If you work with children in any capacity, are you receiving the correct level of safeguarding training?  This month we hear from our expert Michelle Nightingale, as she sets the record straight:

“It is important that all staff receive a minimum of Level 2 safeguarding children training if they have minimal access to children.  Those staff with direct contact with children must receive annual Level 3 (face to face) safeguarding children training.
The updated Keeping Children Safe in Education (Dfe 2019) states that ‘All staff should receive appropriate safeguarding and child protection training which is regularly updated. In addition, all staff should receive safeguarding and child protection updates (for example, via email, e-bulletins and staff meetings), as required, and at least annually, to provide them with relevant skills and knowledge to safeguard children effectively.’​

If you work with children in any capacity, are you receiving the correct level of safeguarding training?  This month we hear from our expert Michelle Nightingale, as she sets the record straight:

“It is important that all staff receive a minimum of Level 2 safeguarding children training if they have minimal access to children.  Those staff with direct contact with children must receive annual Level 3 (face to face) safeguarding children training.
The updated Keeping Children Safe in Education (Dfe 2019) states that ‘All staff should receive appropriate safeguarding and child protection training which is regularly updated. In addition, all staff should receive safeguarding and child protection updates (for example, via email, e-bulletins and staff meetings), as required, and at least annually, to provide them with relevant skills and knowledge to safeguard children effectively.’​

Face to face training allows for contextual understanding of the issues, which staff maybe observing or involved in; it encourages peer support, reviews local escalation processes and highlights good practice and areas of challenge.

Senior Management Teams are also encouraged to attend such training, to ensure relevant information and awareness is cascaded across the organisation.”

Further Reading:
Keeping Children Safe in Education (2019): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education–2
Independent School Inspectorate: https://www.isi.net/safeguarding/

Michelle has delivered some fantastic in-house training sessions for a range of schools, with excellent feedback.  If this is something you need for 2020, get in touch!