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Courses

Safeguarding and Child Protection training for Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL’s)

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In this classroom-based training course, you’ll learn how to:

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  • describe the role and main responsibilities of the designated safeguarding lead

  • examine your own values regarding child abuse and the impact of these on professional practice

  • understand Statutory key legislation and guidance that determines your organisation’s policy for child safety and welfare

  • decide what steps your organisation needs to take to look after the safety and welfare of the children and young people it comes into contact with

  • identify the barriers that prevent children from reporting abuse

  • know how to respond effectively to a child who does report abuse

  • understand the barriers that prevent staff from reporting concerns, and how to overcome them

  • understand thresholds to help make the right decisions about what steps to take when concerns about a child have been raised

  • know what is likely to happen following a referral to children's social care and what role the school or college has in the multi-agency child protection process, including case conferences

  • explain the issues connected to recording and sharing information, including confidentiality

  • show an awareness of the emotional impact of safeguarding children and identify ways in which a safeguarding lead can support staff and themselves.

DSLs refresher training

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In this classroom-based course, you’ll learn how to:

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  • revisit and describe the role and the main responsibilities of the designated safeguarding lead. What is your experience?

  • describe the changes in key legislation and guidance affecting the education service’s response to concerns about a child

  • reflect on your own values regarding child abuse and explain the impact of these on professional practice

  • identify the blocks to staff reporting concerns and explore strategies of overcoming them

  • identify barriers that obstruct staff working within a multi-agency arena and explore strategies of overcoming them

  • make appropriate decisions about the action to take when informed of concerns about a child or young person. Revisit thresholds.

  • demonstrate an awareness of the emotional impact of safeguarding work and identify ways in which a safeguarding lead can support staff and themselves

  • explore current and contemporary concerns through the use of case studies, child safety practice reviews.

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Safeguarding and Child Protection training at the appropriate level and standard for staff in education.

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(usually 2 hours depending on a school’s training need)

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After completing this course your staff will:

  • understand what safeguarding and child protection is

  • identify the relevant legislation and guidance for safeguarding in education

  • recognise the different types, signs and indicators of abuse and neglect

  • understand how to respond to concerns and provide a response that’s best for the child or the children involved

  • understand the correct procedures for reporting concerns within your setting and know who to report to.

Safeguarding and Child Protection training at the appropriate level and standard for Governing Bodies and Trustees

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In-school training session for Governing Bodies

1 session per academic year

(usually an 2 hours depending on a school’s training need)

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By the end of the course you will:

  • have developed a greater awareness of safeguarding issues

  • understand your role and responsibilities as a governor towards safeguarding

  • be aware of the schools’ duties for safeguarding children

  • identify the relevant legislation and guidance for safeguarding in education

  • know how to work effectively with the senior leadership team on safeguarding issues

  • understand your role in creating a safer culture in your school and your role in the safer recruitment process

  • be aware of relevant inspection criteria and be able to evidence how your school fulfils its safeguarding duties.

Safeguarding Supervision and support for DSLs

 

The key government guidance document, Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018), refers to supervision; and it is mandatory in the Early Years’ Framework (2017.)

 

Staff in social care and health receive regular supervision and this should be the case in education.

 

Serious case reviews continue to cite a lack of supervision as one of the contributory factors in some cases*.

 

Proactive Safeguarding can provide specific case oversight and accountability, checking through the thinking process around specific individual cases.

 

Proactive Safeguarding can support DSLs and Safeguarding Teams

  • Provide ideally protected time to reflect on practice

  • deal with the frustrations and possible trauma of the DSL role

  • help to deal with ‘stuck’ cases

  • see things from a different point-of-view

  • support the DSLs and safeguarding team

  • improve staff and student well-being

  • promote strengths

  • increase confidence

  • explore all avenues for the good of the children and young people

Accredited Safer Recruitment Training

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The course is accredited and has been produced by the Safer Recruitment Consortium a partnership between four organisations with the safety and wellbeing of children at their heart:

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  • NSPCC

  • Lucy Faithfull Foundation

  • The National Association of Independent Schools & Non-Maintained Special Schools (NASS)

  • Child Protection in Education (CAPE)

 

Representatives of these organisations have been working together, in consultations with the DfE, since January 2014 to ensure that schools, FE colleges and other education providers have access to high quality, up to date Safer Recruitment training.

This is a full day classroom based course.

 

Safer recruitment training became a statutory requirement for Head teachers and at least one member of every appointment panel in schools in response to the Bichard Inquiry (Soham). Originally overseen by the NCSL (National College of School Leadership) and then CWDC (Children's Workforce Development Council) the content was prescribed and the course could only be delivered by trainers that had undertaken specific training to be 'accredited' by the Secretary of State for Education.

 

Proactive Safeguarding representatives delivering Safer Recruitment training have all undertaken this specific training and are accredited trainers.

Comprehensive full day Safeguarding and Child Protection audit

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Proactive Safeguarding plan the audit for the day. A typical session involves an early start to be present for the beginning of the school day as pupils arrive. Proactive Safeguarding has developed and audit tool that covers 15 safeguarding domains, see below:

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Safeguarding Overview, one-to-one/small group meetings with key professionals e.g. Headteachers, lead DSL and deputy DSLs, Admin staff with duties linked to safeguarding.

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  • review of Single Central Record

  • Safeguarding Policy and other policies to support other specific safeguarding issues

  • Safer Recruitment dip sample staff files to make sure safer recruitment is being adhered to.

  • Visitors

  • Safeguarding Procedures, Behaviour and Welfare of pupils. Talk to members of staff

  • Risk Assessment’s

  • School Record Keeping & Accident Reporting

  • Attendance

  • Safeguarding in the Curriculum and pupil voice (talk to a cohort of pupils)

  • Site walk, element of health and safety

  • Dealing with Allegations about staff

  • Links with other agencies

  • Governing Body and Trustees

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Proactive Safeguarding provide a detailed rag rated audit report provided 4 weeks after audit (this timescale will be negotiable under special circumstances such as an Ofsted inspection being imminent or Local Authority concern).

Comprehensive half day Safeguarding and Child Protection audit

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Proactive Safeguarding plan the audit for half a day. A typical session involves an early start to be present for the beginning of the school day as pupils arrive.

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For a half day the audit will focus on:

 

  • Safeguarding Overview, one to one/small group meetings with key professional’s e.g. Headteachers, lead DSL and deputy DSLs, Admin staff with duties linked to safeguarding.

  • Safeguarding Policy and other policies to support other specific safeguarding issues.

  • Safer Recruitment, dip sample staff files to make sure safer recruitment is being adhered to.

  • Safeguarding Procedures, Behaviour and Welfare of pupils. Talk to members of staff.

  • Safeguarding in the Curriculum and Pupil Voice. Talk to a cohort of pupils.

  • Site Walk, small element of health and safety

  • Dealing with Allegations against staff

  • Governing Body and Trustees

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Proactive Safeguarding provide a detailed rag rated audit report provided four weeks after the audit (this time scale will be negotiable under special circumstances such as an Ofsted visit being imminent or Local Authority concern)

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