parish safeguarding toolkitcofeworcester.contentfiles.net/media/assets/file/toolkit... · 2017. 1....

Parish Safeguarding Toolkit

Instructions for completing the checklist

1.The vicar, parish safeguarding officer, churchwardens and any other appropriate church officers should work together to answer all the questions inthis self-audit tool. If there has been a serious safeguarding issue during the year a confidential sheet, summarising the matter may need to becompleted by the vicar and filed confidentially. This sheet should not be disclosed to the PCC. (See Appendix 1 at the back of this toolkit)

2. This checklist follows the references to the role of parishes in the House of Bishop’s Policy Protecting all God’s Children Edition 4 20101

3. While some PCCs may not have approved work with children or adults who are vulnerable, all will at some time have children in their church and most will have approved pastoral volunteers so every PCC should send a response. Therefore the questions in this toolkit are appropriate to all.

4. For each question, click one of the colour-coded scores.5. Keep notes as you go, in sections, of actions that you need to take in order to be wholly compliant.6. Add up your scores – red, amber, green and grey in each section. Complete the toolkit scoresheet. (See Appendix 2 at the back of this toolkit)7. Churchwardens should take a copy of the entire Toolkit, including logs (Appendix 3 & 4), to the Archdeacon’s Visitation.8. Summarise your notes of actions needed in the Action Plan sheet. (See Appendix 5)9. Take your Toolkit Scoresheet, with your Action Plan, to your PCC for discussion at the Annual Meeting.

10. At this meeting, the PCC needs to agree the Safeguarding Action Plan for the following year, with clarity about who will take responsibility, and with target dates.

Abbreviations used in this document:

PSO – Parish Safeguarding Officer DSA – Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser HoB – House of Bishops LEP – Local Ecumenical Partnership

APCM – Annual Parochial Church Meeting PCC – Parochial Church Council DCC – District (or Rural) Church Council

1 Protecting all God’s Children paragraph 4.6 page 20

http://www.churchofengland.org/media/37378/protectingallgodschildren.pdf

Diocese: Worcester Parish:

Safeguarding Toolkit (Child and Adult)

2 If you have a query: telephone DBS Admin (Steph) on 01905-732811

Before you start

Please list all Church related activities approved by the PCC which involve children in this parish

Please list all Church related activities which involve adults who are vulnerable in this parish

Please indicate which of the following applies:

Is you are in a single parish with a PCC – your PCC is responsible for completion of the toolkit

If you are in a United Benefice with a number of PCCs – each PCC is responsible for completing a toolkit

If you are in a Team Ministry with one PCC but with a number of churches and DCCs – please provide someone in each DCC with an individual copy of the toolkit and then combine these into this one amalgamated completed toolkit to be signed off by the PCC

You will be asked to repeat this annually. The scores and Action Plan from this process will give you a baseline against which you can compare future scores; safeguarding implementation can be measured against this year’s agreed Action Plan.




THE PARISH. Each parish should:- Evidence Please indicate below whether you have met the criteria wholly, partially or not at all

1 Adopt and implement a safeguarding policy and procedures, accepting as a minimum the House of Bishops’ Policy on Safeguarding2 or the Joint Safeguarding Principles but informed by additional diocesan procedures and recommended good practice, while being responsive to local parish requirements

Date adopted by PCC:

Protecting All God’s Children: Promoting a Safe Church: Safer Recruitment 2016: Parish Safeguarding Policy Statement:Parish Policy in Respect of DBS Disclosures (http://cofeworcester.contentfiles.net/media/assets/file/Statement_of_Policy_re_DBS.pdf)

Date that the PCC reviewed its policies in last 12 months:

Have you sent a signed copy of your Parish Policy in Respect of DBS Disclosures to the Diocesan DBS Administrator at the Diocesan Office?

Total score Standard 1

Action needed to move to green

2 Promoting a Safe Church (safeguarding policy for adults) 2006, Protecting All God's Children (safeguarding policy for children and young people, 4th edition,2010) Responding Well to those who have been sexually abused (2011) Responding to Domestic Abuse (guidelines for those with pastoral responsibility, 2006) Safer Recruitment 2015 (practice guidance)

http://cofeworcester.contentfiles.net/media/assets/file/Statement_of_Policy_re_DBS.pdf


http://www.churchofengland.org/media/37405/promotingasafechurch.pdf

http://www.churchofengland.org/media/37378/protectingallgodschildren.pdf

http://www.churchofengland.org/media/1292643/respondingwellforweb.pdf

http://www.churchofengland.org/media/1163604/domesticabuse.pdf


https://www.churchofengland.org/media/2552006/safer_recruitment_practice_guidance_2016.pdf





2 Appoint at least one co-ordinator [Parish Safeguarding Officer] to work with the incumbent and the parochial church council (PCC) to implement policy and procedures.

The co-ordinator must ensure that any concerns about a child or the behaviour of an adult are appropriately reported both to the statutory agencies and to the diocesan safeguarding adviser. It may be appropriate for this co-ordinator to be someone without other pastoral responsibility for children [or adults who are vulnerable] in the parish. The co-ordinator should either be a member of the PCC or have the right to attend the council and should report at least annually on the implementation of the policy within the parish

Is there a minimum of 1 Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) nominated by PCC and formally appointed by Bishop?

Does the congregation know who their Parish Safeguarding Officer(s) are? For example are their names well publicised?Is your PSO a member of the PCC? Do they attend or report to PCC meetings on safeguarding issues?

Do PSOs brief new Churchwardens (and other church officers as appropriate) on safeguarding practice in the parish?

Do PSOs advertise and promote all diocesan safeguarding training programmes in the parish?






THE PARISH. Each parish should:- Evidence N/A Please indicate below whether you have met the criteria wholly, partially or not at all

3 Consider appointing a person, who may be different from the coordinator, to be a children’s [or vulnerable person’s] advocate.

This should be someone whom children know they could talk to about any problems, if they so wish. It can be useful if the co-ordinator is not someone whom children [or adults who are vulnerable] know personally

Does your congregation know who the parish advocate(s) are?


Action needed to move from to green

4 Display in church premises where children’s activities take place, the contact details of the co-ordinator or children’s advocate, along with the ‘Childline3’ and ‘Parentline Plus’4 telephone numbers

eg posters on notice boards, links on website, and parish magazines.



3 ChildLine 4 Parentline Plus now known as Family Lives

http://www.childline.org.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

http://www.familylives.org.uk/





5 Ensure that all those authorized to work with children [or adults who are vulnerable] are appropriately recruited according to safer recruitment practice, and are trained and supported;

Please complete Logs of volunteers (see Appendix 3 & 4)

Please note: • DBS checks should be

renewed every 5 years• Safeguarding training

should be refreshed every 3years

Have you implemented the recruitment procedure in ‘Safer Recruitment 2016'? Do all approved volunteers or paid workers have written job roles? Do you take references for all applicants?

Do you have completed confidential declaration forms for all approved volunteers or paid workers and are they securely stored? Have you obtained Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal record checks for all those volunteers and paid workers whose roles require one? Do you keep securely Log 3 (children’s workers) and Log 4 (adult workers) for these workers and update the Logs as appropriate. [These are DBS and training records] Do you induct, supervise and train (including relevant safeguarding training) these volunteers or paid workers and make them familiar with parish and diocesan safeguarding procedures?







6 Ensure that there is appropriate insurance cover for all activities involving children (or adults who are vulnerable) undertaken in the name of the parish;

Please name your insurance provider:



7 Review the implementation of the safeguarding children [or adults who are vulnerable] policy, procedures and good practice, at least annually

A Safeguarding briefing should be presented annually to the Annual Parochial Church Meeting.






THE PARISH. Each parish should:- Evidence N/A Please indicate below whether you have met the criteria wholly, partially or not at all

8 If appropriate, in rural parishes or parishes held in plurality, consider joining together to implement the policy and procedures, while remembering that legal responsibility will continue to rest with the individual parishes



9 If working within Local Ecumenical Partnerships (LEPs), agree which denomination or organisation’s safeguarding children [or adults who are vulnerable] policy to follow, including where to seek advice in urgent situations. This decision should be ratified both by the bishop and other appropriate church leaders in the partnership

Total score Standard


10 In the event of a specific safeguarding concern, ensure that all the LEP partners are notified






APPENDIX 1 CONFIDENTIAL DATA SHEET

For the incumbent only (or churchwarden in a vacancy)

Name of incumbent/churchwarden completing this form:

If you answer Yes to any question below, please return this form in a sealed envelope, to the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser.

(A) Have there been any safeguarding allegations/concerns regarding children or adults since your last safeguarding audit? Yes / NoIf yes:

Yes / No Was this person a church officer5 (paid or volunteer) at the time?

Name of person, if a church officer

How did you respond?

Who did you inform?

Who did you inform?

From whom did you seek or take advice?

Is the matter still current? Yes / No

5 A Church Officer includes clergy, holders of the Bishop’s licence, those commissioned by the Bishop, those, paid or unpaid, who hold positions of responsibility in a parish and work with children or adults who may be vulnerable, and those with representational parish ministry, eg churchwarden, organist, server. See A Safe Church p 6-11 ff.

Churchwarden Parish Safeguarding Officer

Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser

Other (please specify)




Please return all relevant Appendices via your Churchwarden at the Archdeacons Visitation




(B) Have there been any concerns or allegations about domestic abuse since your last audit? Yes / No If yes:

Was this person a church officer (paid or volunteer) at the time? Yes / No

Name of person, if a church officer:

How did you respond?

Who did you inform?

From whom did you seek or take advice?

Is the matter still current? Yes / No











(C) Do you have, or have you ever had, any agreements with offenders or those who pose risk to children or adults? Yes / No

If yes:

What is the name of the offender/risk poser?

Who else is party to the agreement?

When was the last agreement signed?

When is the next review due?

(D) For all of the above:

Are there any outstanding matters which require attention, or others who need to be informed?

What electronic or hard copy records do you hold? Where are they stored? Who has access to them?

How will you ensure that safeguarding information is passed on to relevant post holders if you move from your post?

Signed:

Date:





APPENDIX 2

Summary Toolkit Scoresheet

Name of Parish: Completed by:

Role in parish:

Date of Completion:

Date discussed by PCC:

Scores Standard 1 (out of 3)

Standard 2 (out of 5)









Total Scores

Green

Amber

Red

N/A

Date policies first adopted by PCC: Date of last review by PCC:

Has a Confidential Sheet (appendix 1) been completed? Y N Is this checklist for an LEP? Y NHas an action plan been completed? Y N Is this checklist for a single parish with PCC? Y N

Is this checklist for a PCC in a United Benefice with a number of PCCs?

Y N

Is this checklist for a Team Ministry with one PCC but a number of DCCs? Y N




PERSONS CURRENTLY WORKING IN THE PARI SH WITH CHILDR EN (UN DER 18 Y EARS)

NAME DATE OF REFERENCE

DATE CONFIDENTIAL DECLARATION FILED

IS THIS PERSON’S WORK SUPERVISED?

DOES ACTIVITY CURRENTLY OCCUR FREQUENTLY? (once per week or more) ‡

DATE OF DBS CERTIFICATE

DATE OUTCOME LETTER RECEIVED FROM DIOCESAN OFFICE

DATE VERIFICATION OF DISCLOSURE CERTIFICATE SENT TO DIOCESAN OFFICE*

DATE OF APPROPRIATE TRAINING ‘BASIC SAFEGUARDING AWARENESS’

‡ ‡ FIRSTNAME SURNAME YES NO YES NO E E+

‡ relates to guidance already in operation from 2012 E and E+ refer to different types of DBS check (‘Enhanced’ or ‘Enhanced plus barred lists’check)

Signed: (Parish Safeguarding Rep)

* relates to new guidance and procedure introduced November 2013 Date:


Diocese: Worcester Parish: PLEASE ADD CONTINUATION SHEETS AS NECESSARY

APPENDIX 3 CONFIDENTIAL



If you have a query: telephone DBS Admin (Steph) on 01905-732811

APPENDIX 4 CONFIDENTIAL PERSONS CURRENTLY WORKING IN THE PARIS H WITH VULNERABLE ADULTS

‡ relates to guidance already in operation from 2012 E and E+ refer to different types of DBS check (‘Enhanced’ or ‘Enhanced plus barred lists’check)

Signed: (Parish Safeguarding Rep)

Date: * relates To new guidance and procedure introduced November 2013

PLEASE ADD CONTINUATION SHEETS AS NECESSARY

14


NAME DATE OF REFERENCE

DATE CONFIDENTIAL DECLARATION FILED

IS THIS PERSON’S WORK SUPERVISED?

DOES ACTIVITY CURRENTLY OCCUR FREQUENTLY? (once per week or more) ‡

DATE OF DBS CERTIFICATE

DATE OUTCOME LETTER RECEIVED FROM DIOCESAN OFFICE

DATE VERIFICATION OF DISCLOSURE CERTIFICATE SENT TO DIOCESAN OFFICE*

DATE OF APPROPRIATE TRAINING ‘BASIC SAFEGUARDING AWARENESS’

‡ ‡ FIRSTNAME SURNAME YES NO YES NO E E+




Safeguarding (Child and Adult Protection) Action Plan (Year)

Area for action Action Plan Target date By whom Da

te

com

plet

ed

Uncompleted actions from previous audit: (year)

New audit actions for this year: (year)

Completed by Role in Parish Date


APPENDIX 5

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