Safer Recruitment & People Management
The Safer Recruitment & People Management Guidance was approved in April 2021, with an implementation date of 1st January 2022. The NST have announced the launch of the new guidance on 28/6/21.
The Safer Recruitment & People Management Guidance is available via the online Safeguarding e-manual, found here. (This is the first Guidance to go onto the Safeguarding e-Manual and eventually all safeguarding guidance will be located there). Please also click here to download a PDF version.
Please watch the video below - Why Safer Recruitment and People Management is so important !
DBS Overview
A DBS Check is needed for all those working with children or vulnerable adults in certain roles.
Clergy DBS checks
Clergy DBS checks are processed via the Safeguarding Team. Contact dbs@leeds.anglican.org for further information.
Parish DBS checks
a. Do you or your parish volunteers need a DBS check?
Consult these documents: DBS eligibility information, DBS identity documents.
b. Contact the Safeguarding Verifier in your church
Parish DBS checks are now processed on-line through Thirtyone eight - formerly CCPAS - the Churches' Child Protection Advisory Service
Email all log-in or password queries to Thirtyone eight - formerly CCPAS or call on 0303 003 1111 extension 2204
c. Using the DBS Update service
Please encourage your volunteers to register for this service through the DBS website as soon as they have completed their online application.
This means you can check them free of charge in the future by carrying out a Status Check following the instructions below.
If one of your volunteers has already registered with the DBS Update Service you can carry out a status check but first you must ask them to complete a consent form giving you the permission and details to enable you to do this. Download a DBS Check Consent Form below.
This is free of charge to you as a parish and free to your volunteer to register (not employees).
Information for DBS Verifiers
New CofE guidance from 2022 is that DBS certificates are to be renewed every 3 years - and this needs to be in place by January 2024. We recommend you check the dates of issue of the DBS certificates with your parish volunteers, and start renewing those that are 3 years old or over in the coming months to ensure everything is up to date by 2024. If a certificate is already registered on the DBS update service then the change from 5 to 3 years has no effect and the certificate should keep renewing automatically. If it is not registered with the DBS update service, you may wish to encourage volunteers to register their new certificate so it will automatically renew and not need replacing again in 3 years.
Policies and Templates
- Template for recording recruitment checks and ongoing management - An Excel Spreadsheet for PSO's to assist with recording DBS checks and training
- Recruitment of ex-offenders policy
- Code of Safer Working Practice 2021
- Safer Recruitment and People Management Assessment Tool for Parishes
Recruitment templates
- Model Volunteer Driver Agreement
- Volunteer Person Specification
- Volunteer Role Description
- Model PSO role description
- Volunteer Application Form
- Example Volunteer Interview Questions
- Reference Request Forms For Volunteers
- Volunteer Appointment Letter Template
- Volunteer Induction Checklist
- Volunteer Support Meeting Agenda - Supporting Volunteers
DBS Information
Church of England Confidential Declaration Form
Interview Identity Checklist
DBS Continuation Sheet
Disclosure and Barring Service
Home Office DBS Identity checking guidelines