Section 3: Core Safeguarding Pathways

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Last updated: 27 September 2021

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CPD Certified

CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and is the term used to describe the learning activities professionals engage in to develop and enhance their abilities. It enables learning to become conscious and proactive, rather than passive and reactive.

The Basic Awareness, Foundation and Leadership Pathways have all been certified by The CPD Certification Service.

The core learning pathways are a modular programme with the level of learning required being determined by the role and responsibilities of individuals. Those who hold positions of responsibility will require more in-depth learning than those who do not. For example, a member of clergy will require learning to Leadership level whereas a volunteer who is acting as an additional adult at a youth group session would require learning to Foundation level.

No accreditation is given against the core safeguarding learning pathways for prior learning, including in other denominations (except for the Methodist Church Foundation module). This is due to Church core safeguarding learning pathways situating safeguarding practice within the unique context of the Church of England and providing participants with the opportunity to relate their learning to their faith.

The Basic and Foundation pathways provide the essential learning necessary to recognise, respond, record, and refer safeguarding concerns. The Leadership and Senior Leadership pathways explore effective leadership behaviours and organisational culture issues in depth. However further learning may also be needed for some. Beyond the requirements of core safeguarding pathways, additional pathways – covering a range of subject areas – have been developed.

The Basic Awareness and Foundation have both now been accredited by The CPD Certification Service. CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and is the term used to describe the learning activities professionals engage in to develop and enhance their abilities. It enables learning to become conscious and proactive, rather than passive and reactive.

The tables below set out, for each pathway, the following information:

Pre-requisites for attendance at the pathway.
Delivery methods.
Learning outcomes.
Required attendees.
Recommended attendees.
Fidelity to the pathway.
Evaluation level.

Basic Awareness

Pre-Requisites	Not Applicable
Delivery	Online Pathway (Replica of online material available for in-person delivery in exceptional circumstances)
Outcomes	Connect the core principles and practices of safeguarding to the Christian faith. Recognise issues of power and abuse as they present themselves in a range of contexts, including the Church. Identify the barriers (emotional, psychological & theological) that can prevent the promotion of heathy Church communities. Apply a clear process in the handling of concerns / safeguarding information whilst recognising the boundaries of their own role.
Required Attendees	All Church Officers 1 Anyone going on to complete any other safeguarding learning pathway.
Recommended Attendees	Anyone wanting or needing a Basic Awareness of safeguarding.
Fidelity to the Pathway	Online / Virtual Delivery	In-person Delivery
	Completed online.	In-person delivery in a single session by exception using the material provided by the NST. Optimum group size of 24 with two facilitators.
Evaluation	Level 1 - Immediate feedback captured at the end of the learning pathway.

1A person appointed by the DBE as a Foundation Governor of a Church of England school is not required to undertake any diocesan safeguarding training in addition to the safeguarding training they are required to undertake as a school governor. A Foundation Governor must send a copy of their training completion certificate (or other evidence of their completion of the school governor safeguarding training) to the Diocesan Director of Education, or the DBE safeguarding lead, within [6] months of taking up their position as Foundation Governor and this must be retained by the DBE in its safeguarding training records. However, where a person appointed by the DBE as a Foundation Governor of a Church of England school also holds another Church Officer role in the diocese or elsewhere in the national church they must, in addition to the training they may undertake as a school governor, also undertake any diocesan or other safeguarding training as may be required in relation to their other Church Officer role.

Foundation

Pre-Requisites	Basic Awareness
Delivery	Online Pathway (Replica of online material available for in-person delivery in exceptional circumstances)
Outcomes	Connect an understanding of good safeguarding practice to their own role and responsibilities. Recognise commonalities and differences arising from the age or circumstances of those affected, and how this informs appropriate action. Identify wider support, accountability, and governance arrangements relevant for safeguarding in their context. Analyse and respond appropriately to variety of safeguarding scenarios whilst recognising the boundaries of their own role.
Required Attendees	Anyone holding the Bishop’s licence, commission, authorisation, or permission (clergy, PtO, Readers, LLMs). Anyone in a role which involves work with children, young people, or vulnerable adults. Churchwardens. Anyone going on to complete any other safeguarding learning pathway. Pre-ordination or license students, prior to BAP or selection Panel. Vergers. PCC Members / Lay Chapter Members. Staff at Theological Education Institutions with student facing roles. Members of the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel.
Recommended Attendees	Not Applicable
Fidelity to the Pathway	Online / Virtual Delivery	In-person Delivery
	Completed online.	In-person delivery in a single session by exception using the material provided by the NST. Optimum group size of 24 with two facilitators.
Evaluation	Level 1 - Immediate feedback captured at the end of the learning pathway.

Leadership

Pre-Requisites	Basic Awareness and Foundation
Delivery	Local delivery using a virtual platform or in-person learning sessions.
Outcomes	Connect the Church’s mission and theological foundations with what good leadership behaviour looks like in a safeguarding context. Evaluate aspects of their own leadership practice and identify changes required which they then take forward with confidence. Analyse what healthy Christian communities look like, how healthy communities keep people safe, and their role as leaders in shaping Christian communities that are healthy and safe. Reflect on the impact that abuse and trauma have on individuals’ lives, relationships, and interaction in a community setting. Integrate their own faith, beliefs, and values with those underpinning good safeguarding behaviours.
Required Attendees	This is designed for those people who play a lead role in shaping the culture of the Church body concerned. This will always include: All clergy holding the Bishop’s licence, commission, authorisation, or permission (including PtO where exemption has not been given) including Honorary/Assistant Bishops and Chaplains. All Readers and Licensed Lay Ministers holding the Bishop’s licence (under Canons E6 & E8), together with all others who hold the Bishop’s commission, authorisation, or permission to carry out similar ministerial functions (including PtO where exemption has not been given). *(Ordinands need to have completed the Leadership Pathway before their diaconal ordination and lay ministers in training before they are licensed.)* Non-executive members of Chapter (unless their role in the diocese requires a higher level). Safeguarding Officers / Leads in all Church bodies. Teaching staff at Theological Education Institutions who are delivering the Leadership Pathway. It should also, according to the local context, include such other people who significantly influence the culture of that Church body. These may include, for example, lay ministry staff employed by a PCC or BMO, locally appointed leaders of new worshipping communities, focal ministers, and Churchwardens. The requirements for attendance for people in local leadership roles will be determined by agreement between the Bishop/Dean and their respective safeguarding adviser. Where there is a determination that someone must undertake this pathway, that person then becomes a required attendee. Whilst in many contexts the level of influence of Churchwardens may well not reach the threshold, it should be noted that this can increase significantly during vacancies. At the point that in-person learning can resume, and the Senior Leadership Pathway is able to commence via in-person delivery, this pathway also becomes a required pre-requisite for those required to attend the Senior Leadership Pathway.
Recommended Attendees	Whilst in-person learning is not possible and senior leaders are completing a Virtual Safeguarding Senior Leadership Pathway the Leadership Pathway is recommended but not required for them.
Fidelity to the Pathway	Online / Virtual Delivery	In-person Delivery
	Virtual Delivery: Two 90-minute sessions delivered via Zoom, one-two weeks apart. 2 facilitators. Optimum number of participants: 12. Pre-work completed and submitted before Session One. Session One – the four questions are discussed as per the pathway. Session Two – theological reflection is completed. Case study exercise is retained but a different case study could be used. Identifying three things learnt, three things to change. Post Session Two - Watching documentary “Exposed – the Church’s Darkest Secret” or completing some additional reading within four weeks. Evaluation (comprising personal reflection) completed 4-6 weeks after Session Two.	A combination of both virtual and in-person delivery: Pre-work completed and submitted before Session One. Session One: 90-minute session, delivered virtually via Zoom by two facilitators to an optimum number of 12 participants. Session One – the four questions are discussed as per the pathway. Session Two – two-hour session to be delivered in-person by two facilitators to an optimum number of 24 participants. (Here the ratio of 1 : 6 can be maintained as participants and facilitators are physically in the same space. This means that small groups of 6 can be engaged with and monitored by the facilitators as they move between the groups, something which cannot be done effectively when delivery is virtual.) Session Two – theological reflection is completed. Case study exercise is retained but a different case study could be used. Post Session Two – Watching documentary “Exposed: The Church’s Darkest Secret” or completing some additional reading within four weeks. Evaluation 4-6 weeks after Session Two is completed as set out in the pathway – to include 360 feedback.
Evaluation	Level 3 - Immediate feedback captured at the end of the learning pathway. Reflective evaluation tasks. Setting of safeguarding goals which can be discussed and reviewed by the DSA/CSA and during the person’s developmental meetings over the next few years before their refresher is due and/or 360-degree feedback.

It is recognised that the exercise of PtO (for both retired clergy and readers) can vary considerably. For some it will involve a high level of work regularly, for others a very low level of work irregularly. As the main Safeguarding Leadership Pathway is now targeted at those people “who play a lead role in shaping the culture of the Church body concerned” those with PtO whose role meets this criterion must participate in the main Safeguarding Leadership Pathway. Those with PtO whose role does not meet this criterion must participate in a bespoke PtO Safeguarding Learning Pathway.

The decision about which Pathway someone with PtO should take must be made by the Bishop or Dean in consultation with the DSA / CSA and/or safeguarding trainer. The local supervisor (incumbent or rural dean) may also be well placed to assist in identifying the level of involvement of an individual and therefore in which pathway would be most appropriate. For those newly retired, the Pathway individuals take should be decided at the point they start their new role. For existing PtOs a formal decision based on consideration of a person’s role against the above criterion would need to be made within the diocese.

Senior Leadership

Pre-Requisites	Basic Awareness, Foundations, and Leadership. *Whilst this pathway is being delivered virtually, it is not a requirement for participants to have completed the Leadership Pathway as a pre-requisite, although it is recommended.*
Delivery	National Delivery using a virtual platform.
Outcomes	Connect the Church’s mission and theological foundations with the concept of “healthy cultures” and safeguarding principles, so that “safeguarding” is embedded in their beliefs and values, not just intellectually. Analyse leadership behaviours that are needed to promote healthier cultures (including how to involve and empower others) and feel confident and determined to demonstrate them. Reflect on the kind of healthy culture that is protective, preventative, healing, and restorative. Strengthen team working, sharing, supporting and role modelling in respect of safeguarding. Show strengthened values and beliefs in respect of safeguarding by reflecting on their own leadership style and how their own personal life journeys and backgrounds can impact on their intellectual, emotional, and practical responses to safeguarding. Develop a deeper intellectual and emotional understanding of the nature of harm and abuse and its impact on victims and others (both individuals and communities /organisations) in the Church. Translate the above learning outcomes into new and observable leadership behaviours which deliver measurable safeguarding outcomes and demonstrate that safeguarding is at the heart of everything they do.
Required Attendees	This pathway is for members of the senior leadership team of a Church body who have, in different ways, responsibility for, and involvement in, safeguarding matters: Archbishops Diocesan and Suffragan Bishops Provincial Episcopal Visitors Archdeacons, including Associate Archdeacons Deans Executive Chapter Members / Residentiary Canons (non-executive Chapter members are trained at Leadership level unless their role in the diocese requires a higher level) Bishops’ Chaplains Diocesan Secretaries / Chief of Staff / Chief Executive / Cathedral Administrators Directors of Communications Directors of Ministry Registrars Diocesan and Cathedral Safeguarding Officers Directors of Music / Masters of Choristers HR Directors Senior Chaplains to the Armed Forces TEI Principals Leaders of Religious Communities
Recommended Attendees	Not Applicable
Fidelity to the Pathway	Online / Virtual Delivery (May 2021 – December 2022)	In-person Delivery
	Virtual Delivery: Three sessions delivered via Zoom (Session One is three hours, Sessions Two and Three are 90-minutes each). Each session is spaced four - five weeks apart. Two facilitators. Optimum number of participants: 12. Pre-work completed and submitted before Session One. Session One – the three questions are discussed as per the pathway. Session Two – Biblical reflection is completed. Survivor experience / perspective. Session Three – Case study exercise. Post course evaluation – Four - five weeks after Session Three is completed as set out in the pathway.	This will be developed – in conjunction with survivors - after all relevant people have completed the virtual version.
Evaluation	Level 4 - Immediate feedback captured at the end of the learning pathway. Reflective evaluation tasks. Setting of safeguarding goals which can be discussed and reviewed by the DSA/CSA and during the person’s developmental meetings over the next few years before their refresher is due and/or 360-degree feedback.