Safeguarding requirements for Ministers

From 1 January 2017 all accredited persons and Nationally Recognised Pastors must undertake the BUGB level 2 and 3 safeguarding training every 4 years, and at least one online module per year in the intervening years.  

This requirement will not apply if the minister is serving as a Chaplain where safeguarding training is provided which is relevant to the ministry that they are undertaking. However, if they serve as a moderator or part time minister alongside this role, they will need to undertake level 3 training with BUGB as this is relevant to their church context.   A Chaplaincy Safeguarding Declaration is available from the Ministries Team; completion of this form means that you will not need to provide us with evidence of your safeguarding training while you are employed as a chaplain (unless you are a Moderator). 

All accredited persons and Nationally Recognised Pastors must have an enhanced disclosure checking for both the barred lists for children and adults, in order to be on the appropriate register. The disclosure should be renewed every 5 years by the Association or College, or when a new post is taken up if this is sooner. Since ministers are expected to use their home or manse as a safe place, the DBS update service is not suitable for the renewal of a minister’s disclosure. You can find out about the approach we will take to conducting this renewal here.

Ministers in retirement will not be required to engage in safeguarding training with BUGB unless they are serving in a retirement pastorate or as a moderator, in which case the normal requirements will apply. 

In exceptional cases the MRC can determine whether an accredited person needs to undertake safeguarding training for the role that they are undertaking.