1. Creating Safer Space Leadership Module
Safeguarding Children,
Young People & Vulnerable Adults
Leadership Training

2. SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION

3. Trainers
Name
Role
Chaplain

4. The faith-based underpinning of safeguarding
Devotions

5. Creating Safer Space
The focus of the Foundation Module is to promote awareness of possible safeguarding concerns and to equip people in relevant roles to feel confident to share with the appropriate person.
The focus of the Leadership Module is to develop the knowledge, skills, understanding of those in the Church with whom concerns may be shared.

6. The Creating Safer Space Leadership Module aims to:
Enable Safeguarding Officers, Ministers and other leaders in churches to develop a deeper understanding of their role and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding and to develop confidence in carrying out this role.

7. By the end of the day participants will:
know about routes for referrals
understand their role and responsibilities
appreciate the Church’s commitment to safeguarding children, young people and adults; survivors of abuse and people who may be a risk to others
have reflected on the challenges of the leadership role for the Church
know where to find resources, further help and guidance within and beyond the Church.
have sharpened their awareness of the Methodist Church policies and procedures on safeguarding

8. Mobile Phones – silent or off Toilets Fire Exits Refreshment Breaks
Housekeeping
Mobile Phones – silent or off
Toilets
Fire Exits
Refreshment Breaks
Timekeeping
Question Park
Attendance Sheet H&S + Certificates

9. Looking after ourselves:
This training can be difficult for any of us, at any time.
If you need a break, feel free to move about or leave the room.
There is more than one trainer here, so we can be free to spend time with you outside the main room if necessary.
If this raises painful issues for you, share this with somebody you trust. Look after yourself!

10. We aim to: listen without interrupting
respect the diversity, feelings, experiences and perspectives of others
listen to differences in views and question in a constructive way that enables the group to learn
respect confidentiality unless it puts others at risk
take responsibility for our own learning and share as well as receive
be aware of the potential impact of the subject on ourselves and others.

11. The Church’s unique focus: welcoming in safety
Children and
young people
Adults who may
be vulnerable
Survivors
of abuse
People who may be
a risk to others but
have expressed a
commitment to change 11

12. A leadership role: The Church’s unique focus in safeguarding
ensuring all are welcome in safety
keeping a balance
being aware of those who may be a risk
ensuring those who are a known risk are monitored and supported
and…

13. Prevent
Protect
Promote

14. SECTION 2 PROMOTE SAFEGUARDING

15. Promote: Where do I fit in?
Think of an example of when you have promoted a culture of safeguarding.

16. Promote: a leadership role
working towards a culture where safeguarding is routine
developing a culture of informed vigilance
valuing safeguarding work
creating safer spaces
and ...

17. Roles a leader might need to take on
Promote
Roles a leader might need to take on
decision maker
enforcer
listener
mediator
negotiator
pastor
and…

18. Promote
Resources to support the leadership role in safeguarding
Promote
Resources to support the leadership role in safeguarding
Church
national
local

19. SECTION 3
PREVENT ABUSE AND HARM

20. Prevent harm
Premises
People
Policies
Practice 20

21. Prevent: people A leadership role (1)
knowing who to go to with concerns
knowing people who may be a risk to others; passing on concerns to District Safeguarding
awareness of diversity issues
implementing safer recruitment.

22. Prevent: people A leadership role (2)
ensuring clear job/role descriptions
avoiding boundary drift
setting up and monitoring Covenants of Care
and ...

23. People: Sharing concerns
Worker /volunteer
tells coordinator of their observation
Someone else tells worker/volunteer who tells coordinator
Child or vulnerable adult tells worker /volunteer who tells coordinator
In an emergency worker may contact relevant authorities directly and inform coordinator later
Coordinator may tell the relevant authority

24. Prevent: People Safer Recruitment: employees and volunteers
job or role description/person specification
references
panel interview
confirm identity
explore discrepancies
completion of appropriate vetting procedures before beginning job or role.

25. Blemished disclosures: possible outcomes
clear (minor ‘spent’ issues)
more information so any risk can be assessed: the individual may need to stand down
clear (after receiving more information)
clear with conditions
decision by Safeguarding Panel
appeal
and...

26. Protect from harm
Recognise
Record
Respond
Refer 26

27. SECTION 4
PROTECT FROM HARM
Recognising abuse

28. Protect: recognising Types of abuse Physical Financial/ material
Emotional
Neglect
Discriminatory
Sexual
Institutional
Spiritual or ritual
Domestic abuse

29. Protect: recognising A leadership role
knowing what to be concerned about
being observant
listening well
recognising patterns of behaviour
joining up different pieces of information
and...

30. ACTIVITY

31. Finkelhor’s stages in offending
Protect: four pre-conditions to abuse
Victim
Resistance
‘doing it and getting away with it’ 
Grooming
External
Inhibitors
‘others creating opportunity’
Internal Inhibitors
‘conscience’
Motivation
‘wanting to’
Finkelhor’s stages in offending

32. Grooming: a definition
Grooming is a word used to describe how people who want to sexually harm children and young people get close to them, and often their families, and gain their trust.

33. Protect: recognising Grooming in the church context: lessons learnt
It happens at different levels
individual
family
the Church community
those in influential positions in the Church.
It can happen over long periods of time.

34. SECTION 5
PROTECT FROM HARM
Responding well

35. Protect: responding A leadership role:
responding well to disclosure and to concerns about abuse or harm
responding well to survivors
responding well to people who might pose a risk
responding well to serious situations
responding well to the church congregation
and...

36. Protect: responding
Challenges to responding well: why the Church may not respond well to concerns
too difficult
‘doesn’t happen in the Church’
the person/family concerned is respected
confidentiality is not understood
confusion about false allegations
wanting to keep it within the Church
needing to handle everything
not knowing who to go to
conflicting loyalties.

37. A leadership role: responding well
Protect: responding
A leadership role: responding well
…is often about ‘walking alongside’ people. It is primarily about listening and not reacting with haste. It is not about judgment or imposing what we think is best for someone. It is about not feeling that we must have all the answers and not wanting to solve everything now.
The Archbishops’ Council (2011) Responding Well to those who have been sexually abused: policy and guidance for the Church of England

38. Responding well to concerns
SECTION 5a
PROTECT FROM HARM
Responding well to concerns

39. Protect: responding A leadership role:
Listening well to people who have concerns about possible abuse or harm helps them:
to remember
to make sense of what they experienced, heard, saw or were told – to make connections
to build up as full a picture as possible
to provide acknowledgement and affirmation especially when sharing painful or difficult issues
and...

40. Protect: responding well to concerns
A leadership role: Key listening skills
attention giving; active listening, non-critical acceptance
ability to use different kinds of questions
paraphrasing; reflecting back, summarising and checking
and...

41. Protect: respectful uncertainty
Check your impressions
The concept of ‘respectful uncertainty’ developed from learning after the death of Victoria Climbié and combines
the critical evaluation of information
keeping an open mind
dealing with everyone with respect.
Munro describes it as “Showing compassion but retaining an open and questioning mindset.”

42. Protect: responding well
Defensible decision-making
In the context of the church this means taking decisions which:
are consistent with policy
are thoroughly thought through
are based on as reliable evidence as possible
take things forward
have been recorded.

43. Responding well to survivors
SECTION 5b
PROTECT FROM HARM
Responding well to survivors

44. Protect: responding well to survivors
A leadership role
Developing an awareness of
the impact of abuse
what survivors find helpful or difficult
the prevalence of abuse
and...

45. ACTIVITY

46. Responding well to people who might pose a risk
SECTION 5c
PROTECT FROM HARM
Responding well to people who might pose a risk

47. Protect: responding well to people who might pose a risk
A leadership role
identifying the pastoral needs of all concerned
working with Covenants of Care
using ‘respectful uncertainty’
being alert to ‘disguised compliance’
and...

48. Protect: responding well to people who might pose a risk
Covenants of care
small group at church and/or circuit level
risk assessment
contract
meeting regularly, reviewing, recording
training and support for the group
review of the contract
inform and annually report to the DSO.

49. Protect: understanding disguised compliance
Behaviour which gives the appearance or impression of co-operation to avoid raising suspicion, to mask abuse and to allay concerns.

50. Protect: dealing with disguised compliance
Use respectful uncertainty.
Avoid over-optimism.
Remember history and risk factors.
Don’t be over-influenced by dynamic factors.
Keep to your focus.
Maintain careful records.
Communicate openly in the Covenant of Care group.
Check with the DSO if you are concerned.

51. Responding well to serious situations
SECTION 5d
PROTECT FROM HARM
Responding well to serious situations

52. A leadership role: immediate steps
Protect: responding well to serious situations
A leadership role: immediate steps
coordinate
inform
liaise
follow up
support
don’t forget your own support
and...

53. Responding well to the congregation
SECTION 5e
PROTECT FROM HARM
Responding well to the congregation

54. Protect: responding well to the congregation
A leadership role
appreciate the impact of what has happened
consider the consequences such as loss of trust
use insights that can support this thinking
plan with thoughtfulness
take care over information sharing
and...

55. Two useful models from Deidre Offord the Trauma Debrief
Protect: responding well to the congregation
Two useful models from Deidre Offord
the Trauma Debrief
the Grief Cycle

56. Protect: responding well to the congregation
A leadership role: what can help
careful information sharing
educative input
worship focused on healing
addressing forgiveness
enabling healing recovery
thoughtfulness about future ministry
and...

57. SECTION 6
PROTECT FROM HARM
Recording

58. Protect: recording A leadership role ensuring recording is done
modelling good practice
supporting people who may have difficulty with writing
ensuring records are passed on
safe storage
and...

59. Why keep records? They provide:
Protect: recording
Why keep records? They provide:
a note of what happened and who did what
a history of events
continuity
accountability
evidence.

60. Protect: recording What to record:
who was involved: the names of key people
what happened: facts not opinions
where it happened
when it happened: date and time
how it happened
why it happened
whom it was referred to.

61. Protect: recording Checklist for good practice: records should be
structured
legible
clear and concise
relevant
thorough
jargon-free
non-discriminatory
in the person’s own words
clear about what is included
written soon after the event
shared with the person they are about
up to date
signed, dated and timed.

62. Protect: recording A leadership role
What should be recorded? Some examples
Covenant of Care groups
issues of concern
supervision
changes in job roles.
Storage: records must be held securely.

63. SECTION 7
PROTECT FROM HARM
Referral

64. A leadership role Protect: referral
taking the lead in making a referral
supporting someone else to make a referral
acting in an emergency
passing on a concern
knowing who to go to in agencies and developing links
seeking advice/support from DSO
and...

65. A leadership role: making a referral
Protect: referral
A leadership role: making a referral
telephone referral
be clear it is a safeguarding concern
always confirm in writing
ensure follow up
be as persistent as necessary
ensure DSO is aware.

66. Protect: referral What you can do if professionals don’t respond:
go to the next in the management chain
follow up in writing
consult with another lead agency
use the Strategy Group
refer to the chair of the LCSB or ASB
discuss with the DSO
Persevere.

67. Protect: referral: when to report
Consider
the person
the concern
public interest
necessity and proportionality.
Always
consult if possible
ensure your own support.

68. Information sharing: seven golden rules
Remember that the Data Protection Act and human rights law are not a barrier to sharing information.
Be open and honest.
Seek advice.
Share with consent where appropriate.
Consider safety and well-being. 
Necessary, proportionate, relevant, accurate, timely and secure.
Keep a record.  
Extract from Information sharing Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers. HM Government 2015

69. SECTION 8
LOOKING AHEAD
AND CONCLUSIONS

70. Safeguarding: a leadership role
My anxieties
My resources
My supports

71. Action planning Next steps For me The bigger picture
Safeguarding: a leadership role
Action planning
For me
The bigger picture
Next steps

72. Please leave the form in the tray on the table before you leave.
Feedback
After the devotions, please take a couple of minutes to complete the feedback form.
Please leave the form in the tray on the table before you leave.

73. .

74. Creating Safer Space Leadership Module
Please collect your certificate
Please place your feedback form in the tray by the door

75. SECTION 3 PREVENT ABUSE AND HARM
FOUNDATION MODULE REVISION
FOR THE LEADERSHIP ROLE
Policies – Practice - Premises

76. Prevent: policies A leadership role
Policies are required by insurance companies and the Charity Commissioners
A leadership role
knowing the policies and where to find them
ensuring they are actively used and not gathering dust
guiding relevant people to them and through them
ensuring polices are reviewed regularly and kept up-to-date
and...

77. Methodist Safeguarding Handbook
Prevent: policies
What are they ?
Methodist Safeguarding Handbook
Safeguarding Children and Young People
Safeguarding Adults
Practice Guidelines to support the report Domestic Abuse and the Methodist Church Taking Action
Model policies for churches
Safer recruitment

78. Prevent: practice A leadership role
knowing the guidelines for good practice
ensuring they are in place
ensuring they are implemented and routinely followed
taking up issues appropriately
initiating action if necessary
and...

79. Prevent harm: premises
A leadership role
other groups using the church (model policies)
groups using the church at the same time
safer space
link with Health & Safety
and...

82. Tea Break