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Parish Safeguarding Dashboards for Clergy

Purpose

Within the Diocese of Peterborough, the Parish Safeguarding Dashboard is an integral component of safeguarding life at parish level – supporting clergy, Parish Safeguarding Officers (PSOs), and PCCs in ensuring that safeguarding is embedded, effective, and accountable.

Relationship to the National Safeguarding Standards

The dashboard is aligned with the Church of England’s National Safeguarding Standards, which provide the framework for assessing the quality and impact of safeguarding across the Church. https://www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding/safeguarding-news-releases/safeguarding-standards-published

These five standards are:

  • Culture, Leadership and Capacity
  • Prevention
  • Recognising, Assessing and Managing Risk
  • Victims and Survivors
  • Learning, Supervision and Support.

Through the dashboard, parishes in Peterborough Diocese can evidence their engagement with these standards in a consistent and measurable way. The integration of dashboards with these standards enables both parish and diocesan oversight, as well as preparation for external audit and review.

The Role of the Dashboard in Parish Safeguarding

In Peterborough Diocese, the Parish Safeguarding Dashboard:

  • Forms part of the expected safeguarding framework in every parish
  • Provides a regular, structured review of safeguarding practice.
  • Enables parishes to demonstrate compliance with House of Bishops’ guidance.
  • Offers a shared language and benchmark for safeguarding across the diocese.
  • Supports clergy and PCCs in exercising proper oversight and accountability.

The dashboard should therefore be understood as a working tool for ministry, not simply a reporting requirement.

Responsibilities

Incumbent (or Priest-in-Charge)

  • Holds primary responsibility for ensuring the dashboard is actively used.
  • Works with the PSO to review outcomes and address identified gaps.
  • Ensures that safeguarding, including dashboard findings, is a regular PCC agenda item.
  • Promotes a safeguarding culture shaped by vigilance, transparency, and care.

Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO)

  • Leads on maintaining and updating the dashboard.
  • Monitors safeguarding indicators and progress within the parish.
  • Highlights areas of concern and supports improvements.
  • Consults with the Diocesan Safeguarding Team where necessary.

PCC

  • Receives dashboard reports and takes collective responsibility for safeguarding. This should be reflected in the PCC minutes and APCM reports.
  • Ensures that identified actions are followed through.
  • Supports resourcing and prioritisation of safeguarding within parish life.

Good Practice Expectations in Peterborough Diocese

Parishes are expected to:

  • Engage with the dashboard as a live and regularly updated tool.
  • Review the dashboard at each PCC meeting, and more frequently where needed.
  • Use it as part of ongoing ministry planning and review, not solely compliance.
  • Ensure accuracy, transparency, and appropriate documentation of evidence.
  • Respond promptly where gaps or risks are identified.

Effective use of the dashboard should foster a culture in which safeguarding is:

  • Proactive rather than reactive
  • Owned by the whole church community
  • Focused on the protection and well-being of children and vulnerable adults.
  • Attentive to the voices and needs of victims and survivors

Diocesan Oversight and Support

The Diocese of Peterborough uses Parish Safeguarding Dashboards to:

  • Provide assurance to the bishop and senior staff regarding safeguarding practice.
  • Identify areas where parishes may need additional support or intervention.
  • Inform diocesan safeguarding strategy and training.
  • Prepare for national quality assurance processes and independent audits.

The Diocesan Safeguarding Team is available to support parishes in:

  • Understanding and using the dashboard effectively
  • Interpreting results
  • Addressing areas for development

The dashboard is not an optional or supplementary tool; rather, it is a core mechanism by which parishes actively demonstrate their safeguarding practice, monitor compliance, and identify areas requiring development. It supports the Diocese’s commitment to creating a safer church for all and to ensuring that safeguarding is woven into every aspect of parish ministry.