In July 2021, The Church of England updated their Safer Recruitment policy and issued a new Safer Recruitment & People Management Guidance , which must be fully implemented by all church settings from January 2022 for all new appointments where there is substantial contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults.
What has changed?The main change is around the length of time a DBS will be valid. From January 2022 any DBS check applied for will be valid for 3 years, which will bring the church into line with many other organisations. This does not mean that anyone who currently has a certificate over 3 years old in 2022 has an invalid check. We will have from January 2022 to January 2024 to arrange renewal of any certificates so that by January 2024 all those requiring an enhanced DBS check have a DBS certificate that is 3 years old or less. The diocese will be in touch to arrange renewal over the coming months for any clergy, reader, PtO or LML who has a certificate that falls into this category. Please note the diocese does not keep records of parish DBS checks – it is vital that the church ensures they have good records and initiates renewals when due. Understanding the guidanceMeanwhile, the underlying principles of safer recruitment remain unchanged - however, the new guidance provides greater clarity. The new guidance has 16 sections, each of which comprises:
How do I prepare for the revised guidance? By the end of December each PCC should have read the updated guidance and used the Safer Recruitment and People Management Assessment Tool to help them identify what actions may be required to implement the policy and when they will be completed. If you require any further information please contact the Safeguarding Team – safeguarding.team@liverpool.anglican.org |