What is my role in safeguarding as a church volunteer?

Why does this apply to me ?

We often hear people say, “I’m only a volunteer, I don’t understand why all this applies to me” . In actual fact, any work that we do for church with children and young people, or adults at risk, whether you are paid or not, carries certain responsibilities. Sometimes we just don’t regard ourselves as being professionals as part of the children’s or adults workforce.

The legislation for children and adults safeguarding and the guidance (such as Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026) places a duty on your church, particularly your Safeguarding Lead, to ensure that anyone working with children, young people or adults at risk, knows what you need to do if you have any concern about a child or young person and that you have had the correct level of training.

Churches also need to ensure that you are competent to fulfil your role in regards to safeguarding.

Churches form a significant part of the children’s and vulnerable adults workforce across the UK. We don’t tend to think of it in these terms because we see it a ministry, however, from a legal perspective we are providing services to the community and as a charitable organisation we must fulfil our legal duties.

Churches must make sure they have considered both how they safeguard you as well as how they recruit and manage volunteers. This means making sure that volunteers are recognised and considered in safeguarding policies and procedures throughout the organisation, and making sure that safeguarding is considered throughout your policies and procedures relating to volunteers.

Safeguarding does not have to be difficult or time consuming. Churches must understand the level of risk involved and then manage those risks in a way that is proportionate for the activities their volunteers are involved in.