We are steadfast in our commitment to deliver top-tier education resources for all who are involved in safeguarding within the Catholic Church in Scotland, including the clergy, employees and volunteers.
SCSSA Director Paul Donaldson has affirmed that, through the work of the Safeguarding Training Advisory Group (STAG), the SCSSA will develop a programme of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) opportunities with the aim of improving the skills, knowledge and confidence of those involved in working with, and facilitating activities for, children and vulnerable adults in the Church.
SAFEGUARDING TRAINING FOR ALL
One critical aspect of safeguarding is identifying and managing risks effectively, in order to protect those in need of care and support. To achieve this, we want to ensure that everyone entrusted with safeguarding responsibilities receives the highest possible standard of training and opportunities for learning. While we recognise that progress on this front will be gradual, we are sure that the enthusiasm and dedication of volunteers is already setting a strong foundation for this to be achieved.
ONLINE LEARNING PORTAL
We acknowledge the significant demands placed on safeguarding volunteers, who often juggle these responsibilities with their personal and professional lives.
Time is a precious commodity, and we fully understand the challenges of integrating training into busy schedules. To address this, the Agency is committed to making training more accessible. So, one of our key objectives will be the development of an online learning portal.
Although this will take time and resources to develop and fully implement, it is imperative that it meets the needs of all users, and that training is tailored to the specific roles and responsibilities of safeguarding volunteers.
FORTHCOMING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
In the coming weeks, the SCSSA are hosting a Development Day for Safeguarding Trainers from each diocese at the Technology and Innovation Centre (TIC), Strathclyde University, Glasgow. Attendees will benefit from the expertise of Tammy Banks, one of the founding partners at Taye Training who provide expert training and safeguarding consultancy across the third and public sectors. This event will be followed by our National Safeguarding Conference on 16thNovember, also at Strathclyde University. This year’s conference promises to be an exciting opportunity for further professional development and networking and for delegates to increase their awareness of the tools available for practitioners to use in the identification of risks and in the prevention of abuse.
These initiatives are just the beginning of what we believe will be a transformative period for training attached to safeguarding within the Church. We are confident that these imminent training and development opportunities will not only be enjoyable for those attending but will be a visible demonstration of the SCSSA’s commitment to supporting all those involved in safeguarding.
We are looking forward to seeing those who will be attending the forthcoming events as we continue this vital work together.