Safeguarding Newsletter: February 2022

From Becca Faal, Diocesan Strategic Lead for safeguarding training and learning

Essential information

Please review your training needs and those of your worshipping community – details of trainings are given below, along with ideas about adaptations. Becca is here to help you make sense of what’s required and can support you if you need help.

Spotlight on domestic abuse

Gloucestershire Domestic Abuse Support Service (GDASS)

A county-wide service designed to reduce the level of domestic abuse and improve the safety of victims and their families. They operate in all districts offering a variety of support programmes for women and men over 16 years old who are experiencing domestic abuse. Find out more –>

National 16 days of action against violence against women and girls 2022

This year we are going to be holding two training events in the 16 days of action.

On the 30 November, 10 am to 12:30 pm, there is a workshop about stalking. We will also hold a training session looking at the local picture of domestic abuse and support available.

Stalking and harassment are when someone repeatedly behaves in a way that makes you feel scared, distressed or threatened.

There are different types of stalking and harassment and anyone can be a victim. In this session which is led by the Domestic Abuse Lead for the County, we will learn more about stalking, its links with domestic abuse, how statutory agencies and the Diocese work together on this and how we can support those who are experiencing it.

If you are taking part in the 16 days of action in your worshipping community please do get in touch on  Âku.1725636089gro.c1725636089oidso1725636089lg@la1725636089afacc1725636089eb1725636089to let us know.

Training

The safeguarding learning and development framework 2021 sets out what training is required, and for whom, in the Church of England.

We have two new e-learning modules “Raising awareness of Domestic abuse” and Safer recruitment and people management”. 

There is a requirement that the “Raising awareness of Domestic abuse” is completed by all clergy, PTO, Readers, Bishop and Pastoral visitors, Parish Safeguarding Officers, PCC and lay chapter members. It is estimated that domestic abuse affects 1 in 3 women and 1 in 7 men. Therefore we will all know people who are victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse.

For the “Safer recruitment and people management” it is required that anyone involved in the recruitment of church officers completes this module. This includes all those with responsibility for administering DBS checks and Parish Safeguarding Officers.

You can access the e-learning here, recognising that not everyone will wish to complete modules online we are also offering some face to face sessions. Some parishes have shared the e-learning on a screen and invited a group to come and learn together. This might be a good way to ensure that people feel safe and supported when accessing the training, particularly the domestic abuse module. The person organising the group is not a trainer but facilitating people to access the training.

Parishes should let the safeguarding training team know if you are completing the e-learning as a small group. Please share any questions that arise with Becca. The team will issue certificates.

Please work with your PCC to make a plan of who needs to complete which training course. We appreciate that this may take a few months to get everyone trained and that you will also need to consider changes of volunteers over the APCM.

Video: The Parish Safeguarding Dashboard

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Safeguarding Sunday, 22 November 2022:

Register here for free resources 

Take this to your PCC: Safer Recruitment

Events near you:

click here to see the full list

Direct support for training