Section 5: Professional Development for Safeguarding Staff

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.

DSOs / CSOs come from a variety of professional backgrounds and must largely find their own way in developing their DSO / CSO role. This will inevitably mean variation in how the role is interpreted and does not allow for DSOs / CSOs to continuously develop their skills and knowledge in the unique circumstances of the Church context.

A professional development programme for DSOs / CSOs will comprise delivery of a minimum of two days learning activity each year.

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

The programme will be informed by developments in safeguarding practice, policy, and legislation and by the needs of DSOs / CSOs.

Two days of development for safeguarding trainers will be offered each year.

This is imperative as the safeguarding 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.