‘The fully trained disciple will always be like his teacher.’ Luke 6:40

The Archdiocese will ensure that all diocesan and parish personnel will develop and maintain the necessary attitudes, skills and knowledge to keep children safe.

All diocesan and parish employees and volunteers who come into contact with children and vulnerable adults have a role to play in their safety.  To carry out this role confidently and effectively they need training in child protection issues that will also provide them with knowledge and skills to keep children safe.

  • The Diocese will provide two nine-hour Keeping Safe training courses annually. One in the northern part of the Diocese and one in the southern part of the Diocese. These courses will include attendance records as well as evaluation forms to ensure quality control. Information about this training will be through the diocesan website, the ad clerum (information circulars to clergy), parish bulletins and letters to priests and Safeguarding Children Representatives.
  • The Keeping Safe accredited trainers are committed to keeping children safe as well as keeping themselves informed about issues related to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. They will do this by attending courses, workshops and conferences. Relevant information will then be shared with Safeguarding Children Representatives and priests.
  • The Diocesan Safeguarding Children Committee will ensure there is ongoing training and pastoral care of Safeguarding Children Representatives and priests in keeping children safe. The committee will organise bi-annual meetings of representatives and priests either collectively or in their Pastoral Areas.
  • A training programme is in place for all parish personnel who will come in contact with children and vulnerable adults. This programme takes the form of a parish information evening. The Diocesan Training Team along with the Committee for Safeguarding Children is committed to developing this programme and will review it regularly.
  • On behalf of the Diocesan Committee for Safeguarding Children, the Training
    Co-ordinator and/or representatives of the Training Team will actively participate in national Church training networks through the Keeping Safe programme and the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in order to ensure that the archdiocese is implementing an appropriate and up to date training programme.

The Training Programme for Safeguarding Children Representatives and clergy is a nine hour programme including:             

  • information on Safeguarding Children and Legislation (NI and RoI);
  • signs and symptoms of abuse;
  • good practice in recruitment & selection, management & supervision and training;
  • Code of Behaviour for those working with children;
  • dealing with allegations or suspicions of abuse;
  • creating a safe environment for children.


A list of the diocesan trainers is available on the diocesan website