Church of England roles28where the activity is seen to be eligible for a criminalrecord check

A. Clergy.
All will require an enhanced criminal record check (including barringinformation)
All Church of England ordained and licensed Clergy including Archbishops,Bishops, Archdeacons, Deans, stipendiary parish Clergy, self-supporting Minister / nonstipendiary Ministers, Chaplains, locally ordained Clergy, Clergy with ‘permission to officiate’, andthose seeking ordination training orordination.
B. Those employees and volunteers working with vulnerable groups (i.e. children(i.e. those aged under 18) and those working with adults experiencing, or at riskof abuse or neglect (18+)) (note, this will always include those in trainingand individuals on studentplacements).
Those working with children. Most will require an enhanced29 criminal record check(including barring information) unless they are supervised30 or they are on a rota and do not satisfythe ‘period condition’, (i.e. frequent, intensive orovernight 31).
Those working with adults experiencing, or at risk of abuse or neglect. Most will not bein Regulated Activity but will require an enhanced criminal record check withoutbarring information. Some will be in Regulated Activity and need an enhanced criminal recordcheck (including barring information) if, for example, they provide, personal care, assistancewith cash, bills or shopping, conveying someone to or from healthcare, personal care or socialcare (but not to Churchactivities).
*Readers
* Authorised LayMinisters
*LicensedEvangelists
*Lay people authorised to provide pastoralcare. For example Parish Pastoral Assistant,Pastoral Home Visitor, Street Pastor, Authorised Listener Pastoral Outreach Worker and equivalentsin Cathedrals e.g. Cathedral Verger who haspastoral / * Parish volunteer driver forvulnerable groups (children or adults) for children’s/ adults’ activities organised by the Church– (Please note – private /personal arrangements among parents / friendsetc. areexempt)
*Diocesan Safeguarding Advisers andParish Safeguarding Officers whomanage32

28 This list is indicative and not exhaustive as there will be local variations in approaches, titles androles

29 An Enhanced criminal record check from the DBS shows details of all spent and unspent convictions,cautions,reprimands, final warnings (unless filtered, (please see the DBS filtering guidanceat local police records (if appropriate)andindicatesifthepersonisonabarredlist.ThebarredlistismaintainedbytheDBSandlistsindividualswhoarebarredfrom working with children or vulnerable adults as defined under theSVGA.

30 The Church of England defines supervised activityas:

Activity where the supervisor - who has him / herself been safely recruited - is always able to see thesupervisedworker’sactionsduringhis/herwork.Whereyouareuncertainwhetherthislevelofmonitoringcanbemaintainedcontinuously – for example, ensuring cover for all holidays and sickness absence by the supervisor - then the roleisnot a supervisedposition

31 Frequent – Once a week or more; Intensive – 4 days or more in a 30 period and overnight – Between the hoursof0200 and0600.

care in jobrole
*Youth worker or Leader
*Children’s worker orLeader
*Sunday school teacher orLeader
*Family workers who work with children ortheir Leader
*Bell ringers who teach or train children plusthe Tower Captains who manage those adultswho teach ortrain.
*Music leader where the choir or musicalgroup includeschildren
*Head Server– only when the roleincludes supervision or training ofchildren. / people engaged in activities withvulnerable groups (children oradults).
*Diocesan Education staff who eitherhave substantial contact with children ormanage those whodo.
*Leader of Parent & Toddler Groups (butnot parent helpers who supervise theirown children or if a self –helpgroup.
*Managers of individuals workingwith vulnerable groups (children andadults)
* Those in religious communities(e.g. monks, nuns, brothers and sisters) whoare in active ministry and work withvulnerable groups (children oradults).
C. Charity Trustees of children’s or vulnerable adult’s charities33. TheCharity Commission recommends that trustees always obtain a criminal record checkwhen eligible to do so as it an important tool in ensuring that the person is suitable toact34
A PCC is a charity35 and provided it sponsors and approves, in its own name, children’s workor work with vulnerable adults (e.g. a Youth Club, Sunday School, home visiting scheme forthe housebound or a luncheon club for adults with special needs who require assistance withfeeding or toileting) then this recommendation applies. It does not apply to all PCCs only thosethat sponsor and approve children’s work and work with vulnerable adults. Although insuch cases all members of the PCC will be eligible, which members of the PCC shouldbe checked is a matter for localdetermination.
D. Roles that are not eligible for an enhanced criminal record check(unless undertaking any role in A or B or are included in C) but remain eligible for abasic criminal conviction check through DisclosureScotland
*ParishVerger
*Server
*Caretaker * Refreshment helper *ShopStaff
*Flower arranger*Sidesperson*PCCmembers (including Church wardens where the PCCdoes not qualify as a children’s/vulnerableadult’s charity) *Bell ringers (rank andfile). / *Choir leader or musical director foradult choir
*Organist unless also directing a choirwhich containschildren* Choir members /music group members (unless the roleincludes responsibility for teaching, training, caringfor or supervising vulnerable groups (childrenor adults). *, Food bank helpersunless undertaking work with vulnerablegroups (children or adults) as indicated in Babove.

32 Management in this context includes planning, organising, advising ordirecting

33 A children’s charity and a vulnerable adult’s charity were defined in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006inSchedule 4. The relevant provisions have now been repealed but retain their relevance in relation to eligibilityforchecks . Broadly, a charity is a children’s charity or vulnerable adult’s charity if the individuals who are workers forthecharity normally include individuals engaging in regulatedactivity.

1.34 Charities: how to protect vulnerable groups including children – “…In the case of trustees, because oftheirpositionwithinthecharity,wetaketheviewthatwheneverthereisalegalentitlementtoobtainaDBScheckinrespectofsuchatrustee,acheckshouldbecarriedout.Thisgoesbeyondcircumstanceswherethetrusteecomesinto contact with children…” – Charity Commission policy paper – 14 July2014

35 A PCC is acharity