A healthy Christian community is one which ensures and nurtures the wellbeing of all, and the Diocese of Norwich continues to work toward ensuring a church which is safer for everyone. Safeguarding therefore, needs to be embedded in all aspects of the life and ministry of the Church in order to ensure that the culture of safeguarding is integral throughout all of our church communities.
Active engagement with safeguarding training is instrumental in shaping the culture, and in supporting all those who have a role within the Church to effectively recognise and respond to possible situations of abuse, as well as implement best safeguarding practice. The facilitation and delivery of safeguarding training and development within the Diocese of Norwich is seen in this context.
The Church of England’s Safeguarding Learning and Development Framework (hyperlink) was significantly revised and updated in April 2021, and is again being updated in 2024. This document provides the framework for safeguarding learning and development across all Church of England communities. This also sets out the core safeguarding learning pathway training modules which are a mandatory requirement determined for individual and particular church roles and responsibilities.
Accessing online training modules
A number of the safeguarding modules are accessed via the Church of England’s National Safeguarding Team’s training portal which can be found here: safeguardingtraining.cofeportal.org
To access the training you will need to create a new free User Account (look for ‘create a new account’ below the Church of England logo on the left of the screen)
Safeguarding pathways such as these, which are often done by one person working on their own, can trigger painful memories. It is okay to pause the pathway until it feels comfortable to start again.
Online training:
Further optional online training:
Recommended for anyone wanting or needing a Basic Awareness of safeguarding.
Required for:
- All Church Officers[1], staff in church bodies, and bellringers
- Anyone going on to complete any other safeguarding learning pathway
Access the Basic Awareness training
Required for:
- Anyone holding the bishop’s license, commission, authorisation, or permission (including clergy, PtO, LLMs).
- Anyone (volunteers and employees) in a role which involves work with children, young people, or vulnerable adults, including Tower Captains and ringing teachers.
- Churchwardens.
- Pre-ordination or licence students, prior to Stage 1 Panel.
- Vergers
- PCC Members/Lay Chapter Members/DBF Trustees.
- Members of the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel
Completion of the Basic Awareness Course is a pre-requisite.
Access the Foundation training
Required for:
- Recruiting managers and anyone involved in the recruitment of Church Officers (employees, elected members and volunteers).
- Those with responsibility for administering DBS.
- Safeguarding Officers in all Church bodies, including Designated Safeguarding Person in a Religious Community.
- Ordinands during IME 1
Completion of the Basic Awareness and Foundation Courses are a pre-requisite to this training.
Access the Safer Recruitment and People Management training
Required for:
- Anyone holding the Bishop’s licence, commission, authorisation, or permission (clergy, PtO, LLMs) or serving as an officer of the bishop.
- Anyone (volunteers and employees) working with children, young people or vulnerable adults, including Bishops’ Visitors/Pastoral Visitors.
- Safeguarding Officers/Safeguarding Leads including Designated Safeguarding Person in a Religious Community.
- Pre-ordination or licence students, prior to BAP or selection Panel.
Completion of the Basic Awareness Course and then the Foundation Course is a pre-requisite.
Access the Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse training
This course, from the Clewer Initiative, aims to provide a general understanding of modern slavery and human trafficking, and how concerns relating to it may be recognised and responded to. As yet this module is not mandated as a requirement to be completed, but is recommended for Clergy, Church Community Leaders and Volunteers.
Once again, this may be accessed online via safeguardingtraining.cofeportal.org The link for the course is on the home page and can also be found under the Courses tab, and then Other Courses.
Training Delivered by the Diocesan Safeguarding Team
Our Diocesan Safeguarding Team are here to facilitate and support you with your safeguarding training. We deliver the pathways detailed below via Zoom; using the resources provided by the National Safeguarding Team.
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 Canon 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).
- Non-executive members of Chapter (unless their role in the diocese requires a higher level).
- Safeguarding Officers / Leads in all Church bodies[1].
(Ordinands need to have completed the Leadership Pathway before their diaconal ordination and lay ministers in training before they are licensed, authorised or commissioned).
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*.
Tower captains at prominent towers (including Cathedrals, towers with frequent visitors or people learning) and the district chair/district safeguarding lead of bell ringing guilds/councils should complete the Leadership Pathway.
The requirements for attendance for people in local leadership roles will be determined by agreement between the Bishop/Dean and their respective safeguarding officer. 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.
The Leadership module is facilitated on Zoom, and involves interactive participation in a course of two consecutive two-hour sessions, a week apart, with some preparation in advance as well as follow-up activities to support your learning, all of which are accessed through the National Training Portal.
DATES FOR 2025
From January 2025, the Leadership Pathway must be booked through the National Training Portal, and the course material is also available through the portal. The two sessions will still be delivered on Zoom with the Diocesan Safeguarding Team.
To view dates for the first quarter of 2025 and register your attendance, please visit the national training portal at Home | Safeguarding: Training Portal and login to your account.
This course is for anyone holding PTO or who is a Reader Emeritus whose role does not meet the Leadership Pathway criterion. (Where individuals hold more than one role, or serve more than one Church body, they should train at the highest required level).
The Permission to Officiate module is mainly facilitated via Zoom unless otherwise stated on dates below. The pathway involves interactive participation in a single session; there is some preparation required in advance as well as follow-up activities to support your learning.
Safeguarding Basic Awareness and Safeguarding Foundations modules must be completed by participants in advance of attending the training.
- Tuesday 18th March 2025 2pm-4.30pm
- Thursday 3rd April 2025 1.30pm-4pm – face to face at Diocesan House (fully booked)
- Wednesday 14th May 2025 2pm-4.30pm
- Tuesday 17th June 2025 10am-12.30pm
- Thursday 10th July 2025 10am-12.30pm – face to face at Diocesan House
Please be aware when selecting a date, that three weeks prior to the training event you will be sent a workbook which will include some preparatory work. Please can this be completed and returned no later than four working days prior to the first session.
To book a place on a course, please email brenna.wells@dioceseofnorwich.org
This course is recommended for existing PSOs (Parish Safeguarding Officers) and/or persons taking on the role of PSO.
The Parish Safeguarding Officer Induction will involve interactive participation in a three-hour inclusive session. Preparatory material will be sent two weeks prior to the session, and there will be an evaluation task to complete, using materials shared within the induction session. The training is usually delivered in person, and is held at Diocesan House, Easton. Occasionally the session may be held via Zoom. Everyone who attends this course must have completed the Safeguarding Basic Awareness and Safeguarding Foundations modules in advance of attending the training.
- Saturday 29th March 2025 10am-1pm
- Saturday 10th May 2025 10am-1pm
- Saturday 12th July 2025 10am-1pm
To book a place on a course, please email brenna.wells@dioceseofnorwich.org
The Safeguarding Team are facilitating quarterly PSO Networking & Briefing sessions, on a Saturday morning, 10am – 1pm at Diocesan House, Easton. The intention is to offer all PSOs the valuable opportunity to meet with other PSOs, as well as be able to communicate any Safeguarding updates, current issues or ‘topics of the moment’. Indeed, as a Team, we would welcome in advance, topics or queries from individuals they may wish to raise, and you can do this by emailing safeguarding@dioceseofnorwich.org
- Saturday 21st June 2025 10am-1pm
- Saturday 20th September 2025 10am-1pm
- Saturday 22nd November 2025 10am-1pm
To book a place on a course, please email brenna.wells@dioceseofnorwich.org
Booking and contact information:
If you would like to book a place on one of our training sessions, please email brenna.wells@dioceseofnorwich.org