Policy and Practice Guidance

All the policy and practice guidance on this page have been approved by the House of Bishops and must, where relevant, be followed by all Church Bodies* and Church Officers**.

Please note under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016*** all authorised clergy, bishops, archdeacons, licensed readers and lay workers, churchwardens and PCCs must have 'due regard' to safeguarding guidance issued by the House of Bishops (this will include both policy and practice guidance).

A duty to have 'due regard' to guidance means that the person under the duty is not free to disregard it but is required to follow it unless there are cogent reasons for not doing so. ('Cogent' for this purpose means clear, logical and convincing.) Failure by clergy to comply with the duty imposed by the 2016 Measure may result in disciplinary action.

You can view the Church of England Safeguarding Overview document here.

Please note, many forms/guidance notes have been updated and revised so please ensure you’re using the latest versions, linked below.

Policy Statements

• Promoting a Safer Church; House of Bishops policy statement (2017)
• Protecting All God's Children (safeguarding policy for children and young people, 4th edition, 2010)
• Promoting a Safe Church (safeguarding policy for adults, 2006)
• Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016

Practice Guidance

• Glossary reference document (2017)
• Key roles and responsibilities of church office holders and bodies practice guidance (2017)
• Responding to, assessing and managing concerns or allegations against church officers practice guidance (2017)
• Responding well to domestic abuse practice guidance (2017)
• Training and development practice guidance (2017)
• Safer recruitment practice guidance (2016)
• Safeguarding Records Retention - Records management toolkit (2016)
• DBS Eligibility and related matters – Frequently Asked Questions – February 2017
• DBS Eligibility and related matters – Frequently Asked Questions – July 2016
• Responding well to those who have been sexually abused practice guidance (2011)
• Safeguarding in religious communities practice guidance (2015)

Joint Practice Guidance with The Methodist Church

• Safeguarding records: joint practice guidance for the Church of England and the Methodist Church (2015)
• Notice of retention/non‐destruction of documents relating to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse 2015
• Safeguarding joint practice guidance for single congregation Local Ecumenical Partnerships (2015)

Ely Diocesan Policies

• Criminal records checks and safeguarding training requirements for churchwardens and PCC members - a note from Bishop Stephen - December 2017
• Diocese of Ely Dignity at Work Policy 2017
• Diocese of Ely Domestic Abuse Policy Statement 2017
• Diocese of Ely Lone Worker Policy 2017
• Diocese of Ely Safeguarding Complaints Policy and Procedure
• Diocese of Ely Whistleblowing Policy

Theological Texts

• Forgiveness & Reconciliation in the Aftermath of Abuse (2017) - House of Bishops commended document from Faith and Order Commission
• The Gospel, Sexual Abuse and the Church; A theological resource for the local church (2016)

Notes

*Church Bodies includes PCCs, diocesan bodies, cathedrals, religious communities, theological training institutions and the National Church Institutions. This policy will apply to the whole of the provinces of Canterbury and York (including the Diocese in Europe subject to local variations/modifications). There is also an expectation that the policy will apply to the Channel Islands and Sodor and Man unless there is specific local legislation in a jurisdiction that would prevent adoption.

**A "Church Officer" is anyone appointed/elected by or on behalf of the Church to a post or role, whether they are ordained or lay, paid or unpaid.

***The Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 applies to the whole of the provinces of Canterbury and York (including the Diocese in Europe subject to local variations/modifications), with the exception of the Channel Islands and Sodor and Man. In order to extend the 2016 Measure to the Channel Islands or Sodor and Man legislation will need to be passed by the relevant island jurisdictions in accordance with section 12 of that measure.