Safeguarding Training and Webinars
The URC aims to support its churches in creating a safe culture for all.
Our training offering covers both mandatory (ie. courses we expect postholders to complete) and supplementary training (short courses on Zoom on specialized/supplementary topics).
Mandatory Training
Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced training is organised, booked and delivered by your synod.
What level of training you need very much depends on your role and an amended framework was adopted by General Assembly in July 2025. The full framework can be found here (PDF | 4mb). There are now separate training matrixes For England, Scotland and Wales with accompanying flow charts to explain what level of training you will need. These can be found here:
Please do get in touch with your Synod for further details and to book a course.
The Safeguarding Foundation course is also available as an E-Learning package which can be taken at your own pace and in your own time. It is available on the URC Learning Hub.
Specialist/Supplementary Training
The URC runs bite-sized two hour Zoom sessions open to anyone across the denomination on a variety of topics to complement your current safeguarding knowledge, and these can be booked via Emma Pearce at the URC Church House Safeguarding team.
The list of sessions 2026 is available here (PDF | 160kb)
DDC Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) & Safer Recruitment training
For those involved in DBS verification for England and Wales our DBS Partner, Due Diligence Checking (DDC), runs Zoom courses in conjunction with the UCR on how to the use the DDC portal to conduct DBS check, and also how this fits into safer recruitment in the URC. The dates for 2025 are:
- Thursday 8 May 7.00-9.00pm
- Wednesday 10 September 1.00-3.00pm
- Thursday 20 November 7.00-9.00pm
Please contact Emma Pearce to book a session stating your name/church and role.
Training Webinars
Elders a Trustees – for those of you who are unable to attend an Elders training session on Zoom, we offer a webinar recording for you to view at your convenience to assist you in your role until such time you are available to attend training.
We hope to develop more webinars on short, specialised topics and will add them here, so please do check back.
Safeguarding Symposiums
The team usually runs an online symposium every two years, but sometimes more frequently.
2023 – the URC’s safeguarding team launched Good Practice 6 and featured a presentation from Leroy Logan MBE on unconscious and bias and prejudice and its impact on Safeguarding. You can view it on YouTube.
2025 – We are pleased to announce our 2025 Symposium (details below) on Wednesday 15 October. Tickets are limited and available via eventbrite
