Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I found out about what policies, templates and resources are needed in the parish/benefice?

There is a page dedicated to the PSO role on the Diocesan website, accessible here and in the document, you can find the relevant documents.

How can I stay updated with policy changes?

When policies are updated, the new versions will be made available within the Safeguarding e-manual.  Clearly Simpler, who manage the Parish Dashboards, will also update the Dashboard lights to reflect changes to policies and practice on an annual basis, usually in January.  Where a change is particularly significant, the Diocesan Safeguarding Team will either send a specific mailing out advising of the change, or the information will be included in the next mailing of the Peterborough Diocesan News [PDN].

Is there any training for the e-manual?

Not at present.  The sections most relevant for use within the parish are:

• Parish Safeguarding Resources
• Responding Well to Victims and Survivors of Abuse
• Reporting Safeguarding Concerns and Allegations
• Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults
• Safeguarding Learning and Development Framework
• Safer Recruitment and people Management Code of Practice

What is the chain of responsibility for safeguarding within the parish?

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.  If a member of the congregation makes a disclosure to another person, that person needs to pass on the information to the PSO, who will then pass the information onto the Diocesan Safeguarding Team.  Alternatively, the person who receives the disclosure can come directly to the Diocesan Safeguarding Team.  Anyone can use this form to report a concern/disclosure. Following this, the Diocesan Safeguarding Team will keep the relevant people within the parish informed as to what action we are taking.  As PSO you should keep your incumbent updated about safeguarding disclosures – however if the disclosure is about them or someone that might present a conflict of interest, please do discuss this with the DST.

At PCC meetings there should be a standing agenda item about safeguarding, however safeguarding disclosures must be treated with discretion – the PSO should report on general safeguarding activity (such as training / DBS / risk assessments and or scenarios eg ‘how would we respond if…’, but not specific disclosures or allegations.

I’ve passed a disclosure made to me onto the Diocesan Safeguarding Team.  What are my responsibilities now?

Firstly to look after yourself if the disclosure is something you have found upsetting.  Then to ensure that the necessary people in your parish have been informed that a disclosure has been passed on to the Diocesan Safeguarding Team, keeping in mind the need for confidentiality.  If the person who made the disclosure is in need of additional support, the DST will signpost you to the appropriate people/organisations who can offer that support or let you know if we have put that in place for that person.  We are also happy for you to contact us if you have not heard from us about a disclosure, for an update on what is happening.

How do I access support for myself when dealing with traumatic disclosures?

Please talk to the Diocesan Safeguarding Team, or your incumbent.  It’s normal to feel emotional fall out when dealing with other people’s trauma.  To avoid these things happening it’s important to seek support early.  Please do not feel like you have to deal with traumatic disclosures alone.

Should I have training in responding to disclosure techniques for safeguarding issues?

We don’t recommend specific discussion and response techniques, as in your role you’re expected to listen and take an initial account of information.  For guidance we draw your attention to “the 4 Rs”:

• Recognise possible abuse, including knowing what abuse is, what to look out for and how to be vigilant at all times;
• Respond quickly and appropriately to possible concerns: sometimes a concern is obvious, sometimes it is not;
• Report your concerns to the appropriate person or organisation;
• Record your observations and concerns, including the actions you and others have (or haven’t) taken.

Keep questions open-ended and remember the acronym “TED”:  Tell me, Explain to me, Describe to me.

At times we may ask you to go back and find out more information – if this is the case, we will offer specific guidance around this.

What ongoing support is available?

In the first instance, please do reach out to us and we can identify and signpost you to the relevant organisation or person who is best placed to help with the situation where support is needed, if the Diocesan Safeguarding Team is not able to help.

Is there an induction and/or training for using the Parish Safeguarding Dashboard?

There is not a set induction for using the Parish Safeguarding Dashboard.  There is help available online:

To get started: and for technical support queries (click the “frequently asked questions” link on the left-hand side of the screen).

If you are finding a particular part of the Dashboard tricky, contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Team and we will arrange to talk you through that section.

Are there model Role Descriptions available to comply with the Safer Recruitment Code of Practice requirements?

There are some available online on the Church of England’s website.  The Parish Safeguarding Hub, which is an extension to the Parish Safeguarding Dashboard, is available across the Diocese, and this includes some model role descriptions (dependent of delegation of duties) which can be edited to meet the needs of your parish for a wide range of church roles.

Who do I contact in the Diocesan Safeguarding team, and what is the best way of contacting them?

The best way of contacting us is via email: use safeguarding@peterborough-diocese.org.uk for  safeguarding questions and use training@peterborough-diocese.org.uk for anything related to training.  If you contact us via telephone and we do not answer, please leave a voicemail as these get forwarded onto the safeguarding email address and we can then call you back. 

The about us page on our website shows who are team is made up of. You can send us an email asking us to you call you, giving your contact number and the best time for us to call you.  Both the safeguarding and training email addresses are monitored regularly from 8:30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.  Individual email addresses, or mobile numbers, are not routinely monitored when that member of staff is on annual leave.

How do I contact other PSOs for mutual support and encouragement?

If you have a specific query, you can contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Team, and we can pass your details on to another PSO in your Deanery who can offer support and encouragement.  We are also going to start regular PSO drop-in sessions, and arrange Diocesan PSO events, and will be supporting PSOs in Deaneries to start their own PSO Network/Hub for mutual support and encouragement.

My parish/benefice is in/going into a vacancy.  What do I need to do?

Ensure that your churchwardens have completed Leadership training.  Speak to your incumbent before they leave to ensure that safeguarding matters are passed on, and that you know and have access to all records.

Ensure you know who your Rural Dean is, the Assistant Rural Dean (if there is one in your deanery), and how to contact them.  They are a good source of support during a vacancy and will already be in regular contact with your church wardens.

The people who will be on the interview panel and involved in the recruitment of your new incumbent will need to have completed the Safer Recruitment and People Management module.

Archdeacon Richard (Northampton Archdeaconry) and Archdeacon Alison (Oakham Archdeaconry) are also available to contact via email should your Rural Dean be unavailable.

How long should someone be the PSO for?

There is no maximum term of office for the Parish Safeguarding Officer.  How long a person undertakes the role for depends entirely on the individual and their circumstances.

Is it useful for the PSO to be a full member of the PCC?

The Safeguarding Clergy and Discipline Measure (2016) requires PCCs to have due regard to the House of Bishop’s Safeguarding Code of Practice. The PSO is not automatically an elected member of the PCC (unless they were a member prior to taking on the PSO role), but in the PSO guidance issued by the National Church the PSO will provide a written / verbal report at each PCC meeting.  They are able to attend meetings and must provide a full safeguarding report to the PCC at least once in each 12-month period.  If the PSO is chosen from the PCC membership then they must be aware of any potential conflicts of interest that may arise, depending on the PCC role held alongside that of PSO.

Can you be PSO and hold another role within the church?

Ideally, the person who takes on the role of PSO would not hold any other position(other than PCC member), in order to avoid any potential conflicts of interest: it is not always possible for this to happen.  The best practice guidance is for anyone who holds a church officer role to be aware of potential conflicts of interest and these be discussed in a transparent way at PCC meetings: this may include conflicts of interest between those who have familial relations on the PCC.

The National Safeguarding Team advise against the incumbent or their spouse/partner take on the role of PSO, in order to avoid potential / perceived conflicts of interest.

How far does the PSO role extend?  Is it for church and church-related activities only?

The role is church-based, so would cover all activities which take place within the church, church hall or other church-owned premises, and all activities which are run by the church.  We appreciate that (particularly in small villages) you may have concerns about people who are not members of the congregation/church groups/related activities.  If you become aware of a concern about someone who is outside of the church, you can still contact the Diocesan Safeguarding team for advice, and we can signpost you to the relevant organisations who will be able to help.

How do I balance being PSO with the other roles I hold in the parish/benefice?

This depends on what the other role or roles are as to how much crossover there may be between them, and also what conflicts of interest may arise.  We would recommend that (where possible) you set aside some time each week to focus on the PSO tasks.  Using the Parish Safeguarding Dashboard will also help you to manage the tasks and provide a framework for what is required.

Where there are two people holding the role of PSO, how are the tasks divided?

This depends on the strengths of the two people involved.  It may be that you split the role so that one person manages the Parish Dashboard and the other person has the focus of recruiter and processing DBS checks for the parish.  The key is good communication between those who hold the post, so that both know what the other is or isn’t doing.

Where can I find out what training is required for which church role?

We have a list of the training requirements for a range of church roles on the Diocesan website

Please note that this list is not exhaustive; we have created a matrix that looks at what the role does. Some roles will be listed on there, as this will be a requirement for that Church Officer role.  

What are the requirements for renewing training?

All required modules for your role(s) must be renewed every three years. The only exception to this is the PSO Induction, which can act as a refresher each year, but is not required.

Can in-person training be shown on the CofE Safeguarding Training Portal records?

Only training completed via the Training Portal can be recorded on the Training Portal.  In line with the Safeguarding Training Portal’s privacy notice, this information is shared with the Diocese and stored on the Diocesan Contact Management System (CMS). Where a learner has attended face-to-face training with a volunteer trainer, our volunteer trainers have a process to ensure training is recorded and a certificate is produced.

Why do we have to do these training modules?  Can refresher modules be offered instead?  What about training from other organisations?

The training modules offered via the Diocese of Peterborough are those set out in the Church of England’s Learning and Development Framework (Code of Practice 2024) and developed by the Church of England’s National Safeguarding Team (NST).  It is a national requirement for these modules to be completed, and we cannot accept training from other organisations because that training does not have the approval of the NST.

How often are the training modules reviewed and updated?

The NST produce the modules, and they review and update the content every 2-3 years, or more frequently if there are changes to legislation or developments in safeguarding understanding.

How can I organise face-to-face/in house training for Basic Awareness and Foundations?

Many churches are choosing to do a session called: ‘Bring Your Own Device’, which creates the community of learning, whilst being able to discuss parish approaches to Safeguarding.  One person (the PSO or clergy / laity with Leadership), can share their screen and sound, whilst all other participants bring a device (sometimes this is provided by the church / a person lends out one) create their own Safeguarding Training Portal account, access the training (whilst keeping their own device on mute. Please note, the ‘knowledge-check’ will need to be completed by participants individually before the question is answered on the shared screen.  

The Diocesan Safeguarding Team do not deliver face-to-face training for Basic Awareness, Foundation & Raising Awareness Domestic Abuse; we do have a pool of volunteer trainers, who we can ask should you have exceptional circumstances that mean this cannot be completed on the portal or in an environment with your PSO/Clergy/Laity (with Leadership) eg. ‘Bring Your Own Device’.

Please contact us by emailing training@peterborough-diocese.org.uk, and in exceptional circumstances, we can put you in contact with one of our volunteer trainers, provided they have capacity to deliver this.

Can PSOs be trained to deliver Basic Awareness and Foundations?

Yes, and not just PSOs, clergy and curates are also able to deliver this.  If you feel you have the skills required to deliver training within your Deanery, on behalf of the Diocese, please contact us on the training email address: training@peterborough-diocese.org.uk

Our volunteer trainers will be sent a role description which sets out what is and isn’t expected; this is due to delivering training on behalf of the Diocese e.g. we would not expect a volunteer trainer to deliver a training session to more than 8 people (16 if there are 2 facilitators) at a time, and to be able to offer to deliver to people wider than the individual Parish. For best practice and fidelity, if you are a co-facilitator, your training has to be done through the Safeguarding Training Portal. We recognise that this is a voluntary role and before any contact between parishes is made, we would ensure that our volunteer trainer had capacity to do this.

Is there an induction course for PSOs, and if so when are they held?

There is a specialised induction course for PSOs, we currently run 4/5 a year.  You may be concerned that when you took on your role, this was not a course offered, and you would be correct. The team ran at reduced capacity for a time so some training was unable to be delivered. No matter how long you have been a PSO for, any PSO is more than welcome to come on this training.  

When dates are set, the Training Officer will update the PSO events website page with these dates, and they will also be advertised in the Peterborough Diocesan News (PDN).  All PSOs are welcome to sign up to attend regardless of how long you have been in post. The sessions can be booked through EventBrite.

For dates for PSO Inductions and more information on the session, please see the specific page on our website.

DBS checks are required for certain roles within and on behalf of your church: these are undertaken by Thirtyone:Eight.

Where can I find out who needs to have a DBS Check and what level of check is required?

The DBS Check information can be found at DBS Checks – Diocese of Peterborough.

Parishes/Benefices do not need to do DBS checks for anyone holding a Bishop’s Licence (i.e. clergy, Lay Readers, Lay Ministers and Authorised Worship Leaders); these are carried out by the Bishop’s Officer.  If you are unsure whether the check should be carried out by the parish/benefice or the Bishops’ Office, please email us on safeguarding@peterborough-diocese.org.uk

If you still have a query about what check is required, Thirtyone:Eight are more than happy for you to contact them to ask.  Their website is https://thirtyoneeight.org/

Why doesn’t the Diocese of Peterborough accept DBS checks from other agencies if the certificate is registered on the update service?

The Diocese does not currently accept the DBS update service. A statement for this can be found on our DBS page on the website.

When someone renews a DBS certificate, what checks are needed?

Whether it is a new application or a renewal of an existing DBS, the same checks are required.  These are the relevant proof of identity and address, and a confidential declaration form. The correct confidential declaration form to use is included within the Safer Recruitment and People Management Code of Practice.

For clarification of the types of documentation that is accepted for proof of identity and address, please see Thirtyone:Eight’s website at https://thirtyoneeight.org/help-and-resources/ebulk-recruiter-resources/dbs-id-checking-requirements/

How can I improve engagement with safeguarding training and overall awareness? 

Keep talking about safeguarding, ask people why they don’t want to do training: is it because there may be something that they are holding that they are not yet ready to share; is it because they don’t have the internet at home; is it because they find the Safeguarding Training Portal challenging?

Ask your clergy to include safeguarding within regular preaching, not just on Safeguarding Sunday.  Make sure you have all the appropriate posters up in all the appropriate places in the church building(s) – for example the Domestic Abuse posters in toilets (if you have toilets in church) in addition to the more generic posters.  Keep safeguarding as a standing agenda item (hopefully near the top) for your PCC meetings.  Talk to your fellow PSOs in your deanery, as they may have other ideas about what has worked for them.  Most importantly, give it time to embed.

Poster resources can be found at https://www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding/policy-practice-guidance/templates-and-resources

Also, when you start using the Parish Safeguarding Hub in addition to the Parish Safeguarding Dashboard, you will have a secure place to keep the record of the completed training for all parish volunteers, and this will give you opportunities to have conversations with individuals about training.

How can I encourage people to undertake the training required for their role if they are reluctant to do this? 

Firstly, talk to them and find out why they are reluctant to engage with the training.  If someone does not have computer access or is not confident in the use of IT equipment, we have volunteer trainers who can offer face-to-face training for Basic Awareness and Foundations.

If someone is concerned about the length of time required to complete the training, the guidance is that when accessed via the Training Portal, Basic Awareness and Foundations should take no more than an hour each, Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse can take longer than this.  It is not necessary for someone to complete these modules all on the same day.

The Leadership module requires the most time as this has to be delivered by our Training Officer, in two two-hour sessions but requires some reflection in the form of three short activities before the first session.  Not every role requires this module; the list of training for each role is available at https://www.peterborough-diocese.org.uk/events-training/training/safeguarding-training.php

We recommend that when someone is considering volunteering for a specific role that they are made aware of the training requirements at that point, so that they know what is needed before taking on the position.  (This is in line with the Safer Recruitment guidelines.)

What is the correct procedure if someone does not complete the relevant training / DBS for the role that they hold? 

If someone consistently refuses to complete training or have a DBS check, it is important first to understand why this they may be opposed to it and follow the steps above to offer support through the process.

If the person is still opposed to completing the relevant training / DBS, the PCC should consider whether the individual has the capacity to fulfil all duties (including that are required to ensure compliancy with Charity Commission Law. To ensure maximum transparency from the start, when appointing someone to a parish role (following the Safer Recruitment Code of Practice), whether this is an elected role (e.g. PCC member or churchwarden), employed or volunteer position, they should be made aware of the training and DBS requirements, which may help to prevent someone from taking on a role and then having to be asked to step down from it.

Who is ultimately responsible in the parish to ensure that training is completed? 

The incumbent (Canon Law) and the PCC (Charity Commission Law) are the people/body who is ultimately responsible for the oversight of all activities in a parish.  When a parish is in vacancy, that responsibility rests with the churchwardens/PCC.

If a safeguarding issue arises and someone has not completed the necessary training for their role, who is responsible for any consequences of uncompleted training? 

The incumbent (Canon Law) and the PCC (Charity Commission Law) hold joint responsibility, but ultimate responsibility for a parish lies with the incumbent, or during a vacancy with the Church Wardens.  It depends on what the safeguarding issue/concern is, and what role the individual holes, as to what consequences they may face. It is important that you understand how safeguarding is referenced by your Parish’s insurance provider in the policy schedule.  

What are the DBS and training requirements for bellringers?

Current DBS and training requirements for bellringers and Tower Captains can be found on the Safeguarding pages of the Diocesan website under Resources and Useful Links.