1: Introduction

Chapter 1:
Introduction to the procedures for safeguarding children

Aim of chapter 

1. To connect with the denominational policy statements
2. To explain absolute actions and good practices
3. To advise on how to use these procedures
4. To outline roles and responsibilities
5. To outline what the denomination can expect with regard to timescales for responses from the central Safeguarding Team

Policy statements and procedural arrangements

General Assembly 2025 passed resolutions approving new policies in regard to children and adult safeguarding within the denomination. (Link here)

Policies are the broad statements of belief and intention, foundational to our safeguarding strategies. 

Procedures are the thorough working out of those policy statements.

The following procedures advise congregations and ministries on how to achieve this. 

Absolute actions and good practice guidance

Procedures are comprehensive and detailed, designed to ensure that the church complies with legal requirements and best practice. 

They also contain explanatory commentary. 

Absolute actions

Absolute actions are procedures that cannot be deviated from. They are rooted in legal responsibilities and our denomination’s Code. 

For example, the chapter ‘Recruitment and Selection of Leaders’ is a mandatory procedure, and an absolute set of actions with which we all must engage. 

Good practice guidance

Following good practices is not always a legal requirement. However, it is based on practices that are understood as a strong way to manage something. 

As a denomination we set out in these procedures strong recommendations for good practice that underpin the qualities we strive for in safeguarding. 

As one denomination across two jurisdictions, we have a wealth of opportunity to share good practice and learning across our ministry family from both the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and Northern Ireland (NI). 

We seek to use the best practice from both jurisdictions to inform our work with children. Our church works around and across the border. Members, volunteers and staff can attend church on one part of the island and live on the other. Which set of procedures to use will depend on a number of things: 

• Where the incident or concern arose
• Where the child is domiciled
• Where any alleged abuser resides

Advice can be sought from the PCI Safeguarding Team but this should not cause any delay to speaking with statutory bodes and where necessary a report should be made to PSNI or An Garda Síochána/Tusla and social services.

Good practice is based on evidence of safeguarding practices that have been tried and tested.

Sometimes good practice is simply established regional practice and guidance. Sometimes good practice is specific to our denomination and how we work in our own culture on a biblical basis. 

In the case of good practice, humility is always required because we are all always learning, and safeguarding is complex and constantly changing. 

Good practice is always going to be recommended by the central Safeguarding Team as it is evidence based. 

Where a Kirk Session chooses not to follow good practice, it must ensure that it records that decision-making. 

For example, the chapter ‘Online Safety’ contains some elements of good practice and some elements of absolute action. Kirk Session may not deviate on some points; however, it can make alternative arrangements in others. 

How to use these procedures

• All safeguarding policy and procedures for the denomination are available on our website
• Each policy has its own section: children and adults separately, ROI and NI separately. Access the relevant section to your setting or query. While separate guidance is based on each jurisdiction’s legislative and policy framework there are common standards to both sides of the border, and in places there is important overlap
• We will also apply the best practice for one part of the island across our safeguarding procedures. For example, child risk assessments in ROI are a strict legal requirement in ROI but should be adopted in NI congregations as good practice
• Each section contains the associated broad denomination-wide policy statement
• This is the followed by a series of ‘chapters’ on the individual aspects of carrying out that policy
• Each chapter includes the procedures for a specific area of safeguarding
• Each chapter will explain its aim
• Each chapter will include associated links to other parts of the procedures that are relevant
• Each chapter will include links to any relevant resource you may need (for example, a link to a form)
• There is a separate area to access a variety of safeguarding resources to help implement the procedures (e.g., templates and forms, or contacts for relevant statutory bodies)
• The website includes an ‘alert’ function that will highlight if there has been a change to any procedure or an update in legislation; once alerted, the responsible individual will need to adjust your local policy and procedure.
  In line with good practice, we intend to update online the policy and procedures as they develop
• Kirk Session and individuals responsible for the local congregational arrangements should copy and paste the denominational procedures, ensuring that they are adapted to suit the specific setting 

(Until 1 September 2026 Only) Action Required

Either

1.  Write a new suite of child protection arrangements in your setting

or

2.  Review your current Child Protection arrangements and adjust these in line with the new procedures.

In both cases, all reference to ‘Taking Care’ should be removed from your current policy and procedures.

It is permissible to copy and paste our denominational procedures, adapting for your setting (e.g., adding your congregation name and logo). 

Once updated: 

• ensure that all old copies are removed from circulation
• the new review date and signatures should be added
• Kirk Session should ensure that it is fully aware of all changes to be implemented
• the updated copy should be shared with all relevant parties and made available on your website, if applicable

This must be in place by 30 June 2026 and fully implemented by the new season on 1 September 2026.

It is the responsibility of Presbytery to ensure compliance in individual churches.

Roles and responsibilities

When it comes to the protection of children, everyone has a responsibility. This is outlined throughout the procedures. 

The text below outlines our specific duties with regard to the policy and procedure arrangements specifically.

The central safeguarding team

1. Must keep its own training up to date
2. Must sit on appropriate external statutory panels to ensure immediate connection with regional and legislative safeguarding developments
3. Must ensure that changes in legislation or regional policy are communicated effectively and in a timely manner to all they effect in the denomination
4. Must keep policy and procedures for the use of the denomination under review
5. Must keep the website up to date and relevant
6. Must keep training presentations up to date and relevant
7. Must ensure that all PCI volunteer trainers are equipped to disseminate appropriate guidance throughout the denomination
8. Must be accountable to the governing bodies of the Church
9. Must report to PCI Safeguarding Development Committee at least twice annually on progress against the safeguarding standards for the denomination
10. Must liaise with individual congregations on queries around individual implementation of these procedures
11. Must escalate any concerns with regard to compliance at individual congregational level to Presbytery or the General Secretary’s Office, as appropriate

Presbytery

1. Must ensure that each of the associated individual congregations has an up to date set of policies and procedures for child protection
2. Must ensure that each associated Kirk Session has attended safeguarding training at least once every three years
3. Should consider appointing a Presbytery Safeguarding Lead, to work alongside the Moderator and Clerk of Presbytery to manage the safeguarding oversight within its remit
4. Must respond to escalated concerns from the central Safeguarding Team and work alongside it to take remedial actions

Local Kirk Sessions

1. Must have in place a written risk assessment, policy and procedure for the safeguarding of children engaged in their mission and ministries
2. Must review those documents at least once every two years
3. Must ensure that its actual practices adhere to its policy and procedures
4. Must have safeguarding as a standing agenda item for Kirk Session
5. Must support the Designated Person in their role pastorally, and with their administrative responsibilities
6. Must attend safeguarding training at least once every three years
7. Must be accountable to Presbytery for its arrangements and give assurances that these are in place 

Designated personnel 

1. Must keep their training up to date
2. Must review the congregational policy and procedures for safeguarding and update Kirk Session on any changes required at any time
3. Must keep an active list of volunteers, their AccessNI vetting and training dates
4. Must ensure that all volunteers have access to the policy and procedures, and have attended training
5. Must ensure that they are keeping Kirk Session appraised of any safeguarding issues
6. Must raise concerns if they believe Kirk Session is not attending to its safeguarding policies and procedures: firstly, with Kirk Session, then escalated to PCI’s central Safeguarding Team if necessary 

Leaders in charge

1. Must keep their own training up to date
2. Must understand the policy and procedures and their responsibilities as stated within
3. Must ensure that all of the leaders in their organisation/activity are adhering to the policy and procedures
4. Must raise a concern if a leader does not adhere to the policy and procedure: firstly, to the designated person and Kirk Session, and escalated to PCI’s central Safeguarding Team if necessary 

Leaders and volunteers

1. Must keep their own training up to date
2. Must understand the policy and procedures and their responsibilities as stated within
3. Must adhere to those policies and procedures at all times
4. Must raise any concerns they have with the Leader in Charge of their organisation/activity

Members

1. Individual members of congregations, even if they have no role with children or young people, have responsibilities as members of this denomination to ensure that children are protected at all times from harm and/or abuse
2. All members should be aware of the child safeguarding policy and procedures, and as a member understand that they too should behave in a manner that cooperates with the procedures
3. All members should know how to raise a concern and to whom

Individuals who attend

1. It is incumbent upon every member of society to regard the welfare of children as paramount. Therefore, we all have responsibilities, even if we do not belong to the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
2. Anyone visiting or engaging with our ministries, even on a temporary or one-off basis, should be aware that we have child safeguarding policy and procedures and that these help form our ethos and approaches to keeping children and young people safe
3. All individuals should be aware of our open and transparent approach and that we will act if we have any reasonable grounds for concern, even if someone is not a member
4. All individuals should be aware of our open and transparent approach and know to whom and how they can raise any concerns they have about child safeguarding when they engage in our mission or ministries 

CHAPTER END