Safeguarding Information for Parishes
The first point of reference for implementing safeguarding policies and safer practice in your parishes is the Parish Safeguarding Handbook
Information on parish safeguarding roles and responsibilities (including PCC, Incumbent, Church Wardens and Parish Safeguarding Officer/Administrator) can be found here
Details of what safeguarding arrangements information should be displayed on parish websites and church notice boards can be found here:
For National Church Policies, Guidance and Resources please visit the Church of England website
Click the button below to find out more about national church policies, guidance and resources.
Find Out More For National Church Policies, Guidance and Resources please visit the Church of England website – Link opens in a new windowAlong with national safeguarding resources we have also produced some local safeguarding resources to help your parish.
Local Resources
- Safeguarding Referral Form
- Parish Safeguarding Policy Statement
- Template Parish Statement on Domestic Abuse
- Promoting a Safer Church A3 poster
- Code of Safer Working Practice
- Responding to Safeguarding Concerns and Allegations Flowchart
- Fact Sheet – Types of Abuse
- Fact Sheet – Sexting (youth produced sexual imagery)
- Video Conferencing with Young People (Guidelines)
- Activity Risk Assessment Template
- Activity Risk Assessment Form
- Activity and Incident Form
- Registration Form – Activities and Trips
- Leaders to Participants Ratios
- Photo Consent Form
- Model Social Media Policy Statement
- Social Media Consent Form
- Transport Consent Form
- Model Volunteer Driver Agreement
- Model Safeguarding Provision for Church Premises Hire
- Entrance Notice for Callers
- Keyholder Declaration
- Lone Working – PCC Considerations
- Model Risk Assessment Checklist for Home Visiting
- Model Personal Risk Assessment Tool
- Safeguarding Aide Memoire
- Choir Aide Memoire
- Safe Spaces Posters
- Safeguarding Against Radicalisation Prevent Referrals Poster
- Safeguarding Against Radicalisation Channel Panel Poster
- Safeguarding Against Radicalisation Vulnerabilities Poster
- Safeguarding Against Radicalisation Resources Poster
Safer Recruitment
Church of England National Resources
- Church of England Safer Recruitment and People Management Guidance
- Confidential Declaration Form and Privacy Notice (scroll down to access 2 forms)
- Role Descriptions and Person Specifications Templates
- Application Form Template
- Example Interview Questions
- Reference Request Form Template (see Toolkit at bottom of page)
- Church of England DBS Role Eligibility Guide (see Toolkit)
- Appointment Letter for Volunteers Template
- Volunteer Induction Checklist
- Code of Safer Working Practice
- Volunteer Support Meeting Agenda Template
- Model Safer Recruitment Record Keeping Template (download from Toolkit)
Local and Other Resources
- Sample Parish Policy Statement on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders
- ID checking guidelines for DBS check applications
- Safe Storage, Retention and Handling of DBS Certificate Information
- DBS Continuing Update Proforma
- Parish Umbrella Agreement
- DBS Privacy Notice – Standard/Enhanced
Safeguarding Updates/Newsletters
- Letter from Independent Chair of the Diocesan Safeguarding Panel, August 2023
- Winchester Diocese Safeguarding Newsletter Summer 2023
- Hampshire Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report
- Hampshire Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report
Useful Links
- Modern Slavery
- Fraud Advice
- Crime Prevention Bulletin
- Cyber Security: Small Charity Guide
- Hampshire Safeguarding Adults Board Fire Safety Framework 2021
- Supporting People Living with Dementia to be Involved in Adult Safeguarding Enquiries – Dept. of Health and Social Care
Church of England resources, including a ‘Toolkit’ and Safeguarding Advice.
Government guidance – Homes for Ukraine. Please note, local councils will be responsible for all vetting (including DBS) checks for anyone offering to host Ukrainian Refugees.
Safeguarding poster in Ukrainian and English – Hampshire Safeguarding Adults Board.
A new website for Ukrainian refugees www.ukrainianswelcome.org provides useful information in Ukrainian/Russian/English on how to keep safe, where to go for support on a whole range of issues and includes links to the Government’s information for displaced Ukrainians.
In 2007, the Church of England commissioned a Past Cases Review which sought to look at the handling by the church of child protection cases. Following a 2018 review of the effectiveness of the first Past Cases Review, a second review, known as PCR2 was run in all Church of England dioceses between 2019 – 2022. The National Report was published in October 2022.
Please see the executive summary of our local report here.
More information about PCR2 is available from the Church of England website.
If you have any questions about PCR2, or need any advice, please contact our diocesan safeguarding team.