In the Methodist Church we have two levels of safeguarding training – Foundation and Advanced. The Methodist Church has a list of those who are required to attend each level of training (please see links below), depending on their role(s) in the church, but anyone who wants a better understanding of safeguarding in the context of the Methodist Church is welcome to sign up and attend a course, even if they aren’t on the list.
Who needs to attend safeguarding training – click here to find out more
Foundation Training
The Creating Safer Spaces Foundation Module is an introduction to safeguarding in the Methodist Church. Whatever your role, it will help you understand safeguarding in Methodist Church communities and our collective responsibility for creating safer spaces for all.
This training takes two and a half hours and can be delivered in person, or online via Zoom. To do the training online, you will need a device with internet access, a microphone, and a speaker (such as a smartphone, or a laptop).
If you have completed the training before, and just need to refresh it, you can also do it as an E-Learning package on MCBX. This is something you can do on your own on a computer (e.g. Laptop, tablet, or smart phone) at your own pace. You can enrol for this package here.
Everyone is required to re-do the highest level of safeguarding training that they have done every four years. However, as a region, we encourage everyone to renew their Foundation Module every four years. This is because learning from cases in our districts shows that people need reminding of the ‘basics’ which the Foundation Module covers, but aren’t covered in the Advanced Module.
When you do the training, you will be given a Handbook, which contains all of the information that you have learned, as well as a Workbook section, for you to record your own notes.
Foundation training is organised by your circuits, but some circuits share their dates with us for other people to attend.
More information about the Foundation Module can be found here.
Advanced training
The Advanced Module is arranged and delivered by the District Training Team. It is offered in two formats: online or in-person.
The online format is divided into two distinct areas – a self-paced course on MCBX, followed by a 2-hour Gathered Session hosted on Zoom. You will need to book onto a Gathered Zoom session to be registered for the MCBX learning modules.
The in-person sessions are delivered as a full day’s training, beginning at 10am and finishing by 3:30pm in various locations around the District – see the booking page for dates and venues.
Training FAQs
Please see the official list here
However, District role descriptions may suggest other roles should complete the training, because the District is aiming to help create a safe culture within all of our churches.
If your role does not require you to complete the training, but you still feel it would be useful and would like to attend, you are very welcome to do so.
The Methodist Church and the Church of England have agreed that they will each recognise the other denomination’s Foundation and Advanced (Leadership) Module training as being equivalent to their own. This is the only training we are able to accept which means that if you training is with another organisation then yes, we ask you to complete it with us.
The training has been specifically put together to reflect the roles and unique ‘quirks’ of the Methodist Church. If you have experience of safeguarding in other contexts, however, there is space during the course to share and discuss this so that the whole group can benefit from each other’s experiences.
No – the Advanced Module builds on the material covered in the Foundation Module so it is important that, whatever your role, you attend the Foundation Module first. If you have done the Foundation Module, but it was longer than four years ago, you will need to complete a refresher course before doing the Advanced Module.
The short answer is every four years! If your role only requires you to do the Foundation Module, you need to re-do it every four years. If you role requires the Advanced Module, as well as the Foundation Module, you only need to redo the Advanced Module every four years.
However, if you did your Foundation Module before 3029, we would warmly encourage you to re-do it before you re-do your Advanced Module, to make sure you are up to date on the most recent thinking about safeguarding in the Methodist Church.
We know everyone has had different life experiences, and so some people might find topics covered in the training difficult. We aim to have a chaplain available at every session but if you would like any more specific details about what will be covered in the training, please get in touch with Laura, the Regional Safeguarding Officer in training, and she will be able to help.
We try our best to help to make the training accessible to everyone. Examples of things we can do to help you include providing printed materials in a larger font, making sure trainers use a microphone, asking the chaplain to check in with you during and/or after the session, and adding additional breaks for people.
Yes, you will get a certificate if you complete any safeguarding training with the
Methodist Church. It is recommended that you store this away safely so that you can show that you have completed the training if necessary and as a reminder of when you are next required to complete the training.
If you have lost your Advanced Module certificate, the District Office keeps a record of the date each person has completed the Advanced Module, we will therefore be able to issue you with a new certificate with the date you attended.
If you have lost your Foundation Module certificate, please contact either the circuit administrator or circuit safeguarding officer. Foundation Module records are kept locally and they should have a record of the date you completed the module and will be able to issue you a new certificate
There have been various studies undertaken into perpetrators of abuse and how the culture in a particular place can make a big difference to whether or not someone will abuse in that place or not.
In the Advanced Module safeguarding training we include a clip from an interview with Marcus Erooga, who is an Independent Safeguarding Consultant. Whilst his background is in Child Sexual Exploitation specifically, what he has to say about the culture of a place is equally valid for perpetrators of any kind of abuse. To hear more about what he has to say, please follow this link to view the video
Please get in touch with the Regional Safeguarding Office with any questions or concerns you have
Laura Tunnacliffe – tunnacliffel@methodistchurch.org.uk – 07354 862617