"A Safe and Welcoming Church"
Copyright © 2024 National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland
NBSCCCI advise that they have been working to create an E-learning hub specific to the NBSCCCI.
The first training housed there is Garda Vetting training which has been created in partnership with the Munster Safeguarding Liaison Persons Group, the Archdiocese of Dublin and the NBSCCCI. The aim of this self-driven flexible learning piece is to meet the requirement of Garda Vetting Liaison Persons to train affiliates / validators verifying applicants' identity.
On completion of the training module, which includes four knowledge check sections, the learner will receive a certificate of completion.
There is no charge to Church body affiliates / validators while they are using the link provided by the NBSCCCI. They can self-register for the course and complete the 45-minute piece at their own pace.
All affiliates/validators must submit their certificate of completion of the training module to the Garda Vetting Liaison Person. Only those who do so will be able to submit documentation for Garda vetting applicants.
You can register for the training hub or share the link using NBSCCCI E-learning hub.
Page 4 | Foreword
Page 5 | Safeguarding Children Policy Statement
Page 6 | Vision and Mission
Page 7 | Principles
Page 8 | Implementation and Scope of the Safeguarding Children Policy
Page 9 | Application of the Safeguarding Children Policy Standards
Page 10 | The Safeguarding Children Policy Standards (see Art 10 LSP-I)
Page 11 | Standard: Leadership, Governance and Accountability (see Art 11 LSP-I)
Page 13 | Standard: Nurturing a Culture of Safeguarding (see Art 12 LSP-I)
Page 15 | Standard: Responding Pastorally and Reporting According to Civil and Canon Law (see Art 13 LSP-I)
Page 18 | Commitment by the Church Authority (see Art 14 LSP-I)
Page 19 to 21 | Appendix A: Glossary of Terms
Page 22 to 27 | Appendix B: Definitions of Abuse in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland
Page 28 | Appendix C: Legislation, International Treaties, the Irish Constitution, and Regulation underpinning the Safeguarding Children Policy
Page 29-37 | Appendix D: Application Matrix for Safeguarding Children Policy Standards
S | Page 1 | Table of Contents
S1.A | Page 4 | Guidance on Safe Recruitment Procedures
S1.A | Page 7 | Template 1: Recruitment and Selection Checklist
S1.A | Page 9 | Template 2: Application Form
S1.A | Page 12 | Template 3: Confidential Declaration Form
S1.A | Page 14 | Template 4: Character and Personal Reference Request
S1.A | Page 15 | Template 5: Confidentiality Declaration
S1.B | Page 16 | Guidance on Vetting (revised Nov. 2025)
S1.B | Page 22A | Template 1A: Service Level Agreement to Share Vetting Information (for use only in the Republic of Ireland)
S1.B | Page 23A | Template 1B: Consent to Share Vetting Information (for use only in the Republic of Ireland)
S2.A | Page 23 | Guidance on an Induction Process for All Involved in the Church
S2.A | Page 24 | Template 1: Induction Agreement Form for All Church Personnel
S2.B | Page 25 | Guidance on the Delivery of Basic Safeguarding Awareness
S2.C | Page 29 | Guidance on Raising Awareness of Child Safeguarding with Children and their Parents / Guardians in the Church
S3.A | Page 31 | Guidance on Codes of Behaviour for Adults
S3.A | Page 32 | Template 1: Sample Code of Behaviour for Adults
S3.B | Page 33 | Guidance on Creating a Code of Behaviour with Children
S3.B | Page 34 | Template 1: Example Workshop on Creating a Code of Behaviour with Children
S3.C | Page 35 | Guidance on Dealing with Breaches of Codes of Behaviour for Children and Adults
S3.D | Page 36 | Guidance on Anti-Bullying
S3.E | Page 38 | Guidance on Boundary Violations
S4.A | Page 41 | Guidance on Support and Supervision
S5.A | Page 44 | Guidance on Risk Assessment of Activities with Children
S5.A | Page 46 | Template 1: Example Risk Assessment Form
S5.A | Page 48 | Template 2: Attendance Register for Large Groups
S5.A | Page 49 | Template 3: Attendance Register for Sacristy
S5.A | Page 50 | Template 4: Child and Guardian Joint Consent
S5.B | Page 52 | Guidance on Child Safeguarding Statement (ROI Only)
S5.C | Page 59 | Guidance on Maintaining Adequate Supervision Ratios
S5.D | Page 60 | Guidance on One-to-One Contact with Children and Young People
S5.E | Page 61 | Guidance on Dealing with Accidents
S5.E | Page 62 | Template 1: Form for Dealing with Accidents/ Incidents
S5.F | Page 63 | Guidance on Trips Away with Young People
S5.G | Page 65 | Guidance on Situations Where Known Respondents Wish to Worship
S6.A | Page 67 | Guidance on External Groups who Use Church Property
S6.A | Page 69 | Template 1: Form for Use of Church Property by External Groups
S6.B | Page 71 | Guidance on Requests by Individuals for Use of Church Property for One Off Private Functions
S6.C | Page 72 | Guidance on Safeguarding Support for Associations of the Faithful
S6.C | Page 78 | Template 1: Form for Use with Associations of the Faithful
S6.D | Page 80 | Guidance on Facilitating Community Service Orders on Church Property (ROI Only)
S6.D | Page 82 | Template 1: Form for Use of Church Property as a Community Service Site
S6.E | Page 84 | Guidance on Cross-Referencing Safeguarding Policies
S6.F | Page 88 | Template 1: Form for Clerics/Religious who have Ministry With Children in an External Organisation/Church Body
S6.G | Page 89 | Guidance on Visiting Clergy, Religious, Lay Ecclesial Ministers, Seminarians and Visits to Shrines
S6.G | Page 94 | Template 1: Acknowledgement Letter for Request for Ministry
S6.G | Page 95 | Template 2: Declaration Form of Good Standing
S6.G | Page 96 | Template 3: Confirmation of Good Standing
S6.G | Page 97 | Template 4: Approval for Ministry
S6.G | Page 98 | Template 5: Confirmation of Good Standing for Non-Ordained Religious
S6.G | Page 100 | Template 6: Form to be completed by the Leader/Church authority of a visiting lay minister
S7.A | Page 102 | Guidance on Use of Technology
S7.A | Page 104 | Template 1: Media Permission Form
S7.B | Page 105 | Guidance on Conducting Ministry with Children Using Digital Media
S7.B | Page 109 | Template 1: Sample Online Procedure
S7.B | Page 110 | Template 2: Checklist for Online Ministry
S7.C | Page 111 | Guidance on Use of Texting and Email
S7.D | Page 113 | Guidance on Use of Photography
S7.E | Page 115 | Guidance on Use of CCTV and Webcams
S8.A | Page 117 | Guidance on the Participation of Children with Specific Needs
S9.A | Page 119 | Guidance on Whistle-Blowing
S9.A | Page 125 | Template 1: Whistle-Blowing Record
S9.B | Page 126 | Guidance on Complaints Procedure for Safeguarding Concerns that are not Allegations of Abuse
S9.B | Page 128 | Template 1: Complaints Form
S10 | Page 129 to 138 | Template: Example International Child Safeguarding Policy.
R | Page 2 | Table of Contents
R1.A | Page 5 | Guidance on Reporting Suspicions, Concerns, Knowledge or Allegations of Abuse
R1.A | Page 10 | Template 1: Child Protection Referral Form
R1.A | Page 11 | Template 2 : | Template Letter to DDF for Referring Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Clerics who are Alive
R1.B | Page 12 | Guidance on Responding to Allegations, Suspicions, Concerns of Knowledge of Child Abuse in Specific Situations
R1.C | Page 23 | Guidance on Protection for Persons Submitting a Report
R1.D | Page 24 | Guidance on Reporting Allegations Against Deceased Clerics and Religious
R2.A | Page 25 | Guidance on Appropriate Personnel - Support Person
R3.A | Page 27 | Guidance on Case Management Records
R3.A | Page 29 | Template 1: File Index
R3.A | Page 30 | Template 2: Case Summary Information Sheet
R3.A | Page 31 | Template 3: Case Record Narrative
R3.A | Page 32 | Template 4: Chronology of when Allegations were Made, and Responses Given
R3.B | Page 33 | Guidance on Information Sharing
R3.C | Page 39 | Guidance on the Funerals of Clerics or Religious against whom there is a Case to Answer
R3.C | Page 40 | Template 1: Example Notification Letter to Complainant on Death of a Respondent
R3.D | Page 41 | Guidance on Hospitalisation of Clerics or Religious against whom there is a Case to Answer
R4.A | Page 42 | Guidance on a Pastoral Response to Complainants
R4.A | Page 46 | Template 1: Example Information for Complainants
R4.C | Page 56 | Guidance on Responding to a Complainant who is Dissatisfied with how their Allegation has been Handled by the Church Authority
R5.A | Page 60 | Guidance for Complainants on Access to Records Held by a Church Body
R5.B | Page 61 | Guidance on Regular and Accessible Communication and Participation Involving the Views of the Complainant in Consideration of their Needs
R6.A | Page 62 | Guidance on Reparation for the Harm Caused to the Complainant
R7.A | Page 63 | Guidance on Appropriate Personnel - Advisor
R7.B | Page 65 | Guidance on Support to the Family Members of Respondents
R8.A | Page 66 | Guidance on Informing the Respondent (Cleric and Religious) that an Allegation has been Received and Consideration of an Interim Management Plan
R8.B | Page 69 | Guidance on the Risk Assessment for Cleric and Religious to Produce an Interim Management Plan
R8.B | Page 70 | Template 1: Example Risk Assessment Framework
R8.B | Page 71 | Template 2: Example Risk Management Update Tool
R8.B | Page 72 | Template 3: Example Interim Management Plan
R8.B | Page 74 | Template 4: Example Notification to Follow Child Safeguarding Policy and Procedures
R8.C | Page 75 | Guidance on Regular Liaison with Statutory Authorities
R8.D | Page 77 | Guidance on Leave from Sacred Ministry
R8.E | Page 80 | Guidance for Respondents on Access to Records Held by a Church Body
R9.A | Page 81 | Guidance on the Process for Clerics Following the Conclusion of Any Investigation by the Statutory Authorities
R9.A | Page 84 | Template 1: Example Decree Initiating Preliminary Investigation (Clerics)
R9.B | Page 85 | Guidance on penal processes as outlined in the Vademecum on Certain Points of Procedure in Treating Cases of Sexual Abuse of Minors Committed by Clerics
R9.B | Page 90 | Template 1: Tabular Summary for Cases of Delicta Reservata
R9.C | Page 92 | Guidance on the Process for Non-Ordained Religious, Following the Conclusion of Any Investigation by the Statutory Authorities
R9.C | Page 95 | Template 1: Example Decree Initiating Collecting of Proofs (Non Ordained Religious)
R9.C | Page 96 | Template 2: Example Closing Decree When Collection of Proofs Finds there is No Case to Answer (Non Ordained Religious)
R9.C | Page 97 | Template 3: Example Closing Decree When Collection of Proofs Finds there is a Case to Answer (Non Ordained Religious)
R10.A | Page 98 | Guidance When Preliminary Investigation Finds there is no Case to Answer or that the Allegation is Manifestly False or Frivolous (Return to Ministry)
R10.A | Page 99 | Template 1: Example Closing Decree When Preliminary Investigation Finds there is No Case to Answer (Clerics)
R11.A | Page 100 | Guidance When Preliminary Investigation Finds there is a Case to Answer and that the Allegation is Not Manifestly False or Frivolous Against a Cleric
R11.A | Page 102 | Template 1: DDF Form
R11.A | Page 106 | Template 2: Example Closing Decree When Preliminary Investigation Finds there is a Case to Answer (Clerics)
R11.B | Page 107 | Guidance on Monitoring of Clerics and Non-Ordained Religious Following the Conclusion of the Canonical Investigation
R11.B | Page 108 | Template 1: Example Canonical Precept for Monitoring of Clerics Following the Conclusion of the Canonical Investigation
R11.B | Page 109 | Template 2: Example Canonical Precept for Monitoring of Non Ordained Religious Following the Conclusion of the Canonical Investigation
R11.C | Page 110 | Guidance on Clinical Risk Assessments
R11.D | Page 111 | Guidance on Monitoring Clerics and Non-Ordained Religious at the Request of Another Church Authority
L | Page 2 | Table of Contents
L1.A | Page 4 | Guidance on Developing a Communications Plan
L1.A | Page 7 | Template 1 Example of a Communications Plan for One Target Group
L1.B | Page 8 | Guidance on Creating User-Friendly Versions of the Child Safeguarding Policy
L1.C | Page 9 | Guidance on Creating a Child Safeguarding Newsletter
L1.D | Page 10 | Guidance on Ensuring that Information Regarding the Church’s Child Safeguarding Message is Accessible
L1.D | Page 11 | Template 1: Example Public Poster for Adults
L1.D | Page 12 | Template 2: Example Safeguarding Poster for Children
L1.D | Page 13 | Template 3: Example Public Poster for Adults in Irish
L1.D | Page 14 | Template 4: Example Public Poster for Adults in Irish/English
L1.D | Page 16 | Template 5: Example Public Poster for Adults in Polish
L1.D | Page 17 | Template 6: Public Poster for Adults in Ukrainian
L1.E | Page 18 | Guidance on Supports to Parishes and Others Affected When a Priest has Taken Leave from Sacred Ministry
L2.A | Page 21 | Guidance on Ensuring Compliance with the Safeguarding Standards at Local Level
L2.B | Page 22 | Guidance on Compliance Visits by the Church Authority
L2.C | Page 23 | Guidance on Annual Self Audit
L2.D | Page 24 | Guidance on the Annual Report Made by DLP to the Church Authority (If managing cases)
L2.D | Page 25 | Template 1: Guide on Completing a Review of Allegations and Case Files for the Annual Report to the Church Authority (For those Managing Cases)
L2.E | Page 27 | Guidance on Developing a Three-Year Child Safeguarding Plan
L2.E | Page 28 | Template 1: Example of a Three-Year Child Safeguarding Plan
L2.F | Page 30 | Guidance on Mandated Persons (only applies in the Republic of Ireland)
L3.A | Page 31 | Guidance on Managing Child Protection Allegations, Suspicions, Concerns or Knowledge about Bishops or their Equivalents
L3.D | Page 50 | Guidance on Crisis Management
L3.E | Page 54 | Guidance on Serious Incident Reviews
L4.A | Page 57 | Guidance on Carrying out a Training Needs Analysis
L4.A | Page 59 | Template 1: Training Plan
L5.A | Page 61 | Guidance on the Church Authority Demonstrating Commitment to Training, Taking Appropriate Advice and Personal Development
L5.B | Page 62 | Guidance on Safeguarding Handover and Induction of a New Church Authority or DLP
