safeguarding training

[diesel10]

Hi All

 

As Manager of a preschool I need to update my safeguarding training. I need to do this online as all the local courses are booked up until March!

 

I am booked onto the DSL later in the month but am confused whether I need to complete a basic safeguarding course or level 2 or level 3?

 

 

Any ideas, what have others done?

 

 

[FSFRebecca]

I think the advanced one. I assume that your basic safeguarding knowledge (signs and symptoms etc) is sound? The more advanced course will help you think about the reporting protocol (which will be finalised when you go to your local one). The advanced one helps you to support other staff and helps you with your decision making processes - once you have identified or had reported (to you) a safeguarding concern.

[diesel10]

Hi Rebecca

 

I happy to do the advance one but it is £60 and the others are £30.

 

The level one and two do say they cover reporting but I feel this may just be report to your Manager (which is me)

[FSFRebecca]

mmm - tricky, I would still say the advanced one

[blondie]

you are the safe guarding lead so need to do level 3 - we do training specifically for the lead officer which covers more of a lead role - talking about how/ when to report etc., and deals with way the local safeguarding board work (we have MASH - multi agency safeguarding hub).

we are lucky in that level 3 is free training due to the fact it is for safeguarding lead but is always booked up so try to do it as far in advance as i can - perhpas put your name on list for cancellation space?

[Fredbear]

I would say the level 3, and get your name on the waiting list for the Designated Officer training as soon as possible.

[lsp]

Is the DSL training at level 3? Maybe you need to find that out first? In our area we need to complete Intro to Child Protection (within the last 3 years) before we can book onto Safeguarding Lead training.

[diesel10]

Hi

 

Thanks all, that has made it clearer. I am booked onto lead training later in the month so I need to do the basic training first.

[Mouseketeer]

'Virtual college' have useful safeguarding courses at different levels at £30ish, I've had a couple of staff complete this as updates, also NSPCC but not sure of cost. I've been looking for one for a new committee member ( we are supposed to have the chair and and a named committee member, ok if chair will do role as well) but until they join the committee you can't book them on and then it's 6months to earliest and that's full already so it will be online again.

[finleysmaid]

but until they join the committee you can't book them on

can't you just lie???!!!!

[Wildflowers]

Is an online course considered enough for safeguarding lead?

[FSFRebecca]

Is an online course considered enough for safeguarding lead?

Not generally because the online courses are generic and don't go into details about particular local authority safeguarding procedures. Although the aim is the same, to protect the children, the routes for referral and the job titles of different roles are not consistent across authorities. We have had this before on the FSF - what one authority expects as 'a requirement' for them is not considered necessary in another authority. For example, absence reporting was a recent thread that highlighted the differences between authorities. The statutory requirement is that 'The lead practitioner is responsible for liaison with local statutory children's services agencies, and with the LSCB ... must attend a child protection training course (taking account of any advice from the LSCB ...' (Stat Framework p16 3.5)

[Wildflowers]

Thanks Rebecca. Another such thing, where the LAs seem to have requirements in addition to the statutory framework, if the SL needs to attend courses regularly or if it is enough to keep themselves informed about any changes in LSCB guidance. I'm still not had an answer to my question if an inspector can down grade a setting based on local requirements with regards to frequency of training. The Nursery World article that was posted here state, if I understood rightly, that it is the EYFS requirements that inspectors judge by. I asked Ofsted about three weeks ago, but haven't had a reply.

[bakerboo69]

It depends on the local authority guidance.

For example in East Sussex as the DSL if you had completed the training previously and were within the refresher time frame, you would only need to complete the designated safeguard lead in childcare setting refresher training. If however, you had never completed the training previously you would need to complete the Designated safeguard lead in a childcare setting, not the practitioner version.

[Wildflowers]

So if I tell the inspector that our LA or LSCB don't require me to attend a DSL course again (done 4 years ago), then I'd be fine. (However, I'm enrolled to attend one in two weeks, just to make sure - full day cover to be paid on top of the course...)

[bakerboo69]

So if I tell the inspector that our LA or LSCB don't require me to attend a DSL course again (done 4 years ago), then I'd be fine. (However, I'm enrolled to attend one in two weeks, just to make sure - full day cover to be paid on top of the course...)

Its easy to see how some providers get caught out or confused.

 

Latest Inspecting Safeguarding in early years setting page 11 only specifies details on training requirement for schools and colleges

'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.21 During term time, or when the setting is in operation, the designated safeguarding lead or an appropriately trained deputy should be available during opening hours for staff to discuss safeguarding concerns'

 

As you say the statutory framework page 16 highlights you must attend training but no timeframe just refers to guidance and courses from LSCB or LA.

[FSFRebecca]

Its easy to see how some providers get caught out or confused.

 

Latest Inspecting Safeguarding in early years setting page 11 only specifies details on training requirement for schools and colleges

'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.21 During term time, or when the setting is in operation, the designated safeguarding lead or an appropriately trained deputy should be available during opening hours for staff to discuss safeguarding concerns'

 

As you say the statutory framework page 16 highlights you must attend training but no timeframe just refers to guidance and courses from LSCB or LA.

Gill Jones was extremely clear - inspectors are inspecting the Statutory Framework not the Latest 'inspecting early years guidance' - here view was that although it might be good practice it is not (yet) statutory - if you are being inspected from it you should raise it with the inspector and refer them to Gill Jones' comments.

[Wildflowers]

Conclusion:

Ofsted judges non-maintained early years settings by the DfE requirements and not those of the LSCB with regards to frequency of child protection training courses.

Edited November 11, 2016 by Wildflowers

[FSFRebecca]

Conclusion:

Ofsted judges non-maintained early years settings by the DfE requirements and not those of the LSCB with regards to frequency of child protection training courses.

Not really - it's just that the timing of the two documents haven't matched up. We know that there will be a new Statutory Framework soon and we know that under the CIF we are under the same umbrella as schools so there are bound to be mismatches from time to time - Gill Jones explained that the new safeguarding doc was considered best practice - but not (yet) statutory - so the choice is either - update the Statutory Framework every time a new piece of best practice advice comes out or wait and do it all at the same time - and with the Gov't currently consulting on qualification requirements and the workforce strategy it makes sense to wait to do one update. There is a 3 month 'grace' period each time the framework is updated to allow provisions to get themselves up to speed. I think in this case, with the safeguarding requirements we should perhaps be looking for a more unified response and strategy from the local authorities in terms of their expectations.

[Wildflowers]

Thanks for the clarification.