Guildford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers

Safeguarding of Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults in the context of Bell Ringing

A printable copy of this document is available here:
October 2025 GDG Safeguarding Policy

1. Policy Statement
   • The Guildford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers (GDG or Guild) is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
   • The GDG policy and procedures are based on those provided by the House of Bishops, the Diocese of Guildford, and the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers.
   • The GDG will conform with the diocesan procedures relating to the safeguarding of young ringers. See Detailed Guidance section.
   • The Guild Safeguarding Officer will work with the Guild Executive to ensure that Guild members are informed of all aspects of relevant legislation and good practice, and the guidance will be communicated widely.
   • The welfare and protection of all young or vulnerable ringers will be actively promoted in all towers in the diocese.
   • The GDG recognises its members’ duty to protect all children and young people, and all vulnerable adults, associated in any way with its practices.
2. General procedures – Guidance to members
   • In order to comply with Diocesan guidelines the following is recommended as best practice, but tower captains should be aware of the House of Bishops’, the Diocesan, the CCCBR’s, their Parish’s and the Guild’s policies on safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults, and institute practices suitable to their own circumstances.
   • The tower captain and anyone who supervises the training or teaching of children and young people will need Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance (See Detailed Guidance section). In practice, this applies to the person in charge or responsible for children or young people whilst in the tower. Such a person must be in supervision at all times when children or young people are in the tower or engaged in ringing-related activities, unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
   • Anyone with a formal, albeit usually voluntary, role in having responsibility for the training or supervision of children must:

• be the subject of a DBS check conducted by the parish’s appointed officer;
• have a written role-description, approved by the parish’s Parochial Church Council (PCC); and
• be formally appointed by the PCC.
  • Any person under the age of eighteen cannot be responsible for the training or supervision of children or young people, but may be recognised as a Young Helper. Young helpers must themselves be supervised by an appropriate adult, and may never be responsible for children or other young people.  Church of England guidance (safer-environment-and-activities-oct19_0.pdf (churchofengland.org)) advises that there should be a five-year age gap between young helpers and the children whom they are helping.
  • DBS clearance certificates can be used in other towers within the Diocese if in date and in the same context. That is, DBS certificates obtained through the ringer’s home parish office for the specific activity related to ringing and teaching of ringing, can be used for teaching and supervision in other towers and on courses. DBS certificates obtained for other activities may not be used unless the holder is a current subscriber to the Update Service (DBS Update Service – GOV.UK).
  • It is the responsibility of the parish authorities where the ringing is taking place, i.e., the parish safeguarding officer or incumbent, to ensure the tower captain and any person supervising the training or teaching of children and young people has been subject to a DBS clearance, evidenced by a certificate obtained by their or another parish office in respect of them. Where an activity is organised by the GDG, the organising person should ensure a person with certificated DBS clearance is in supervision throughout the activity whilst children or young people are present.
  • Where a ringer acts not on behalf of any tower but is performing a role involving interaction with children and young people from several towers, it is expected that such a person has been the subject of a DBS check. It is strongly recommended that the person is accompanied by other adults in the course of their activities with children and young people, and it would be preferable if at least one other adult is DBS checked. The Guild would encourage the attendance of parents at such meetings, and written, informed parental consent is required when parents are not present. (Informed consent means that the adult (with legal parental-responsibility) consenting understands the nature of to what they are consenting, e.g., how it will be managed or supervised, or what is involved).
  • The GDG advises its members to note that a DBS clearance certificate does not prove that an individual is a safe person; it is important to recognise that DBS certificates should form only one aspect of a tower or group’s safeguarding measures, and should be complemented by a range of other approaches, including the presence of an additional adult, the keeping of registers, close communication with the parents or legal guardians of children or young people learning to ring, and awareness and scrutiny by other church officers.
  • Always have two adults present when children and young people are being taught.
  • Invite the parents of any trainee to come and watch a training session before allowing their child to start to learn. Require a parent to attend the first training session and ensure that the parent fully understands what is involved in learning to ring.
  • Make sure that a parent is responsible for delivering and collecting the child to and from the tower.
  • Ask parents to sign a form giving permission (informed consent) for the child to be taught to ring. See Detailed guidance (section 4).
  • Keep an attendance register identifying the presence both of adults and children on any occasion.
  • Do not allow children up amongst the bells apart from an initial demonstration visit (where it is assessed as being safe to do so), or to take part in supervised maintenance activities or demonstrations. Appropriate risk assessments, recorded in writing, must be undertaken before all such activities, and these may need to take into account the age of the participants.
  • Parents should sign an informed consent form for tower outings, unless the parent will accompany their child throughout.
  • Care should be taken when emailing children and groups: if appropriate, use the ‘blind copy’ field to conceal individuals’ addresses and adhere to good practice by copying-in the parents of children and young people.
  • The Diocese requires all bellringers over the age of eighteen years old, all tower captains and all those teaching bell-handling to others to undertake safeguarding training. The level of training required is summarised in the Safeguarding Training page of the Diocese’s website: Safeguarding Training | Diocese of Guildford (cofeguildford.org.uk). See Training (section 5).
  • To assist tower captains, and to protect both young people and those who ring with them, more detailed guidance is included in the Detailed guidance (section 4).

3. The appointment of responsibility-holders within the Guild
   • The GDG appoints members to hold specific positions of responsibility within the Guild for the purpose of planning and leading Guild activities, managing resources and supporting members and non-members to engage in Guild activities and to develop their skills. The Guild recognises the heightened level of access to, and influence on children, young people and vulnerable adults of some specific positions of responsibility within the Guild.  The Guild is therefore committed to exercising particular caution in the appointment of such persons in order to promote the safeguarding of all children, young people and vulnerable adults associated with Guild activity.
   • Positions relevant to this increased level of scrutiny during the appointment process include:
4. Guild Master
5. District Master or Chair
6. District Ringing Master
7. Guild or District Training Officer
8. Young Ringers Coordinator or Leader
9. Guild Safeguarding Officer
10. Anyone appointed to a position whereby they are expected to deputise for any of the above-listed positions; this may include ‘Assistant’ titles, but only if they act as a deputy rather than purely assisting.
    • Appointment to any of the above-listed positions is subject to the following process:
11. The prospective postholder must obtain a DBS Certificate in respect of themself, dated within the last three years. This may already exist, having been arranged by their home parish safeguarding officer, may be possible to obtain through the diocese safeguarding team, or may be obtained directly using a certified provider, such as: Services – Online DBS Check Application | DBS Check Online.  If the prospective postholder holds a DBS Certificate older than three years, but is registered with the DBS Update Service (DBS Update Service – GOV.UK), they may be able to evidence that the information contained on their original certificate remains current.  Please note that there is no annual charge for volunteers to register with the Update Service.
12. The prospective postholder must complete the GDG Self-Disclosure Form (see appendix A).

• The prospective postholder must show to a nominated Guild officer (i.e., the Guild Master or Guild Safeguarding Officer for Guild-wide and District Master/Chair positions, or District Master/Chair for other district positions) original documents of both their DBS Certificate, in accordance with 3.3 i), above, and their completed Self-Disclosure Form (appendix A).

1. The nominated officer viewing the documents will make a record of the date, time and which documents viewed, and forward this record to the Guild Safeguarding Officer (or directly to the Guild Master in the absence of the Guild Safeguarding Officer). The information sent to the Guild Safeguarding Officer by the nominated Guild officer will record whether
2. no information indicating potential risk is evidenced; or
3. information exists which could indicate potential risk, necessitating the completion of a risk-assessment (see appendix B for a template, which is completed by the Guild Safeguarding Officer). For the avoidance of doubt, information relating to any criminal offence should be considered indicative of potential risk, warranting consideration through the risk-assessment process (see 3.3 v) b)).
4. In the event of 3.3 iv) a), the Guild Master will confirm the appointment. In the event of 3.3 iv) b), the Guild Safeguarding Officer must complete a risk-assessment (appendix B) to inform decision-making by the Guild Master as to whether the potential postholder is suitable to be appointed.  The decision will take into account level of risk to children, young people and vulnerable adults, and any mitigating measures, in order to determine whether or not such an appointment would reasonably be considered consistent with the Guild’s commitment to safeguarding.  The Guild Master or Safeguarding Officer may choose to seek advice from the Diocesan Safeguarding Team and/or the Local Authority Designated Officer for allegations against adults working with children (LADO) (Surrey or Hampshire).
5. In the event that a decision is made not to proceed with the appointment, The Guild Master will communicate the decision to the person applying for the post, and will handover the risk-assessment (template at appendix B) to the subject of the assessment.

• In the event of 3.3 iv) a), or on completion of the process described in 3.3 v), all original documents provided by the prospective postholder will be returned immediately to the person who is the subject of the documents; the Guild will not retain any original documents or copies of documents used in this process, other than the record described in 3.3 iv).
• If a member of the Guild wishes to appeal a decision not to appoint them to one of the above-named responsibility posts, following completion of the process described in 3.3 v), they may submit an appeal in writing, providing all such information they wish to be considered, plus a true copy of the risk-assessment handed to them following the decision-making process, to the GDG Executive Committee, who will consider the appeal at the next scheduled meeting of the Committee, or at a specially convened extraordinary meeting if the Guild Master wishes. The Executive Committee may invite the appellant to attend the appeal in order to respond to questions, and the appellant may bring a companion to such a hearing.  The companion may not be a legal professional nor provide answers on behalf of the appellant.  The Executive Committee will make a decision, not in the presence of the appellant, and will communicate to the appellant the outcome of the appeal, in writing, within thirty days of the meeting.  The decision of the Executive Committee will be final and binding.
  • The Guild recognises it is good practice for postholders in the positions listed above to obtain a new DBS Certificate (or proof via the Update Service), and to complete a new Self-Disclosure Form (appendix A) every three years, and to show these documents to a nominated officer (see 3.4 iii), above).
  • In the event that information relating to a postholder’s suitability or risk changes during their tenure in their position of responsibility, the risk-assessment process described in 3.3 v), above, must be completed anew.
  • The Guild requires all postholders to inform the Guild Safeguarding Officer or the Guild Master immediately if their situation changes in a manner which might reasonably be deemed to influence a change in assessment of the level of risk or suitability for working with children, young people or vulnerable adults.
  • If the outcome of a risk-assessment is a decision that the postholder is no longer suitable to continue in their position of responsibility, the Guild Master or Safeguarding Officer will recommend to the Guild Executive Committee that the person’s position of responsibility within the Guild be withdrawn. In such circumstances, the subject of the decision has the same right to appeal, described in 3.3 viii), above.
  • This approach to exercising a higher degree of caution in appointing Guild members to positions of responsibility within the Guild, and to sustaining their tenure of such positions, is newly adopted by the Executive Committee on Thursday, the 16^th of October 2025. To enable smooth transition without disruption to Guild activities, the Executive Committee will recognise a grace period whereby persons already holding the above-named positions of responsibility, and those newly appointed during the period will have until the 30^th of April 2026 to complete the process described in 3.3.

4. Detailed guidance
   • The Diocesan safeguarding policy, practice guidance and protocols can be found on the Diocesan website: http://www.cofeguildford.org.uk/about/safeguarding-inclusion/safeguarding-policy-guidance-protocols.
   • Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks should be completed for those who directly teach or supervise young ringers on a frequent or intensive basis or overnight, and those who supervise these teachers (usually the tower captain). The current definition of frequent is once a week or more often; the current definition of intensive is 4 days or more in a 30-day period; and overnight means between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. Other adult ringers in the tower who offer helpful suggestions to learners or ‘stand behind’ are not required to undergo DBS checks.
   • DBS checks should be carried out by the person appointed by the parish to administer such applications.
   • If it is possible, it is good practice to have one male and one female in each tower who have undergone DBS checks conducted by the parish.
   • Parents should attend their child’s first session at the tower. The tower captain should explain what is involved in ringing and stress safe behaviour in the ringing room. Parents should be told that it may occasionally be necessary, for safety reasons, for the teacher to speak loudly to the child and to come into physical contact with their person in order to control the bell. Those teaching children and young people to ring, and those supervising or in charge, must ensure that physical contact is minimal, being for the shortest period and the least intrusive as possible, and is entirely appropriate and justifiable in respect of the purpose of teaching bell-handling safely. Physical contact should never be secretive, or for the gratification of the adult, or represent a misuse of authority.
   • Written, informed parental consent should be obtained before a young ringer joins the tower and this should include a record of any relevant medical information, contact numbers for the parents and the child’s General Practitioner (GP). Specific parental consent must also be obtained for any activity that takes place away from the home tower. The CCCBR has devised a Permission to Ring form which can be downloaded from the Tower Stewardship Committee’s area of the CCCBR website. When completed, this form may contain sensitive personal data, and care should be taken that this information is kept confidential. Forms should not be pinned on the tower notice board, but should be retained safely and confidentially for future reference.
   • There must be clear written arrangements when children are travelling in cars other than with their own family members. If parents make arrangements with friends to transport their children to ringing activities then no DBS checks are required. If children are to be transported on activities arranged by the Guild, branch or tower in a vehicle organised by the Guild (branch or tower) then at least one adult who is DBS checked should be present and parental consent must be obtained in advance. Children must be safely seated in the car according to legislation relating to their height. It is good practice for male and female adults to be present in a car and when this is not possible then the children should sit in the back.
   • It is permissible for parents to photograph their own children at bell ringing activities. However, if the Guild/branch/tower takes photographs (or makes any other images) of children for publication in a newsletter or newspaper, or on a website, etc., then parental permission must be obtained; there should be a consent form which includes the information about how, and where, photographs will be stored. It is good practice for a child’s first name only to be published with their photograph, although the GDG recognises that this is not always practical, e.g., where photographs accompany quarter-peal or peal reports published in The Ringing World or on Bell Board. Photographs may not be shared on websites, including Bell Board, or social media without the knowledge and permission of parents.
   • Every effort should be made to ensure that First Aid help can be quickly obtained either from a member of the band or from someone living near the church and that rapid contact can be made with the emergency services – for example by having a mobile telephone in each tower and by displaying the access entrance’s post-code and What3Words application code.
   • Every effort should be made to ensure that Health and Safety matters are considered and reasonable steps taken to remedy any deficiencies. At a minimum there should be emergency lighting, fire extinguishers and a first aid kit available. Risk assessments should be undertaken where appropriate.
   • It is important that members of the tower should be vigilant when young ringers are present, especially when they are sitting out. From time to time, a ringer’s conduct in relation to children may give cause for concern. If there are any concerns about the behaviour of anyone in relation to a child or other vulnerable person then this should not be ignored. The GDG deems it the responsibility of all members to protect and safeguard all who come into contact with its members and activities, including children, young people and vulnerable adults.  The action to be taken is outlined in Appendix 2 below.
   • If a ringer is found to have a record of inappropriate behaviour, or is convicted of offences against children, the Diocesan Safeguarding Team and the incumbent of the parish concerned will offer advice on the appropriate precautions for the protection of young ringers that should be included in any agreement the parish decides to make with the offender regarding his/her activities.
   • In the event of a serious concern or allegation raised against a member of the GDG, the Diocesan Safeguarding Team will work closely with the GDG Safeguarding Officer or Master, and with other Safeguarding partner agencies such as the Police and the Local Authority Designated Officer for allegations against adults working with children (LADO) to assess and manage risk during any investigation and on its conclusion. Consideration will be given to risk-management within the member’s parish and other GDG towers and activities.  Risk-assessment and risk-management will consider whether the subject of the concern or allegation holds a GDG honorary officer position or has a particular role, and the implications in terms of risk (see 3.5, above).  The GDG Executive Committee may deem it necessary, through process described in 3.7, above, to remove the member from office, role or responsibility, either temporarily or permanently.

5. Training
   • The current expectation by the Church is that training should be undertaken by all bellringers, dependent on particular roles, as shown in the following table. Training is provided free of charge, and online by the Diocesan Safeguarding Team and accessed by any bellringer individually through the Safeguarding Training page of the Diocese’s website: Safeguarding Training | Diocese of Guildford (cofeguildford.org.uk). The Guild is committed to supporting ringers to access and complete this training.

*Available to access online, free-of-charge; **delivered in groups by video-call (see Contacts section below); ***mandatory if employed (rather than a volunteer) to train children.

5.2       Training needs to be renewed once every three years, but in each case, only the highest level of Core Training needs to be renewed (you do not need to go back to the Basic Awareness training if you have attained a higher level; renew only the highest level you have previously completed).  The Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse module sits apart from the Core Training, and does not count as a higher level.  It must also be renewed every three years.

6. Responding to a concern or disclosure

• What to do if you have a concern:

1. Make a written record of the details as you know them.
2. Report your concerns to your tower captain and your incumbent or Parish Safeguarding Officer, and inform the Guild’s Safeguarding Officer.

• If you feel that your concerns are not being dealt with appropriately, contact the Diocesan Safeguarding team: 01483 790 349; .

1. Don’t delay in reporting your concern – the priority is the safety of children.
2. DO NOT talk to others, investigate, or alert any possible perpetrator.
3. If you have genuine concern relating to the immediate welfare of a child, you must telephone 999 and communicate your concerns to the police.
   • What to do if you receive a disclosure from a young or vulnerable ringer
4. Keep calm. Listen carefully. Do not interrupt, interrogate or ask leading questions. Your role is to listen and to recognise there is a concern; not to investigate it.
5. Let the person know that you will have to pass the information on to the tower captain and incumbent (unless they are the subject of the disclosure); you must not promise secrecy.

• If the person is hurt, seek medical help.

1. If there is immediate danger or evidence of a possible criminal offence, report it to the police.
2. Follow the steps outlined under What to do if you have a concern, above.
   • Making records
3. Write the child’s actual words, not a paraphrase.
4. If recording allegations, make it clear that they come from a third party.

• Distinguish fact from opinion.

1. Date and sign as the recorder; do not ask the person disclosing to sign.
2. State your full name and role in the church.
3. Give the record to the incumbent.
4. Vulnerable adults

7.1     Adults can be, from time to time and in certain contexts, vulnerable in respect of being susceptible to exploitation by others.  Vulnerability derives from an imbalance of power; including, but not limited to, power associated with perceived or actual authority, financial resources, level of education or skill, and ability to articulate opinions and experience, or to advocate for themselves or others.

7.2     Whilst such imbalances are likely always to be present amongst social groups of people, members of the GDG have a duty to promote the inclusion and welfare of all members, and thus to report any concerns whereby it is considered that an adult is or maybe being taken advantage of by another.

7.3     Such reports should be made, in the first instance, to the tower captain, or to the incumbent or parish safeguarding officer.  Wherever illegal activity, or the potential for genuine harm, is identified, reports should be made directly to the police.

8. Useful information

8.1     Main documents to refer to:

1. i) The Diocesan safeguarding policy, practice guidance and protocols can be found on the Diocesan website: http://www.cofeguildford.org.uk/about/safeguarding-inclusion/safeguarding-policy-guidance-protocols.
2. ii) CCCBR information available from their website and search under “Child Protection” https://cccbr.org.uk/safeguarding/.
3. Contacts

9.1      The Diocesan Safeguarding Team:

(01483 790 349); .

9.2       The Guildford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers’ Safeguarding Officer is Jonathan Hetherington: contact details can be found in the GDG Annual Report.

9.3       The Diocese’s Safeguarding Core Training and other on-line courses can be found using the following link:

http://www.cofeguildford.org.uk/about/safeguarding-inclusion/safeguarding-training.  A certificate can be created on completion. The courses are free to access.

10. Tower risk-assessments

10.1     The GDG recognises it is best-practice to have a written risk assessment and mitigation plan which covers each tower’s bell-ringing activities, including practices, belfry-maintenance, arrangements for visiting ringers, etc.

10.2     Such documents need not be onerous; they should not act to prohibit a band’s normal activities, but should serve to promote them, describing the usual activities and evidencing that the bellringers have given consideration to what might be risky, and how they have lowered that risk to make it reasonably safe.  The process of putting together such a risk-assessment document is likely to increase safety as tower captains and their fellow ringers think through their usual practices.  Having the document will serve to protect the bellringers and the parish church from possible suggestions of negligence, providing evidence they have thought about potential harm, and behave in a way which is intended to protect themselves and others.

10.3     Simply, the document will list potential causes of injury or other harm in the tower or the ringers’ activities, and correspondingly list actions taken or general behaviours which are intended to reduce the risk of injury or harm so that it is at a reasonable level.  Almost no activity one can imagine will be free from risk – eradicating risk entirely is certainly not the aim.

10.4     As examples, it is likely that such a document will cover the following areas, amongst others (wording may well be different depending on each tower’s unique context):

• Ringing the bells

Examples of risk-mitigation measures might include

– a bell-ringer with more than two years’ experience will always be present when the bells are rung;

– there will always be more than one person present;

– the clock-hammers will always be disconnected before ringing commences;

– a simple first-aid kit is accessible in the ringing chamber, or in the church.

• Accessing the installation

Examples of risk-mitigation measures might include

– there is always more than one person present in the tower when anyone is accessing the bell-chamber – or – if a person is working alone, they will have advised another person of their location in advance;

– when someone is accessing the bell-chamber, the bell-ropes are locked up to prevent bells being swung – or – the door to the ringing chamber is locked – or – signage is clearly displayed warning someone is working amongst the bells – or – someone is supervising the ringing chamber to ensure no one pulls a rope.

• Visitors

Examples of risk-mitigation measures might include

– advising visitors in advance of ringing of the necessity of disconnecting the clock-hammers;

– signage to warn of dangers, such as low-ceilings on staircases, or the bells being in a dangerous ‘up’ position;

– verbal warning provided about uneven steps, or the fact that the 4^th bell has a nasty tendency to slip-wheel and thus may not be suitable for inexperienced ringers.

Security

Examples of risk-mitigation measures might include

– locking bell-ropes out of the way, or locking the door of the ringing room when ringers are not present;

– locking doors which afford access to the tower and bell chamber;

– all non-ringer key-holders briefed so that they understand the potential risks associated with the bell-ropes, clock-hammers and bells.

Children, young people and vulnerable adults

• Examples of risk-mitigation measures might include your tower’s adherence to the guidance provided in the Guildford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers Safeguarding Policy (Safeguarding – Guildford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers (guildfordguild.org.uk)).
• If tower captains or bands are in the unlikely position of feeling they need to start from scratch, the guidance above, hopefully, offers a good starting point from which to build.  Some towers may have fire-extinguishers strategically placed and regularly checked by the church authorities through a contractor; some may have emergency-lighting fitted, or burglar alarms; all churches undergo quinquennial inspections of the building and fabric.
• These are just a few ideas of what might be included.  If one feels uncertain, there is more guidance and very good, helpful templates and examples provided by the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers (RiskAssessment | Running a Tower (cccbr.org.uk)).  Ecclesiastical Insurance also offers helpful advice: Bell ringing | Church Risk Management | Ecclesiastical.
• It is likely that the parish church has an appointed lay-person responsible for health and safety.  It is important to liaise with them – they may be able to offer good advice but, unless a ringer themselves, will not likely have the expertise of the towercaptain and ringers in respect of how to manage risks associated with bellringing.
• GDG bands can also seek advice from their district committee members, or from Mike LeMarie, our Guild’s Belfry Restoration Advisor ().
• Importantly, it is easy to forget that such documents should be living; i.e., represent actual working practices and updated frequently to keep them current.  It really is best if a group of the bellringers, if not all of a band, collaborate to put the document together, and copy should be shared with the parish church’s health and safety coordinator.

APPENDIX A   Self-Disclosure Form (relevant to section 3.3 ii) of the Guild Safeguarding Policy)

Guildford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers

PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL

SELF-DISCLOSURE FORM

For the purpose of appointment to a position of responsibility within the Guild.

Declaration

INDICATE CLEARLY THE ONE ACCURATE STATEMENT (select either A or B):

A

I confirm that I know of no information or reason which might give cause for concern in respect of my suitability to be in a position of responsibility over children, young people or vulnerable adults; I confirm that I am not the subject of any criminal conviction, caution, bind-over, reprimand or bail-conditions; and I confirm that the information displayed on my Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate remains accurate.

OR

B

I have provided to a nominated Guild Officer (Guild Master or Guild Safeguarding Officer for Guild-wide and District Master/Chair roles, or District Master/Chair for other District roles) a written disclosure of relevant information, to inform a risk-assessment in accordance with the procedures described in the Guild Safeguarding Policy.  My disclosure is comprehensive in identifying all pertinent information, including any criminal conviction, caution, bind-over, reprimand or bail-conditions.

Signed:

Print name: Date:

This completed form should be shown to a nominated Guild Officer (Guild Master or Guild Safeguarding Officer for Guild-wide and District Master/Chair roles, or District Master/Chair for other District roles), together with any disclosure pertaining to statement B, where applicable.

APPENDIX B   Risk-Assessment Template (relevant to section 3.3 v) of the Guild Safeguarding Policy)

Guildford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers

PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL

Safeguarding Risk-Assessment

For identifying potential risk and mitigation measures, to inform decision-making regarding the suitability of the subject to hold a position of responsibility listed within 3.2 of the Guild Safeguarding Policy.

On completion, this document should be treated as highly confidential, and shared only with the Guild Master and Safeguarding Officer.

Once a decision has been made by the Guild Master or the Executive Committee, this document should be handed to the subject of the risk-assessment, or destroyed.  No copy should be made or retained.