I am frequently asked exactly what safeguarding training is needed for staff who work with children in registered settings. Unfortunately this important information is not collated in one key document – instead it must be derived from a series of national and local guidance documents.
Another issue I am often asked about is the matter of ‘levels’ – people request training from me at Level 1 or 2 or 3 (or even higher!). In fact, there are no nationally agreed levels of safeguarding (apart from within the health services who have their own unique training programme) – so talk of levels is generally misleading and confusing. Safeguarding training should focus on content rather than levels.
And yet another important matter is the role of the Local Safeguarding Children Board, whose job it is to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of training. In Bristol, trainers are ‘Verified’ by the Bristol Safeguarding Children Board to ensure they are effective. Mandy Parry Training employs only locally Verified safeguarding trainers.
Anyway, here are just some of the key documents which contain information on essential safeguarding training:
Keeping Children Safe in Education 2016 (a)
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015 (b)
Ofsted: Inspecting safeguarding in early years, education and skills settings 2016 (c)
Revised Prevent Duty Guidance: for England and Wales 2015 (d)
Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) training requirements which are specific to each individual local authority
And this is the essential training staff should have:
1. Induction training
‘Governing Bodies and proprieties should ensure that all staff members undergo safeguarding and child protection training at induction. The training should be regularly updated. Induction and training should be in line with advice from the LSCB.’ (a)
‘…staff, leaders, governors and supervisory bodies (where appropriate) and volunteers receive appropriate training on safeguarding at induction, that is updated regularly.’ (c)
Excellent Safeguarding Induction training with input from Mandy Parry is available from Delegated Services.
2. Awareness training for all staff
‘In addition all staff members should receive regular safeguarding and child protection updates (for example , via email, e-bulletins, staff meetings) as required, but at least annually, to provide them with relevant skills and knowledge to safeguard children effectively.’ (a)
‘Professionals working in universal services have a responsibility to identify the symptoms and triggers of abuse and neglect, to share that information and work together to provide children and young people with the help they need. Practitioners need to continue to develop their knowledge and skills in this area. They should have access to training to identify and respond early to abuse and neglect, and to the latest research showing which types of interventions are the most effective. … The training should cover how to identify and respond early to the needs of all vulnerable children, including: unborn children; babies; older children; young carers; disabled children; and those who are in secure settings (b)
‘…staff are supported to have a good awareness of the signs that a child or learner is being neglected or abused…There are clear and effective arrangements for staff development and training in respect of the protection and care of children and learners… safeguarding is an important part of everyday life in the setting, backed up by training at every level.’ (c)
Excellent Safeguarding: Basic Awareness training for staff is offered in-house and through Open Courses by Mandy Parry Training. Mandy Parry also works in partnership with Delegated Services to deliver Safeguarding Basic Awareness training in-house.
3. Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) training
‘The designated safeguarding lead and any deputies should undergo training to provide them with the knowledge and skills required to carry out the role. The training should be updated every two years…Any deputies should be trained to the same standard as the designated safeguarding lead.’ (a)
‘The designated safeguarding lead should undertake Prevent training.’ (a)
‘…there is a designated senior member of staff in charge of safeguarding arrangements who has been trained to the appropriate level and understands their responsibilities relating to the protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults and the safeguarding of all learners. Designated members of staff in schools and colleges should undertake safeguarding training every two years and their knowledge and skills should be refreshed at regular intervals, but at least annually.’ (c)
The Local Safeguarding Board should offer interagency training for DSLs and their deputies. Excellent Advanced Safeguarding training for DSLs by Mandy Parry is available from Delegated Services.
4. Safer Recruitment Training
‘The School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009 require governing bodies of maintained schools to ensure that at last one person on any appointment panel has undertaken safer recruitment training.’ (a)
Safer Recruitment training from a nationally accredited trainer are available In-house from Mandy Parry, and though Open courses from Delegated Services.
5. Training to prevent terrorism
‘The Prevent Guidance refers to the importance of Prevent awareness training to equip staff to identify children at risk of being drawn into terrorism and challenge extremist ideas…As a minimum, however…the designated safeguarding lead undertakes Prevent awareness training and is able to provide advice and support to staff on protecting children from the risk of radicalization.’ (d)
Excellent engaging and accessible Extremism and Radicalisation in-house training is delivered by Mandy Parry, and through open courses in partnership with Delegated Services.
6. FGM Training
‘…teachers understand their mandatory duty to report to police any case where an act of female genital mutilation appears to have been carried out on a girl under the age of 18.’ (c)
High quality training on FGM is offered by an extremely experienced former Safeguarding Nurse through Mandy Parry Training – in-house and open courses now available.
Other useful training:
Child Sexual Exploitation – Mandy Parry Training and Delegated Services
Supervision for staff – Mandy Parry Training and Delegated Services
eSafety – Mandy Parry Training and Delegated Services
Designated Teacher for Looked After Children – contact your local LSCB
Attachment & Trauma – Mandy Parry Training (see NICE guidelines re attachment training)
Governor or equivalent training – contact your local LSCB
To contact Delegated Services: shelley.brown@delegatedservices.org
To contact Mandy Parry training:
mandyparrytraining@gmail.com or call 07811 101740