This coming year of 2010 will bring many changes and challenges to Taking Care not least with the implementation of the Vetting and Barring Scheme which will affect everyone who works with children and vulnerable adults throughout the UK. Please be assured that nothing has changed to the forms or process at present, the first major change will happen when people in new positions of leadership will be able to register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority from July 2010 so continue to send us application forms for new leaders as usual.

Detailed information about the new Vetting and Barring scheme is available under the Vetting section of the website. Also, for a clear explanation of the new scheme, please look at an article which first appeared in the Presbyterian Herald Magazine. It is available in the ‘Downloads’ section of the website.

Meanwhile for those who are resident in the Republic of Ireland the Garda Vetting form has changed however only slightly and so we are still accepting the usual forms. Please continue to send in Garda Vetting forms directly to the Taking Care office and not the National Youth Council or a Garda station.

Of course, vetting processes are only a small part of child protection and will only inform us of previous criminal history of a potential new leader. It is through our Taking Care Training programme that leaders are informed of good practice and guidelines necessary when working with children and young people. Our Training calendar is updated daily with dates and venues of our Taking Care Training for all leaders within the Presbyterian Church which is taken by our Volunteer Trainers. If you would like to attend one of these events then please contact the church that is hosting it. To organise training for your own congregation, then please contact Amanda Cotter at the office.

Please enjoy browsing through our website where you will find out all about the Taking Care (Child Protection) programme within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The website is updated regularly with new dates for Training, Photographs of events and new information on policies and procedures. Any comments regarding the website are gratefully received so please contact us to let us know what you think!

If you have any queries or questions to do with child protection then please don’t hesitate to contact the Taking Care Office on (028) 90417229 or email takingcare@presbyterianireland.org.

Take Care,

Deborah Webster

Taking Care Co-ordinator

Hello! I hope you have enjoyed browsing through our website where you will find out all about the Taking Care (Child Protection) programme within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The website is updated regularly with new dates for Training, Photographs of events and new information on policies and procedures. Any comments regarding the website are gratefully received so please contact us to let us know what you think!

Autumn 2009 was a busy time for Taking Care with training events for Ministers, Youth & Children’s Workers and Internet Safety taking place as well as the regular Taking Care Training Programme. To find out about more Training dates for the new year then check out the Training Section. A highlight for November must have been the Trainer’s Day held in Lagan Vallely Island were the Moderator presented our fantastic Volunteer Trainers with certificates congratulating them on their hard work and commitment to Taking Care.

Our Training calendar is updated daily with dates and venues of our Taking Care Training for all leaders working with children and young people within the Presbyterian Church which is taken by our Volunteer Trainers. If you would like to attend one of these events then please contact the church that is hosting it. To organise training for your own congregation, then please contact Amanda Cotter at the office.

I’m sure you have heard various rumours and media reports about the new changes that will be made to the current police checking system or POCVA (Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults) checks that will affect everyone who works with children and vulnerable adults throughout the UK. Please be assured that nothing has changed to the forms or process at present, the first major change will happen when people in new positions of leadership will be able to register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority from July 2010 so continue to send us application forms for new leaders as usual.

Detailed information about the new Vetting and Barring scheme is available under the Vetting section of the website. Also, for a clear explanation of the new scheme, please look at an article which first appeared in the Presbyterian Herald Magazine. It is available in the ‘Downloads’ section of the website. 

Meanwhile for those who are resident in the Republic of Ireland the Garda Vetting form has changed however only slightly and so we are still accepting the usual forms. Please continue to send in Garda Vetting forms directly to the Taking Care office and not the National Youth Council or a Garda station.

If you have any queries or questions to do with child protection then please don’t hesitate to contact me at the office.

Take Care,

Deborah Webster

Taking Care Co-ordinator

Welcome! I hope you are enjoying our website where you will find the latest information about Child Protection within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

I’m sure you have heard varying reports about the new changes that will be made to the current police checking system or POCVA (Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults) checks. Please be assured that nothing has changed to the forms or process at present, the major change will happen when people in new positions of leadership will be able to register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority from July 2010 so continue to send us application forms for new leaders as usual.

Detailed information about the new Vetting and Barring scheme is available under the Vetting section of the website and also in the Autumn edition of the Taking Care Update (under the downloads section) so find out how your congregation can be best prepared for this very important change in the law which will affect those volunteering with children and vulnerable adults within the U.K. An article has also been written for the Herald Magazine for the November edition so look out for that as well.

Meanwhile for those who are resident in the Republic of Ireland the Garda Vetting form has changed however only slightly and so we are still accepting the usual forms. Please continue to send in Garda Vetting forms directly to the Taking Care office and not the National Youth Council.

Training events continue throughout November: Ministers and Youth Workers still have time to register for their training sessions if they have not attended already. Training for Ministers is scheduled for 10^th November and for Youth Workers it is 5^th November. For leaders and parents in the Ballymena area you are invited to an Internet Safety Evening on 3th November at Wellington Presbyterian. Our Training calendar is updated daily with dates and venues of our basic Taking Care Training for all leaders working with children and young people within the Presbyterian Church which is taken by our extremely well experienced Volunteer Trainers. To find out more about the events above please look at the Training section of the website. To organise training for your own congregation, contact Amanda.

Several congregations took part in Taking Care Sunday initiative, if your congregation did or have had any other Taking Care event then please share your ideas and send any photographs that you have taken (as long as you have had permission of course!).

If you have any queries or questions to do with child protection then please don’t hesitate to contact me at the office.

Take Care,

Deborah Webster

Taking Care Co-ordinator

I hope you are enjoying our website where you will find the latest and most up to date information about Child Protection within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

Time is now running out for congregations to put in an order for Taking Care resources that they will need this year, please think ahead (it doesn’t matter if you order more than you need) and send in your order form or an email before Friday 21^st August 2009 as we will not be able to post out large orders during the year. For more information, see our Resources section.

There have been a few inquiries about Taking Care Sunday, a new initiative which we are encouraging congregations to be part of this year. The ‘Pew Review ‘ film which was shown at the Taking Care Conference in April is now available to download (you will find it in the downloads section, under ‘Other Info’), it is a light-hearted way of looking at Taking Care and a resource that can be viewed by the whole church family. Remember, there is no set date on which Taking Care Sunday can take place and there is no set order of service but congregations are encouraged to take the idea and bring Taking Care into their service in any way they see fit. A Taking Care Sunday is an ideal opportunity to highlight child protection issues and the Taking Care programme to the whole congregation. A Taking Care Sunday would be an ideal opportunity to interview your Designated Person or distribute the ‘We Care 4 U’ leaflets. If your congregation is going to take part then please share your ideas and send any photographs or resources that you used.

Ministers please remember to register and attend one of the catch-up training dates if you have not attended the Taking Care Training for Ministers, either in Ballygawley church (Omagh Presbytery) on 1^st October or in Church House on 10^th November. Here is what your colleagues have said about the previous nine training seminars: ‘First Class’ ‘Very helpful and necessary’ ‘Excellent!’ Worthwhile and Informative’,‘Great!’

More detailed information about the new Vetting and Barring scheme will be sent out in the Autumn edition of the Taking Care Update, look out for that and find out how your congregation can be best prepared for this very important change in the law which will affect those volunteering with children and vulnerable adults within the U.K.

Meanwhile for those who are resident in the Republic of Ireland please continue to send in Garda Vetting forms directly to the Taking Care office and not the National Youth Council.

If you have any queries or questions to do with child protection then please don’t hesitate to contact me at the office.

Take Care,

Deborah Webster

Taking Care Co-ordinator

Welcome! I hope you are enjoying our new look website were you will find the latest and most up to date information about Child Protection within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

These past few months have been exciting and busy times for Taking Care, with Training for Ministers almost complete, a Roadshow around the Republic of Ireland - not to mention our bi-annual conference which was held on 25th April in Church House. Read all about it – our inspirational Keynote Speaker and download presentations from our various workshops in our Conference section.

During the summer I will be updating our current Taking Care Guidelines, if you have any comments or suggestions you would like to make about the Guidelines as they stand then now is your opportunity, simply email me at dwebster@presbyterianireland.org

Even though the summer is here, it’s not long before thoughts turn to our organisations starting up again in September and a new term beginning.’Taking Care Sunday’ is an initiative we are inviting congregations to take part in during 2009/2010. There is no set date on which this can take place; there is no set order of service but congregations are encouraged to take the idea and bring Taking Care into their service in any way they see fit. A Taking Care Sunday is an ideal opportunity to highlight child protection issues and the Taking Care programme to the whole congregation. Under our ‘downloads’ section you will find the Pew Review film which can be downloaded and shown to your congregation, as well as the Taking Care Prayer. A Taking Care Sunday would be an ideal opportunity to interview your Designated Person or distribute the ‘We Care 4 U’ leaflets.

To collect the latest ‘We care with u!’ Parent’s Guide and replenish supplies of other We Care 4 U leaflets, please complete the order form. These will be distributed to your congregation via your Presbytery Clerk.

Meanwhile training continues to take place regularly at congregations around the country courtesy of our excellent Volunteer Trainers. To see where training sessions are available near you then look at our Training Calendar. To organise training for your own congregation, contact Amanda. Please note we are no longer taking bookings for early September as demand is so high.

New training dates have been organised for the Autumn time for Ministers, Designated Persons and Employed Youth Workers, remember to register for these events.

We are also in the process of preparing for the new legislation which will affect everyone who works with children and vulnerable adults within the UK (it is estimated that this is around 12 million people!) read all about the new Vetting and Barring scheme in the ‘Vetting’ area of the website.

If you have any queries or questions to do with child protection then please don’t hesitate to contact me at the office.

Take Care,

Deborah Webster
Taking Care Co-ordinator