8: Safeguarding training

Chapter 8: 
Safeguarding training

Aim of the chapter 

1. Outline the roles and responsibilities for safeguarding training
2. Outline the training requirements
3. Outline the administration of training
4. Outline how to access training in the denomination
5. Outline issues regarding non-compliance with training 

Understanding the importance of safeguarding training is critical because it is a major feature in the prevention of abuse and the protection and care for children, adults and our local communities. 

It promotes early intervention to prevent harm, manages risks, fosters a safe environment and it ensures ethical and legal compliance. 

It is not to be regarded as a simple matter of compliance, but rather as a shared responsibility, a demonstration of our deep love and care for those to whom we are ministering. 

Context

The requirement for safeguarding training has changed significantly over the past few years. 

The need for up-to-date training is critical for the denomination; but also training that remains relevant and is speaking into the often complex dynamics of safeguarding is required.

Training must be both accessible and trackable. 

Safeguarding training is important because:

• Safeguarding is at the heart of our denomination and we genuinely aspire to do this well
• It simply helps keep children and adults safe
• It will support you to maintain a child focus
• It reassures families and members that the church is a safe place
• It supports communities to have confidence in their local church
• It will teach you the different forms of abuse
• It will teach you the signs and indicators of abuse and neglect
• It will make you more confident when reporting concerns
• It will empower individual leaders and Kirk Sessions and give reassurance in decision-making
• It will make you aware of the laws relevant to your setting
• It is a best practice requirement to have safeguarding training
• There is a possibility of an inspection on your safeguarding training, via Charity Commission or Statutory Services, if there has been any issue
• It is the most important training you will receive

Roles and responsibilities 

Kirk Session

• Each member of Kirk Session must maintain their own individual training and seek further input if there is an area they have not understood fully
• Kirk Session overall must ensure that all those operating as leaders in its congregation have maintained their training
• Kirk Session must ensure that no one is operating within its congregation whose training (or criminal vetting) has either lapsed or has not been engaged with
• Each Kirk Session must ensure that it has kept up to date with the relevant changes in safeguarding, and ensure that such information is disseminated across its leadership teams
• When asked, each Kirk Session must be able to demonstrate an accurate list of leaders and the date of their last safeguarding training, or the date they stepped down from leadership
• Kirk Sessions must take all reasonable steps to ensure that members of its broad church leadership team have the opportunity of a training session at least once every three years
• Kirk Session must ensure that any individual who has lapsed in their training (or vetting) are stepped aside from any further engagement in leadership until this has been resolved 

Ministers

• Each Minister must maintain his/her own individual training
• Each Minister must agree to engage fully in the training and take responsibility for any area in which they identify they need more training or further input
• Each Minister must ensure they are keeping their Kirk Session appraised of any changes in safeguarding that is communicated to them, in a timely manner

Clerk of Session

• Each Clerk of Session must maintain his/her own individual training and seek further input if there is an area they have not understood fully
• Each Clerk of Session must support the Kirk Session, Minister and Designated Person by ensuring there is a robust tracking system in place for maintaining all safeguarding training records

Designated Persons

• Must maintain their own individual training and seek further input if there is an area they have not understood fully
• Are usually delegated the task for overseeing the active leaders list; they are therefore accountable to Kirk Session to ensure that the list is maintained with the names of all leaders and the dates of their last criminal vetting check and relevant safeguarding training
• Must be able to demonstrate the final date of any active leader who has stepped down
• Must advise Kirk Session immediately when leaders’ safeguarding training (or criminal vetting) has lapsed; Kirk Session must ensure that those individuals are stepped aside from any further engagement in leadership until this has been resolved 

Please note that any individual members of Session, including the Minister or Clerk, and the Designated Persons, all have a personal responsibility in safeguarding.

If there is a situation in which the local Kirk Session is not meeting the requirements for training and vetting adequately, any individual can raise this with their Clerk of Presbytery, who must investigate this and act (see below). 

Presbytery (via the Clerk of Presbytery)

• Each Clerk of Presbytery must have an active list of when each Kirk Session in their Presbytery last engaged in their safeguarding training
• Each Clerk of Presbytery must engage with any church whose Kirk Session safeguarding training has lapsed or who have not engaged in their training, setting expected timescales for compliance (no more than six weeks from date of concern raised)
• After six weeks this should be escalated to the Clerk of General Assembly for discussion with the Safeguarding Team with regard to immediate protective measures
• Each Clerk of Presbytery must ensure that they are addressing in a timely manner any concern raised in relation to local safeguarding training compliance. This includes giving direction to have individuals stepped aside if they are not compliant in their training and vetting, and escalating to the Clerk of General Assembly any congregational Kirk Session that has an endemic failure with regard to training (and vetting)
• Each Clerk of Presbytery must ensure that if a congregation is vacant, the Convenor of the congregation is engaging in their training with Kirk Session
• Each Clerk of Presbytery must be knowledgeable in safeguarding, given their position in leadership and oversight of their Presbytery – if they are not an aligned Elder in a local congregation, they should attend a Kirk Session training session in their Presbytery at least once every three years

Safeguarding team

• Must ensure that training presentations are kept up to date, in line with regional legislation and good practice guidance
• Must ensure that all volunteer trainers are adequately trained and informed and are using the correct materials
• Must ensure that all volunteer trainers are supervised appropriately
• Must ensure that there is a robust and easy to access system for local congregations to access their training
• Must provide relevant guidance to the denomination with regard to both the mandatory expectations and general good practices in safeguarding

Training requirements

Other requirements: 

• It is possible that one individual may sit in all of these roles. If that is the case, all training should be attended.
• It is also appropriate if some members of Kirk Session attend all of the courses, even if they do not occupy all of the roles; this can be useful understanding for Kirk Session members, who remain responsible for the safe running of the church’s activities.
• Kirk Session training is ONLY for members of Kirk Session and the Minister/Convener.
• Face to face training is preferable in all circumstances; however, online training resources will be available. Anyone participating in online training will be expected to keep their camera on at all times.
• Anyone who arrives late (after the first five minutes) or leaves early (at any stage) will not be assessed as having completed the training sufficiently.
• Training must be delivered by a current recognised PCI appointed trainer.

Training administration responsibilities 

Core principles 

• It is the responsibility of each Kirk Session to ensure that its members and their Minister/Convener have participated actively in the training and raised any queries they have with regard to safeguarding with the trainer at the end of the session
• Each local Kirk Session is responsible for the training of its leaders and should ensure that it has established a training session for its leaders to access
• Each Kirk Session should hold a list of all operational leaders, the date on which they were recruited, the date they last had a criminal vetting check and the date they last engaged in their relevant training
• Each Kirk Session is responsible for ensuring that leaders who are around their three-year renewal date are signed up for their training and that the dates, on completion, are recorded
• A clear date should be recorded if any leader ceases in their post and no longer requires training or vetting
• It is the responsibility of Kirk Session to be assured that the training was actually attended and was understood
• Most Kirk Sessions delegate these administrative tasks to the Designated Person; however, it remains the responsibility of Kirk Session to ensure that there is oversight of this
• It is absolutely critical that Designated Personnel keep their training up to date
• Any Designated Person in any NI Presbytery can attend any training within the NI region; it is not specific to any Presbytery
• Any Designated Liaison Person in any ROI Presbytery can attend any training within the ROI region; it is not specific to any Presbytery

How to access your training

Non-compliance with training requirements 

Please note that no one may commence in any leadership role without first engaging in their safeguarding training. After that, the training should be renewed at least once every three years. 

In the event that an individual leader or elder has failed to maintain their safeguarding training:

1. They should engage in their training within six weeks of their lapsed date. It is likely that they will need to join another congregation in order to do so, and they should contact the central office to find out what training is available in that timescale.
2. If the six-week period passes, the individual must step aside from leadership until such time that their training can be implemented.
3. The Designated Person should keep an active record of this and ensure that this situation has been rectified before the individual returns to leadership. Kirk Session should be appraised.

In the event that a minister has failed to maintain their safeguarding training:

This will be brought to the attention of the Moderator and Clerk of the local Presbytery. Safeguarding training must be part of local governance arrangements.

In the event that a Kirk Session has failed to maintain its members’ safeguarding training: 

1. They must engage in the specific PCI DP training within six weeks of their lapsed date, as above.
2. If the six-week period passes, the individual must not continue to operate as a DP.
3. Kirk Session needs to be aware that a named lead for safeguarding (the DP) is a mandatory role required by legislation and regional guidance in both NI and ROI; in the event of a DP having to step aside due to a lapse in training, the Kirk Session must have a contingency plan. 

In the event that a Kirk Session has failed to maintain its members’ safeguarding training: 

1. The Clerk of Presbytery should review their records regularly and if this is the case, they should address the issue directly with the local church leadership.
2. An immediate plan should be put in place to rectify this situation within six weeks.
3. Any ongoing disruption to Kirk Session training should be escalated to Clerk of General Assembly for discussion with the Safeguarding Team for implementation of protective measures.

This guidance is for congregations only

• Please note that Council for Social Witness services and Council for Mission in Ireland ministries have different safeguarding training requirements.
• Please note that employed PCI staff (i.e., Assembly Buildings staff) have different safeguarding training requirements.
• Please note that Union College has different training requirements.
• Please note that MOD PCI Chaplaincy has different training requirements.

These are the responsibility of each individual aligned Council Secretary or the Head of HR in the case of PCI employees. 

These training requirements are NOT dealt with in this Policy.

CHAPTER END