1. Support to Parishes
Heather Bland
DSA 1

2. Support to Parishes
What we are doing

3. Support to Parishes
Continued uploading of information to website
Workshops for PSRs – one in each archdeaconry
Provision of advice to clergy and PSRs and others on proactive safeguarding questions

4. Support to Parishes
Provision of advice, information, guidance and direction where there are concerns about people in vulnerable groups;
On the end of a phone!
Payment of all admin costs related to DBS processing by APCS.

5. Support to Parishes
Making sure that agreements with those attending churches known to be a risk to children and / or adults are well managed and regularly reviewed;
Take the lead when allegations are made against clergy or church officers

6. Support to Parishes
Carry out risk assessments in conjunction with parishes when blemished DBS certificates are received.
Delivery of training.
Maintain a central record of concerns.

7. Support to Parishes
Act as the link between the parish and the police/social service in cases involving clergy / church officers

8. Challenges
Moving targets
Lack of resource – particularly admin, training and my part time hours
Delivering sufficient training to ensure we are keeping up with demand
Size of diocese and amount of time spent travelling

9. Challenges
Increasing numbers of sex offenders wishing to worship in our churches requiring worship agreements.
Resistance in some quarters to new processes – not many but still some.

10. Challenges
A lack of understanding (still) in some quarters about what safeguarding is, why we do it and why we have to do it.