Safeguarding News February 2017
New Team Member We would like to start with our apologies for the late dispatch of this newsletter, (it usually goes out in January) but we have been waiting until we could announce the appointment of our new Safeguarding Trainer. Last week we interviewed and were pleased to appoint Victoria who, all being well, will be joining us in March. Once she has had chance to settle in, we will start to arrange the 2017 Safeguarding Training Programme, and details of that will come out in a supplementary Safeguarding News. Just to get you thinking about Safeguarding Training, an easy way to work out who needs which type of
training is: If you are a church officer (anyone who is employed or volunteering in any role) who does not need a DBS check for your role, you should attend a 1 hour briefing about Safeguarding. We hope this short briefing (C0) will be available online later in the year. If you need an ordinary DBS check for your role in the church, you should attend a half day (C1) training course. If you need a barred list check you should attend a full day training. (C2, C3 for clergy). If you have 20 or more people locally needing C1 training, and have a suitable venue we may be able to come to you, so please let us know and we’ll add you our waiting list.
In this issue Safeguarding Trainer Safeguarding Audit Working in Partnership Policy Changes E-bulk, the electronic DBS system
Safeguarding Audit At the end of 2016, Safeguarding arrangements in the Diocese were audited by the Social Care Institute for Excellence. They found a few areas where we could improve, but overall their report was very positive. Bishop Peter Hancock commented: “Whilst safeguarding must be everyone’s responsibility, I would like to pay particular tribute to our parish safeguarding officers, the Safeguarding Team based in the diocesan offices and the Diocesan Safeguarding Group for the work they do to keep our churches safe places for all.” Read it here: www.bathandwells.o rg.uk/2016/12/report -highlightssafeguarding-prioritybath-wells/
Working in Partnership The Fire & Rescue Service are promoting their free home fire safety visits to anyone who is elderly, vulnerable, has young children or has been a victim of crime. During a free home fire safety visit one of their technicians can provide advice and sometimes fit free smoke detectors. Contact: Freephone 0800 05 02 999 to book a visit if you live in Somerset, or 0117 926 2061 if you live in North Somerset or B&NES. Circles South West are recruiting volunteers to work in teams to support adults convicted of sexual offences to return safely to the community. This is similar to but more intensive than the way we support churchgoers who may have similar convictions, as Circles volunteers meet together with the offender weekly. Full training is given, and expenses paid. For more information see www.circles-uk.org.uk or call 07738 947988. Want to find out more about Health and Social Care resources available in your area? Want a dentist? Or a support group? An exercise group? Or to get help with gardening? Why not ask The Care Forum for information? You can phone them on 0808 808 5252, or check their database at: www.wellaware.org.uk or email
[email protected]
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Policy Changes and Updates At the end of 2016, General Synod and the House of Bishops approved a new Safeguarding & Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 and Amended Canon No.34. From the 1 October 2016, Section 5 of the Measure imposes a duty on clergy, licensed readers and lay workers, churchwardens and PCCs to have due regard to guidance issued by the House of Bishops on matters relating to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. What this means is that PCC’s must ensure that they have a Parish Safeguarding Policy in place; they must appoint a person to become the Parish Safeguarding Officer, or the Churchwarden must take on that role; that anyone they appoint to any role is safely recruited; and that anyone who needs safeguarding training should attend a course run by the Diocese. That might seem a lot to think about, so to make it easier for you we have put some documents on our website: A template Parish Safeguarding Policy Statement (to which you should add local procedures if you have children’s or vulnerable adults activities); a role description for the Parish Safeguarding officer; and a “Safer Recruitment for Parishes” guide. Download from www.bathandwells.org.uk/safeguarding/
Other Policy Updates In October 2016 Diocesan Synod approved the 7 new Safeguarding Policy and Practice Guidance documents issued by the House of Bishops in 2016. More new documents are to come during 2017, including Clergy Risk Assessment Arrangements being discussed at General Synod this week, a revised Training and Development Framework, and “Promoting a Safer Church”, the new combined safeguarding children and vulnerable adults policy which will go to the House of Bishops in May.
Learning to use E-bulk, the new electronic DBS system. We are looking for the next group of volunteers to sign up to the electronic DBS system. You will need to have secure access to a computer so that you can complete forms and ID checks online, and you, your PCC or your incumbent will need to sign a document stating that you understand the importance of confidentiality and computer security. If you want to sign up for the new system, please email Helen for more details.
And finally: 2017 is going to be a year of changes, so we will be issuing interim newsletters with additional information about training dates, new polices as they are approved by the House of Bishops, and more news about E-bulk. By the end of 2017, we would like all parishes to have at least one safeguarding officer who has signed up to use the E-Bulk system because we plan to stop sending out the paper forms during 2018. If as the safeguarding person you are not confident with computers, your PCC can appoint someone to assist you with doing the online DBS applications. If you are in an area with no or very slow broadband, please let us know so that we can consider alternatives before we reach the deadline for going over to the E-bulk system.
The Safeguarding Team Glenys Armstrong, Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser Tel: 01749 685135 Mob: 07834 514842 Email:
[email protected] Helen Humphreys , Assistant Safeguarding Adviser Tel: 01749 685103 Email:
[email protected]
More information and resources: www.bathandwells.org.uk/ safeguarding
