Parish Safeguarding Officers help parishes foster a positive safeguarding culture where concerns are welcomed, addressed promptly, and handled consistently.
The role of a Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) is to help parishes to understand the need for a positive approach to safeguarding and create an environment which is welcoming and respectful, and enables safeguarding concerns to be raised and responded to openly, promptly and consistently.
We encourage all PSOs to raise their profile and visibility within their congregation, so that people know more about safeguarding and who to come to if they have a concern. The PSO is also the key link between the diocese and the parish, working closely with our safeguarding team .
PSOs have an overview of all church activities involving children, young people and vulnerable adults and will seek to ensure the implementation of safeguarding policy. The role can be taken by one person or the role shared, for example with one person covering children the other vulnerable adults. The PSO is appointed by and supports the Parochial Church Council (PCC) in the delivery of its (the Council’s) safeguarding responsibilities.
What might a PSO look like?
An example person specification for the PSO role:
- Willingness and aptitude to undertake the role, attend the relevant training and undertake their own development in the field of safeguarding.
- Ability to challenge in an appropriate, supportive manner.
- Ability to demonstrate why safeguarding is intrinsic to the Christian faith.
- Ability to instigate and manage difficult conversations.
- Ability to articulate the need for culture change with regard to safeguarding in the Church as a whole, and in particular in their parish community.
- Ability to demonstrate an empathetic and objective attitude with integrity when dealing with possible allegations of abuse.
- Ability to manage sensitive information and, where needed, understand confidentiality and data sharing.
- The PSO should not be related to, or have a conflict of interest, with the incumbent (or anyone acting on their behalf as an interim arrangement);
- Willingness to declare and explore with members of the PCC /Diocesan Safeguarding Team ways to manage any potential conflicts of interest
What might the PSO role look like?
An example role description for a PSO:
- Exact responsibilities may differ between parishes and different areas, depending on local circumstances. For instance, some parishes have a “team” of PSOs who share responsibilities, whilst other areas have one PSO supporting multiple parishes.
- Be familiar with the Safeguarding e-manual and how it is implemented in local practice.
- Establish positive working relationships with the Diocesan Safeguarding Team.
- Refer all safeguarding concerns to the Diocesan Safeguarding Team.
- When someone is in immediate risk or needs urgent medical attention, report concerns to emergency services.
- Discuss regularly with the incumbent and the PCC any emerging safeguarding issues and support them in resolving those issues.
- Work with the Diocesan Safeguarding Team to determine which members of staff and volunteers need which level of training and when refresher training is needed and ensure that this is satisfactorily completed.
- Have an awareness of all activities involving children and vulnerable adults, keep a record of them and assist with the safeguarding risk assessment of these activities.
- Help facilitate discussions about what the parish sees as a safe culture, what the current barriers may be and how they might be resolved.
- Support the PCC in the delivery of its responsibilities around safer recruitment and people management – for instance, by maintaining records, supporting recruitment, coordinating DBS applications (including updates to DBS status), and seeking advice from the Diocesan Safeguarding Team.
- Ensure safeguarding contact details are displayed in all Church premises and on websites (where applicable);
- Where appropriate, help the parish develop protocols to keep themselves and their visitors safe.
- Contribute to relevant reports and meetings with a safeguarding perspective, to support the incumbent and the PCC in the delivery of their safeguarding responsibilities.
What sort of responsibilities does the PSO have?
A suggested to do list for a new Parish Safeguarding Officer:
- Work through the Church of England Model Parish Safeguarding Checklist.
- Ensure that the Church of England Promoting a Safer Church poster for parishes is visible on your Church notice board.
- Ensure that the Church of England Parish statement on domestic abuse is complete and up to date.
- Ensure that the Church of England Safeguarding in your parish – who’s who? document is complete and up to date.
- Update The Church of England Model Parish Safeguarding Policy at your parish annually or when there is a new PSO, Incumbent or Churchwarden.
- Ensure that the safeguarding arrangements are up to date and clearly visible on the front page of your parish website.
- Read The Church of England Policy and Practice Guidance.
- Complete the relevant Safeguarding Training courses.
What Training does the PSO need to complete?
- All Parish Safeguarding Officers must firstly complete the Basic Awareness and Foundation training modules - online via the Church of England Training Portal.
- They will then go on to complete these courses (in any order):
- Safer Recruitment and People Management and Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse training modules - online via the Church of England Training Portal.
- A PSO Induction course, which can be booked via the Diocesan Training Portal.
- The Leadership training module, which can be booked via the Church of England Training Portal, where the coursework, zoom links, case study and certificates are also accessed. Instructions on how to access the Leadership training course.
More information about safeguarding training is available here: Safeguarding Training
Support and contact details
The Diocesan Safeguarding Team is here to support you in your role. Our Safeguarding Team regularly run training sessions to support Parish Safeguarding Officers and those with Safeguarding administration responsibilities. The team also shares best practice safeguarding advice via a quarterly Newsletter, and facilitates regular PSO Networking and Training events, hearing from Safeguarding specialist practitioners, as well as an opportunity to ask questions of the Safeguarding team, share peer learning, and support each other in your PSO role. You can find details of all our upcoming training courses and networking events on the Diocesan Training Portal.