Access to Child Safeguarding Training

Procedure for Provision of and Access to Child Safeguarding Training and Information, Including the Identification of the Occurrence of Harm

Last Revised on 21-May-2025

Introduction

The Children First Act 2015 sets out the requirement of providers of relevant services to have a Child Safeguarding Statement and specified procedures. Cork Unitarian Church is identified as a provider of a relevant service. The specified procedure, herein, as required under the Act details the provision of information and, where necessary, instruction and training, to members of staff of the provider in relation to the identification of the occurrence of harm.

Purpose

The purpose of this procedure is:

To meet the requirements of the Child Safeguarding Statement and specified procedures.
To advise management on their role to ensure that staff have access to instruction and training in relation to the identification of the occurrence of harm.
To provide instruction to all staff to undertake the required mandatory training as outlined in this procedure.

Scope

This procedure applies to all staff of Cork Unitarian Church. In this procedure, references to staff should be interpreted as applying to direct employees of Cork Unitarian Church, agency contracted staff, persons on work placements, student placements and volunteers. This procedure sets out guidance and direction for the Cork Unitarian Church Board of Directors, all Tusla staff and any member of the public who may request a copy of the Child Safeguarding Statement (CSS)’s specified procedure for the provision of Information and Training on the Occurrence of Harm.

Legislation and Other Related Policies

Children First Act 2015
Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children
Tusla Guidance on Developing a Child Safeguarding Statement
Tusla Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice.
Tusla Staff Procedure for Reporting Child Protection and Welfare Concerns
Workforce Learning and Development Strategy (WFLD)

Roles and Responsibilities

Workers and volunteers, including solo practitioners, require different levels of knowledge, skills, and competence, depending on their role; degree of contact with children, young people, and families; the nature of their work; and their level of responsibility. Child safeguarding training should be delivered appropriate to individuals’ roles and responsibilities.

Cork Unitarian Church has identified three roles with corresponding responsibilities and training requirements:

All Staff

Example: Members of the Church Committee, any volunteer

Responsibilities: Interactions with the public w/incidental child contact

Need: Awareness of related church policies and practices for compliance

Mandated Persons

Example: Minister(s) and Pastoral Care staff

Responsibilities: Pastoral contact with adults who may disclose child concerns

Need: additional knowledge on mandated reporting

Designated Liaison Persons (DLP)

Example: Church’s Safeguarding Officer

Responsibility: Church’s point of contact for Safeguarding planning and administration

Need: Knowledge of the church’s needs/policies/procedures and TUSLA training options

Procedure

The procedure in respect of the provision of information and training on the Occurrence of Harm is as follows:

Step 1 – Set Training Targets

Based on a needs analysis, the Cork Unitarian Church’s Safeguarding Officer will identify the relevant role-based training material to be taken from:

TUSLA’s Child Safeguarding Information and Training for Staff and Volunteers (see: https://www.tusla.ie/children-first/organisations/advice-information-and-training-for-staff-and-volunteers-of-organisations/ )
Child Safeguarding Training – What You Need to Know (see: https://www.tusla.ie/uploads/content/Tusla_-_Training_and_Learning_Journey.pdf )

Step 2 – Assign

The Cork Unitarian Church’s Safeguarding Officer will assign training targets to staff.

Step 3 – Monitor

The Cork Unitarian Church’s Safeguarding Officer will track the completion of the assigned training.

Step 4 – Report

The Cork Unitarian Church’s Safeguarding Officer will report on the training to the Cork Unitarian Church Board of Directors on an annual basis.

Step 5 – Revise

The Cork Unitarian Church’s Safeguarding Officer will reassess the training program on an annual basis and recommend appropriate changes.

Review and Audit

The monitoring, audit and revision of the implementation of Cork Unitarian Church’s Child Safeguarding Statement Procedure for the Provision of Information and Training to Staff in relation to the Identification of the Occurrence of Harm’ will be undertaken when the Cork Unitarian Church Child Safeguarding Statement is reviewed unless a practice issue or change in legislation or policy guidance requires an earlier review.

References

Children First Act 2015
Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017
Tusla Guidance on Developing a Child Safeguarding Statement
Tusla Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice.
Tusla Staff Procedure for Reporting Child Protection and Welfare Concerns
Workforce Learning and Development Strategy