What Safeguarding Training Do I Need?

A matrix setting out the training needed for different roles within the URC has been published as Resource S2.  Key roles relevant to local churches are set out below

Foundation Intermediate or combined Advanced Recommended Bespoke Modules
Church Safeguarding Coordinators Yes Yes Yes
  • Spiritual Abuse         Domestic Abuse
  • Online Safety
  • Safeguarding Children and Young People
  • Safeguarding Adults
  • Verifiers and Safer Recruitment
  • Church safeguarding Coordinators E-learning this can be found here
Deputy Safeguarding Coordinators Yes Yes
  • Spiritual Abuse         Domestic Abuse
  • Online Safety
  • Safeguarding Children and Young People
  • Safeguarding Adults
Active Ministers and CRCWs including retired ministers who meet the requirements of active ministry Yes Yes Yes
  • Spiritual Abuse         Domestic Abuse
  • Online Safety
  • Safeguarding Children and Young People
  • Safeguarding Adults  Supporting Survivors
Children’s and Youth Workers including lead volunteers Yes Yes
  • Safeguarding Children and Young People  Online Safety
Regular children’s and youth work helpers (working under supervision) Yes Yes
  • Safeguarding Children and Young People  Online Safety
One-off or occasional children’s and youth helpers (working under supervision) Yes
Managers of children’s, youth and Adult’ workers Yes Yes
  • Safeguarding Children and Young People  Online Safety
Adult Workers including regular volunteer helpers and Leaders. Yes Yes
  • Safeguarding Adults Modern Slavery
  • Drug and Alcohol Abuse and the links to Safeguarding
  • Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Volunteers for one-off events (Adult groups) Yes
Pastoral Visitors Yes Yes **
  • Domestic Abuse                Safeguarding Adults
  • Modern Slavery                 Supporting Survivors

**If visits include offenders managed by the church

Worship Leaders and Assembly Accredited Lay Preachers Yes Yes
  • Domestic Abuse                 Safeguarding Adults
  • Supporting Survivors
Elders as Trustees Yes Yes **
  • Elders as Trustees              Domestic Abuse
  • Supporting Survivors           Safeguarding Adults

**  If there is no Minister and if there is a managed offender in the church at least one Elder must undertake Advanced Training.

Church Secretary Yes Yes Verifier and Safer Recruitment

Download or print the full Matrix here