreshments at St Albans Cathedral on 3 May 2025
⦁ Safeguarding Forums 2025
⦁ CofE vulnerable adult definition reminder
⦁ Reporting Safeguarding Serious Incidents to the Charity Commission and forming a delegation reminder
⦁ Working and Volunteering Safely with Children and Young People advice document
⦁ Elected roles safer recruitment requirement
⦁ Safeguarding Partnerships and Boards information and free training
⦁ Snapdragon: A new leaflet to help raise awareness of safeguarding with children
⦁ Foodbanks
Foreword by Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser – Jez Hirst
As we reflect on the findings of the Makin Review, I want to begin with an acknowledgment of those who have shown the courage to come forward to share their experiences. The Makin Review has been a sobering and important moment for us all. It has highlighted failures in safeguarding that have caused pain and broken trust. While difficult, it is also an opportunity to learn and commit to a safer culture.
The media headlines towards the end of 2024 that the Church of England may not be a safe institution, and that our churches seem less safe, are damaging and undermine the good work that is achieved in parishes in the pursuit of safe environments.
I want you to know that you have my thanks and support for your help in ensuring that safeguarding is embedded in our culture. We must never be complacent, but we should recognise the strides made in recent years and that we continue to move in the right direction of travel.
If we remain committed to working together to ensure that safeguarding is at the heart of all we do, then we can prevent abuse and create church communities where people feel safe and valued. Be positive about the good work that you do and safeguard with confidence.
Safeguarding Training
Changes to Domestic Abuse module on the National Portal
The Domestic Abuse online course was very recently updated. This course was intended to build upon the safeguarding awareness by raising awareness specifically of domestic abuse.
The course was designed to be delivered in-person in small groups. A version was also created for individual completion online consisting of six videos and answering a series of multiple-choice questions after each section.
This new material has now been suspended by the National Safeguarding Team due to difficulties and they have taken the decision to remove the new material whilst further development work is undertaken. The new materials were taken down from the portal last week. The older version of the training will be reinstated in the interim period. Those who have completed training using the new materials will not be required to repeat the training.
The development work on the revision of the content of the raising awareness of domestic abuse training will hopefully provide a revised module available in May 2025.
It is important that all Church officers are trained in the modules relevant to their role. Recognising and responding to safeguarding concerns and information is vital for our churches to become safer places for all. However, exposure for some is not only the difficult material, but can also bring up painful memories. It may be possible with adaptation to the materials or additional support to enable those with lived experience to complete this safeguarding learning pathway required for their role, but for others this may not be the case. Such individuals should request a confidential conversation with the Diocesan Safeguarding Team in order that the ‘pass’ can be granted and recorded as appropriate within training records.
Safeguarding Training and the Parish Dashboard and Safeguarding Hub
Please note that the Parish Safeguarding Dashboard has been updated to incorporate the two main changes from the new training framework.
The roles required to complete the Domestic Abuse module are the main two changes:
⦁ PCC members are no longer required to complete the Domestic Abuse module, however it is a recommended module.
⦁ Anyone (volunteers and employees) working with children, young people, or vulnerable adults, must now also undertake the Domestic Abuse module.
For those who use the Safeguarding Hub, this will also be amended in time but for now, the ‘owner’, the individual who can add and amend data, can manually change the training modules required for a particular role.
Church Officer
We have had some queries about who, exactly would be a church officer, and while some roles clearly fall under this definition, others are not so easy. As there is a requirement for church officers to complete Basic Awareness safeguarding training, we have taken advice from the Diocesan registrar. Find the guidance in section 13 using the link below to Safeguarding FAQs.
The diocesan response to the independent review into Soul Survivor
The Diocese of St Albans has published its action plan in response to the Independent Review into Soul Survivor by Fiona Scolding KC. Building on its initial response from 26 September, the plan outlines changes to be implemented within the Diocese and recommendations for the wider Church of England.
Developed over three months of engagement with diocesan governance bodies, the response is issued by the Senior Staff Team.
The response can be read here:
See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil?
Revd Jos Perris, our Diocesan Safeguarding Co-ordinator and Trainer, spoke at TEDx St Albans last October about the importance of ‘Professional Curiosity’, challenging authorities when necessary and speaking out. Her talk is a reminder that we all need to play an important role when it comes to safeguarding. Find the link below.
Updates from the National PSO group
During 2024 the National PSO group developed a range of materials orientated to support PSOs and their role. A new Information and Welcome pack to support PCCs and PSOs coming into role is available through the link below.
Please click on the link below to watch a short video aimed at supporting PSOs in understanding the features and benefits of the Safeguarding Dashboard, which absolutely does help make the PSO role more manageable.
PSO service of thanksgiving and refreshments at St Albans Cathedral on 3 May 2025
We look forward to seeing you at the service of thanksgiving at St Albans Cathedral on Saturday 3rd May to celebrate and affirm the ministry of Parish Safeguarding Officers.
The Bishop of Bedford, Rt Rev Richard Atkinson OBE, invites Parish Safeguarding Officers in the Diocese of St Albans to join him in a service of thanksgiving. We would like to celebrate and affirm the ministry that you offer as you serve your parish(es) in this vital role.
You are welcome to bring someone with you, and clergy have also been invited. Do please encourage them to come along to support this event and you in your role.
Please RSVP to Penny Fray by Weds 23 April 2025 giving details of who will be coming. On the 3 May, please arrive at 4.45pm for a 5pm start at St Albans Cathedral. Afterwards there will be light refreshments served as you meet with people who also serve in this role, and members of the Bishop’s staff and diocesan team.
Safeguarding Forums 2025
The annual safeguarding forums 2025 will take place online on Tuesday 29 April and Thursday 8 May. Both events will start at 7.30pm and will last for up to 90 minutes.
The forums will be opened and closed by the Archdeacon of Bedford, and members of the DST will give national and local updates. As before, there will be an opportunity for discussion and questions. Emails with details and joining instructions will be sent out soon. We hope you can make it!
CofE vulnerable adult definition
A vulnerable adult or adult at risk is variously defined in legislation and guidance. The Church of England definition, contained in the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 is: “A person aged 18 or over whose ability to protect himself or herself from violence, abuse, neglect or exploitation is significantly impaired through physical or mental disability or illness, old age, emotional fragility or distress, or otherwise; and for that purpose, the reference to being impaired is to being temporarily or indefinitely impaired.”
Reporting Safeguarding Serious Incidents to the Charity Commission and forming a delegation
All PCCs are charities and so are required to report all Serious Incidents (safeguarding and otherwise) to the Charity Commission. A safeguarding Serious Incident is an adverse event, whether actual or alleged, which results in or risks significant harm to the charity’s beneficiaries, employees, office holders, volunteers or to others who come into contact with the charity through its work.
The ultimate responsibility for reporting safeguarding Serious Incidents to the Charity Commission sits with the PCC’s trustees, for reasons relating to confidentiality, many charities restrict the sharing of information relating to safeguarding to a smaller group of trustees only. If a PCC has such an arrangement in place, it should be reflected in the delegation so that it also confers authority on this smaller group of trustees to oversee the reporting of any Serious Incidents to the Charity Commission.
The Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser usually reports safeguarding Serious Incidents to the Charity Commission on behalf of the PCC trustees.
Working and Volunteering Safely with Children and Young People
The useful document in the link below gives some example checklists and templates to help you set up your youth and children’s work and volunteers safely. The document was created by the 30K Project, whose aim is to inspire and equip leaders for ministry with children, young people and families.
Elected roles safer recruitment requirement
Please see form in the link below which is recirculated to assist a parish inform prospective PCC members or churchwardens about expectations in regard to their safeguarding training and DBS checks. This has been updated from last year with the current safeguarding training requirements.
It is suggested that the Elected Roles Safer Recruitment document is attached to the PCC election nomination forms. This will ensure the requirement for a DBS check and safeguarding training is understood and hopefully this may resolve the resistance issues.
Safeguarding information and training, including child protection and domestic abuse training offered by our Safeguarding Partnerships and Boards
There is a wealth of safeguarding information on the updated Safeguarding Bedfordshire website relating to all three Bedfordshire Boroughs. Please click the link for useful safeguarding information and the joint and individual services relating to all three Bedfordshire Boroughs, on their updated website, all in one place:
Similarly, Hertfordshire HSCP and HSAB offer information and training courses which can be found at:
Snapdragon: A new leaflet to help raise awareness of safeguarding with children
The leaflet link to safeguarding decision maker pdf is based around the origami snapdragon design and incorporates key messages used by the NSPCC in raising awareness of safeguarding issues. The NSPCC kindly gave their permission to use these messages in the leaflet.
Foodbanks
Some questions have come up about Foodbanks. Just to clarify, if you are running a Foodbank in the name of your church, this should be recorded under Church Activities on the Dashboard.
You should then follow all the usual process for an activity aimed at a vulnerable group, and start with a risk assessment, activity approval from the PCC, safer recruitment, including DBS checks if there is eligibility, and the relevant safeguarding training and awareness for those volunteering.