Summer Holidays
Members of the Safeguarding Team will be taking annual leave at different points during the summer: Whilst at least one member of the team is in on each working day we will prioritise demands and there may be a slightly longer response time than usual.
To bolster capacity we have arranged additional cover from ThirtyOne:Eight. From Monday 17 August through to Friday 28 August we would ask that for general advice and guidance you first contact ThirtyOne:Eight on 0303 003 1111. Please listen carefully to the options as they may have changed since you last contacted them. When advised, please select option 2 for the safeguarding helpline, followed by option one for members, then finally option 2. When you get through to their team, please state "I am calling from the Diocese of Peterborough, who are an Information Sharing Holder" before providing the details of your query.
Monthly PSO Drop In
These take place on the second Tuesday of each month at 12 noon via Teams.
The dates for the remainder of 2026 are:
- 11 August
- 8 September
- 13 October
- 10 November
- 8 December
We are hoping to use the August and September sessions to focus on support around using the Parish Dashboard. If you have a specific query around the Dashboard and are available to join us, you would be most welcome. To register to attend, please complete this short Microsoft Form by 12 noon on the day before the drop in session you wish to join. The link to join the Teams meeting will be emailed to you usually at around 14:00 on the day before the meeting.
PSO Induction Session Dates
We have two more PSO Induction sessions planned for 2026. Please click the link to book via Eventbrite:
Friday 18 September 12:00 to 15:00
Tuesday 8 December 18:00 to 21:00
The induction sessions cover the expectations for the role, how the role of PSO fits within the parish structure and relates to the PCC, information about the Parish Safeguarding Dashboard and Hub, how the PSO works with the DST, and includes some case studies to support what has been learnt.
While the Induction is aimed at those who are new to the PSO role, all PSOs are welcome to attend an Induction session, regardless of how long you have been in the role for.
Parish Safeguarding Officer Network Events
There are two more PSO Network events booked for 2026, and you can book your place via Eventbrite using the links below.
Tuesday 22 September 18:15-20:00 – where Graeme Pringle of Clearly Simpler will be providing training on using the Parish Safeguarding Hub. Please note the earlier start time.
Parish Safeguarding Officer Network Event – September | Clearly Simpler - Parish Dashboards
Thursday 3 December 18:30-20:00 - we currently have no theme or agenda for this meeting so if there is something you would like to discuss that we haven't covered yet this year, please email us with suggestions.
Parish Safeguarding Officer Network Event – December
PSO recognition services Sunday 22 November 2026
We can now confirm that there will be two services, one in each Archdeaconry, both at 3pm, on Sunday 22 November. The venue for the Archdeaconry of Northampton is St Francis, Duston, and the venue for the Archdeaconry of Oakham is Christ the King, Kettering. We will be sending out formal invitations to you soon.
"It's not just policy, it's personal" campaign
Thank you to everyone who engaged with this campaign and accessed the resources. The National Safeguarding Team are now conducting an evaluation of the campaign and have asked for your responses. The survey is online at "It's Not Just Policy, It's Personal" Campaign Evaluation and the closing date is Friday 14 August.
Parish Safeguarding Dashboard and Hub
Parishes who are at Level 2 on the Parish Safeguarding Dashboard will be able to access the Hub from Tuesday 1 September 2026. If you think this is something your parish may wish to utilise, please take the service agreement to your PCC for approval. The service agreement can be found here.
We have received from the Archdeacons your parishes' responses about the Dashboard and safeguarding, and know that there are some people who would like additional support with the Dashboard. This is why the next two drop-in sessions will have a Dashboard focus. If you are unable to make these sessions, please contact the team with your queries and we can arrange a meeting at a mutually convenient time.
Clearly Simpler will be emailing you in September to advise of the changes that will be made to the Dashboard in January, and there are also some changes being made to the Hub to following the updated Safer Recruitment and People Management Code of Practice.
In case you do not receive the email from Clearly Simpler, the changes which are going to be made to the Dashboard are as follows:
- New Dashboard lights will only come on in January - there will be a new one for all levels in relation to DBS checks for church wardens and PCC members. At present there is only a light asking about their training.
- Advance notifications - at present lights turn amber at 3 months to the deadline. Clearly Simpler are giving you an option to opt in to be emailed 3 months prior to the expiry date, and the light will then green until 1 month before the deadline.
- Email options: You will need to select the frequency to receive email notifications; the options will be: each task, once a day, once a week, or once a month.
- Schedule of tasks: In the reports menu, there will be a new report called "schedule of tasks", and will list in order of deadline outstanding and upcoming tasks to review. You will be able to select a time period for upcoming tasks of 6 months, 1 year, or all tasks (up to 3 years).
The changes to the Hub are as follows:
Multi-Factor Authentication has been strongly recommended for Hubs with 50 or more volunteers recorded and mandatory for Hubs with 100 or more volunteers, for security. This is going to change to strongly recommended for Hubs with over 20 volunteers recorded, and mandatory for Hubs with 50 or more volunteers recorded. This means when you log in to the Hub, you will need to request that a code is emailed to you to gain access.
Safer Recruitment and People Management processes - as part of the compliance with the new code of practice, from September there will be the option to switch on for each role the tracking of supervision and support meetings, so that roles which require regular check-ins can have these recorded.
Information from the National Safeguarding Team around DBS checks
The NST have issued a statement to improve clarity about DBS check eligibility. As always, if you are unsure about what level of DBS check is required for a role, you are welcome to contact us or go directly to ThirtyOne:Eight.
The NST's statement is as follows:
We understand that our recent item on DBS eligibility, regulated activity and PCC members may have caused some confusion and we apologise for that. There has been no change to the legal position or to the requirements set out in the new Safer Recruitment and People Management Code of Practice (hereafter referred to as "the Code".)
There are four levels of DBS checks:
- Basic
- Standard
- Enhanced without barred list
- Enhanced with barred list(s)
Anyone can apply for a Basic DBS check but there are strict legal criteria that must be met to apply for the remaining three types. Being a PCC member does not automatically make someone eligible for the last two types of check - an enhanced DBS check, with or without barred list.
Key points:
- All PCC members can be asked to complete a Basic DBS check. As set out in the Code, this should be made clear before election.
- Regulated activity has a specific legal definition under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2026 (as amended).
- PCC members are unlikely to be carrying out regulated activity simply because they are PCC members. PCC membership alone will not normally make sompel eligible for the last two types of checks - an enhanced DBS check without barred list information or an enhanced DBS check with barred list information.
- The legal definitions of a children's charity and a vulnerable adults' charity are explained, with examples, in Appendix C of the Code.
- The fact that a parish runs activities for children, such as a Sunday School, does not automatically mean that the PCC meets the legal definition of a children's charity.
- PCCs should seek appropriate legal advice to determine whether they meet the relevant legal definition.
- As with any role, the specific responsiblities of an individual PCC member must be assessed to determin DBS eligibility (see again Appendix C of the Code).
- Further guidance can be found in the Safer Recruitment and People Management Resources under the section on the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
- The DBS Regional Outreach Service can provide advice and guidance to dioceses, cathedrals and other church bodies on DBS eligibility and regulated activity. The service also offers workshops and training. Contact your Regional Outreach Advisor for futher support.
The Charity Commission advises that:
- Where a role is eligible for a standard DBS check, enhanced DBS check, or enhanced DBS check with barred list information, the appropriate check should be obtaioned; and
- Where a role is not eleigible for those levels of check, organisations should consider whether a basic DBS check is appropriate, based on their safeguarding risk assessment.
Using the Update Service
Following requests from parishes and the change in guidance from the National Safeguarding Team, we have researched the practicalities of using the DBS update service within the Diocese. We have consulted with the Disclosure and Barring Service, safeguarding colleagues in other dioceses, and with ThirtyOne:Eight.
Our research has found that the challenges of using the update service in the church context outweigh the benefits that it will bring, and therefore The Diocese of Peterborough will not be accepting the use of the update service. This decision has been ratified by senior leadership team and the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel.
The reasons for not using the update service are as follows:
- Basic DBS checks are not eligible for the update service
- DBS checks which include “home worker” checks cannot use the update service
- The DBS certificate on the update service can only be used if the certificate is for the same level of check and workforce as required for the position undertaken. For example, an Enhanced DBS certificate registered on the update service could not be used for a role which is only eligible for a Basic DBS check, or an Enhanced DBS with barred list checks registered on the update service could not be used for a role which is only eligible for a Basic or Enhanced (without barred list check) DBS.
- Individuals must not only register for the update service within 30 days of receiving their DBS certificate, they must also annually renew their subscription to keep their certificate current. If the renewal is not done in time, then the subscription lapses, and if the DBS certificate is more than 3 years old, a new DBS check will be required anyway.
- The employer/volunteer manager has to obtain and record signed consent to check the Update Service each time a new check is needed.
- A new Confidential Declaration Form needs to be completed each time the Update Service is to be checked.
- The administration for checking the Update Service is not less demanding than that of processing a new DBS application, meaning that using the Update Service does not reduce the administrative load on our Parish Safeguarding Officers and Lead Recruiters.
- The original certificate still needs to be seen to keep the update service valid – as the update will only tell them there has been no change to the original certificate – whether or not it has a blemish.
New Safe Spaces leaflet and poster
Safe Spaces have produced a new leaflet and poster which you may wish to use in your parishes.
The leaflet can be downloaded here.
The poster can be downloaded here.
PSO role and recruitment:
You can access the revised PSO role description here: Parish Safeguarding Officer role description | The Church of England.
An Information and Welcome pack has been created to support PCCs and PSOs coming into role.
Safeguarding Dashboard:
There is a series of six two-minute videos (12 mins in total) to support PSOs in understanding the features and benefits of the Safeguarding Dashboard which absolutely does help make the PSO role more manageable. This video is located on the Safeguarding Virtual Library on our eLearning portal. You can also view the video here.
If your parish is not yet using the Safeguarding Dashboard please reach out to Louisa McCabe louisa.mccabe@peterborough-diocese.org.uk for more information on how to access this valuable resource.
Primary Information Hub:
The printed hand-book has been discontinued in favour of the Safeguarding e-manual. Please dispose of any remaining hard copies, as the guidance is now out of date.
The national group recognised the need to have one central place for information and guidance to support the PSO in their role. They agreed this aim would best be met via the Safeguarding e-manual Safeguarding e-manual | The Church of England and the Safeguarding Dashboard.
Both of these offer easy and timely access to information and tools relevant to the PSO and their role.
PSO Resources/Key Documents:
Templates and resources | The Church of England
PSO National Group | The Church of England
Safeguarding Links on Parish Websites & A Church Near You:
It is not essential to have full safeguarding details on the home page of your website, it is perfectly acceptable for the word ‘Safeguarding’ to be a link from the homepage, either across the top or in an easily-accessible drop down menu. The link should be clearly visible on the homepage, but the whole information does not need to appear on the home page itself, as long as it is available when someone clicks on the link. Clicking that link should take someone to a further page which contains more detailed safeguarding information, including contact details for the Parish Safeguarding Officer, the Diocesan Safeguarding Team and a clear statement of the parish’s commitment to safeguarding. If possible a link to the Diocesan Safeguarding webpages should be included. This should also be reflected on any A Church Near You sites.
Some suggested wording for your statement of committment to safeguarding is below:
"Our parish of [name] is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults from harm. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO). Our Diocese of [name]’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor who advises our PSO. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the PSO [add their details or link to a page that shows the info] or the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer [add their details here or link to your own page that shows the info or the diocesan safeguarding page]. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority’s children or adult social care services."
Thank you for your continued support and all the valuable contributions you make to the Diocese.