Ministers & Safeguarding
All ministers/pastors require an up-to-date DBS disclosure for working in our Baptist churches. And Safeguarding Training up to Level 3.
DBS checks should be renewed every five years and Safeguarding Training should be renewed every four years.
DBS Checks
For an accredited minister, nationally or regionally recognised pastor ‘the appropriate agency’ for applying for this is the National Safeguarding Team of the Baptist Union. This enhanced disclosure must be undertaken by the Northern Baptist Association (NBA) through DDC on behalf of the National Safeguarding Team.
Please contact Clare (admin@thenba.org.uk) who can begin the process for you.
For other ministers ‘the appropriate agency’ will be your enhanced disclosure service provider unless you use the Union’s DBS disclosure service. In this case, the disclosure should be undertaken by the church verifier and the certificate will be provided by DDC.
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Safeguarding Training
All accredited, nationally and regionally recognised pastors/ministers are required to undertake the safeguarding training required by the Ministerial Recognition Committee (MRC) to maintain their accreditation/recognition. A safeguarding training clause should be included in the Terms of Settlement for all of the above ministries.
If you require a waiver to call a non-accredited minister the safeguarding training required by the MRC will be a condition of the waiver being granted. A safeguarding training clause in the Terms of Settlement would also be required in this case. If your minister is not accredited or recognised and you do not need a waiver, we would still strongly encourage you to retain this clause.
The current training requirements are to undertake BUGB Excellence in Safeguarding training at level 2 AND 3 every four years, and every year to undertake an online BUGB training session on a specific aspect of safeguarding.
The responsibility to ensure that non-accredited and non-recognised ministers undertake their safeguarding training remains with the church trustees.
