1.6 The clergy standard of care

This course uses the phrase “clergy standard of care” to name what is expected of you as a minister entrusted with authority.

This is not about being perfect. It is about being reliably safe.

A safeguarding-standard minister demonstrates five pillars.

Pillar 1: Seriousness

You treat safeguarding concerns as real, weighty, and urgent enough to act upon.

Seriousness means:

Pillar 2: Protection-first discipline

You prioritise immediate safety over comfort.

Protection-first discipline means:

you think in terms of risk, not reputation
you take practical steps that reduce danger today
you accept that temporary restrictions are sometimes necessary even before outcomes are known
you understand that “doing nothing” is also an action with consequences

Pillar 3: Evidence discipline (do not investigate)

You recognise that safeguarding is harmed by informal inquiry.

Evidence discipline means:

you ask only what is necessary to understand immediate risk and next steps
you do not conduct interviews, gather “statements”, or question witnesses informally
you do not pressure for details, timelines, or proof
you record facts and escalate to those responsible for safeguarding process

This protects the vulnerable and protects fairness. It prevents contamination.

Pillar 4: Accountability and lawful compliance

You do not act as a solitary judge.

Accountability means:

Pillar 5: Boundaries and transparency

You conduct ministry in a way that prevents hidden access and prevents dependency.

Boundaries mean:

no secret relationships
no “special access” that bypasses oversight
no use of spiritual authority to pressure, coerce, or isolate
transparent pastoral practice that others can understand and, where appropriate, supervise

Boundary detail is developed in later modules. Here, the standard is stated plainly: clergy must be predictable in safety, not improvisational.