Safeguarding training for churches is still available during lockdown

Affinity associate members Christian Safeguarding Services have written to let us know how their training and advice services are continuing to operate in these very difficult times. Please read on to see how your church can access important help today. They write:

We understand that these are challenging and difficult times for all of us, including our churches, with services and gatherings cancelled. As we settle into this new routine of isolation and social distancing, it may be helpful to churches to be able to train their staff and volunteers whilst they are in lockdown. We are providing online and virtual, real time, training.

We now have a range of training for churches, with a choice of daytime and evening sessions:

• Strategic Management of Safeguarding for Church Leaders & Trustees
• Operational Management of Safeguarding for Designated Safeguarding Officers
• Essential awareness of Safeguarding Children, Young People and Adults at Risk of Abuse for Staff and Volunteers

If churches want virtual training for their whole church, this too can be arranged.

The courses will be provided in two halves:

• An eLearning module that can be completed at a time convenient to the individual
• A follow up face-to-face facilitated session with other delegates via Zoom

As always, we approach the training from a biblical perspective, contextualised into the church environment. Each course covers the requirements for the whole of the United Kingdom. If churches want to book more than four people onto a course, they can contact us by e-mail for discounted prices.

To access online training dates please click here.

These are difficult times for us at CSS as well as for the organisations we serve. We would value prayer for us as we try to manage our way through this situation. Unfortunately, we do not have reserves that we can draw upon and for a combination of reasons, the government support does not appear to be available to us.  

We are continuing to provide our full range of services during these times. We are also seeking ways to improve our support to churches. We are in the process of re-developing our website as it has become difficult to navigate as we have added more content. We will provide more information once it is available, but our Advice Line continues to be operational. If churches need support and advice, for example about how to stay safe while moving activities on-line, we are here to help.

Keep well and stay safe during this challenging time.

In Him

Paul & Sue Harrison, Christian Safeguarding Services