Section 5: Professional Development for Safeguarding Staff

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Last updated: 03 September 2021
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DSA / CSA Development

Trainers Development

One of the structural vulnerabilities of the Church’s current safeguarding arrangements is that there is no formal induction and professional development programme for Diocesan and Cathedral Safeguarding Advisers.

DSAs / CSAs come from a variety of professional backgrounds and to a large extent must find their own way in developing their DSA / CSA role. This will inevitably mean variation in how the role is interpreted and does not allow for DSAs / CSAs to continuously develop their skills and knowledge in the unique circumstances of the Church context.

A professional development programme for DSAs / CSAs will comprise delivery of an initial ten days over 18 months (2021/22), followed by two days for each subsequent year.

It is anticipated that by the time the elements of the programme are identified and commissioned it will be possible to deliver these in-person.

The development of this programme will now also consider the development of the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser role as set out in the IICSA recommendations which have been accepted by the House of Bishops.

The programme will include:

  • Risk Assessment

A five-day professional development programme over a 12-month period (2021/22) for safeguarding trainers1 . This will be followed by an additional two days of development each year.

This is imperative as the new learning and development framework is based on a blended learning approach requiring those who deliver the pathways to be skilled in a range of methodologies.

The programme content will be designed alongside Safeguarding Trainers.

 
  • 1This applies to safeguarding trainers employed by Church bodies and not to volunteer trainers.

Source URL: https://www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding/safeguarding-e-manual/safeguarding-learning-and-development-framework/section-5