The Diocese of Lichfield is committed to caring for all the children, young people and vulnerable adults with whom it has contact with, in all aspects of their wellbeing and at all levels. Therefore, we require all our parishes to read and implement a Safeguarding Policy as outlined in the House of Bishops revised Policy Document Promoting A Safer Church 2017
Every parish is obliged to have their own safeguarding policy and a reference template is listed below. Parishes also need to ensure that the policies have actually been ratified and adopted by the PCC and that this is recorded in meeting minutes. Parish Safeguarding Policies should be reviewed annually in line with Diocesan Policy.
In conjunction with the Parish Safeguarding Policy it is very important that parishes are also aware of our Safer Recruitment policies. From January 2022 all parishes should be following the Safer Recrutment process for any appointed roles within the parish whether these are paid or voluntary.
Survivor Strategy
- Survivor and Disclosure Guidance February 2021
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A number of survivors and safeguarding professionals from the National Safeguarding Team, dioceses and parishes have worked together to develop a series of videos which summarise the content of Responding Well to Victims and Survivors of Abuse guidance. See the national church's safeguarding news page for more info.
Diocesan Safeguarding Resources: Policy Documents and Practice Guidance
- Diocese Safeguarding Policy and Guidance 2021 v2.3
- The Diocese of Lichfield Safeguarding Learning and Development Framework 2021-2024
- Fact Sheet: Types of Abuse
- Churchwarden Safeguarding Training Guidance 2022
- Safer Recruitment and Training Policy v.4.1 2022
- Recruitment of Ex-Offenders sample policy 2024
- Safeguarding and Deliverance Policy
- Recording With Care v.1 currrently under review
- Social Media Policy v.1.2
- Core Groups and Major Safeguarding Incident Plan
- Below is a sample safeguarding policy that can be adapted for use in your parish and some practical safeguarding guidance when working with children and vulnerable adults.
- We have produced a flowchart that illustrates the process that is followed if there is a safeguarding issue in your church and a Safeguarding Poster. Please print these out and display in your church or church hall:
- Body Map Diagram for recording any injuries for children and adults
- Read Bishop Michaels ad clerum to all clergy on safeguarding in October 2017
- The Lichfield Diocese Safeguarding Privacy Notice explains how we handle data in relation to safeguarding.
Church of England Safeguarding Resources: Policy Documents and Practice Guidance and Templates for Parish Use
- Parish Safeguarding Handbook
- Responding Well: A guide to support for victims and survivors of church-based abuse (easy read version)
- Promoting A Safer Church 2017 - CofE Safeguarding Policy download
- The Church of England Safer Environment and Activities - download
- Responding Well to Domestic Abuse 2017 download
- Offender Management and Risk Assessment
- Responding Well To Those Who Have Been Sexually Abused 2011 download
- Responding to Safeguarding Concerns or Allegations that relate to Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults (Practice Guidance) download
- Guidance for DBFs, PCCs and Religious Communities: Identifying and Reporting Safeguarding Serious Incidents to the Charity Commission 2019 - download
- Practical guidance: How to make a Safeguarding Serious Incident report to the Charity Commission 2019 download
- The National Church Institutions Safeguarding Privacy Notice
Church of England Practice Guidance Documents Issued 2015
- Practice Guidance: Safer Recruitment June 2015 download
- Practice Guidance: Safeguarding in Religious Communities June 2015 download
- Practise Guidance: Risk Assessment for Individuals who may Pose Risk to Children or Adults June 2015 download
- Practice Guidance: Responding to Serious Safeguarding Situations Relating to Church Officers June 2015 download
- Practice Guidance: Safeguarding Records: Joint Practice Guidance for the Church of England and the Methodist Church June 2015 download
- Safeguarding Guidance for Single Congregation Local Ecumenical Partnerships June 2015 download
Key Forms for Parish Use
- Safer Recruiting in the parish - executive summary and models of good practice - download
- Safer Recruitment and Peole Management Tool - download
- Model Activity Risk Assessment Template
- Model Parish Safeguarding Checklist - download
- Parish Safeguarding Coordinators action plan template - download
- Model Volunteer Driver Agreement - download
- Model consent form for the use of Photographs - download and an accompaning privacy agreement - download
- Model Volunteer Role Description - download
- Application Form for Volunteer Roles with Children and Vulnerable Adults - download
- Reference Form for Volunteer Roles with Children ad Vulnerable Adults - download
- Church of England Confidential Declaration Form updated Dec 2020 - download
- Model Interview/Discussion for Volunteer Roles with Children and Vulnerable Adults - download
- Guide to Activity that make Volunteer Roles eligibile for a DBS check - download
- Church of England Roles where the activity is seen to be eligible for a DBS check - download
- Letter of Appointment to Volunteer Role - download
- Volunteer Role Working Agreement - download
- Statement of Safeguarding Principles - download
- Pocket Size Guide to Safeguarding - download
Please also look at the information and advice given on the Ecclesiastical Insurance Group site regarding 'Planning Events' here - EIG
Theological Resources
- Forgiveness and Reconciliation in the Aftermath of Abuse (2017) download
- The Gospel, Sexual Abuse and the Church: A theological resource for the local church (2016) download
- A Briefing Note from the National Safeguarding Team - September 2015
Other useful resources:
- Sexting in schools and colleges: Responding to incidents and safeguarding young people - Produced by UKCCIS download
- Independent Safeguarding Authority
- Care Quality Commission
- ADASS Safeguarding Adults
- The Pathways Project
- Department of Health
- Restored - Ending Violence Against Women