Safer Recruitment

The Church of England’s safeguarding policy statement ‘Promoting a Safer Church’ outlines the Church’s commitment to promoting a safe environment and culture across all Church bodies. 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.

One way in which the Church aims to fulfil this commitment is by following ‘safer recruitment’ processes and ensuring continued vigilance once someone is in role. Obtaining a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) certificate is only one element of a ‘safer recruitment’ process. The reality is that many people who have abused or will abuse in positions of trust do not have a criminal record. Therefore, the wider process of ‘safer recruitment’ is an essential part of the Church of England’s approach to safeguarding. Consequently, the National Safeguarding Team have reviewed its previous guidance and published new policy and associated guidance, ‘Safer Recruitment and People Management’ (SR&PM).

Please see our briefing paper about this new guidance which outlines the main points we need everyone to be aware of currently. However, please also read the full guidance alongside it as it contains many additional elements.

‘Safer Recruitment’ Training:

To assist in the implementation of SR&PM, an online ‘Safer Recruitment’ e-learning module has been developed. All those listed below are required to complete the module. It can also be completed by anyone else for whom it is deemed relevant. It is a simple and relatively short course that produces a certificate of completion that can be saved in an individual’s personal file as evidence of competency when involved in recruitment.

• A Line Manager
• Involved in the recruitment of Church Officers (employees, elected members, and volunteers)
• A Parish Safeguarding Representative or Safeguarding Officer in your church body
• Responsible for administering DBS checks
• An Ordinand during IME1

The module is available on the National Safeguarding Training portal.  If you are a new user of the portal you will need to follow the on-screen instructions to register and create an account. Once you have logged in, click on the tab that says ‘Online Courses’, then select the ‘Safer Recruitment’ module. Once completed, please save and/or print a copy of your training certificate for your records and notify your Parish Safeguarding Rep so they can keep a record of your training achievements. If you experience problems logging into the online training portal for your Basic Awareness and Foundation safeguarding training please send an email to the National Safeguarding Team Training Helpdesk at elearning@mail.safeguardingtraining.cofeportal.org

Parish Volunteer Role Descriptions:

The following are model role descriptions you may find useful as you seek to implement SR&PM in your recruitment processes and volunteer management.

• Role Description – Church Treasurer
• Role Description – Churchwarden
• Role Description – Generic Parish Volunteer
• Role Description – Home Communion Visitor
• Role Description – Junior Church Helper
• Role Description – Junior Church Leader
• Role Description – Open the Book Team Leader
• Role Description – Open the Book Storyteller
• Role Description – Organist/Director of Music
• Role Description – Pastoral Visitor
• Role Description – PCC Member
• Role Description – Parish DBS Evidence Checker
• Role Description – Parish Safeguarding Representative
• Role Description – Server
• Role Description – Tower Captain
• Role Description – Verger

If you have questions relating to Safer Recruitment, please contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Team on 01392 294929 or email safeguardingenquiry@exeter.anglican.org