2.4 Safeguarding Training Strategy |
AMENDMENT
The Training Strategy was updated in the February 2012 edition of the manual to include a new Appendix 1a, Training Matrix.
Contents
- Introduction
- Purpose
- Basic Principles
- Strategy Drivers
- Design Considerations
- Levels and Delivery of Training
- Quality Assurance and Evaluation
- Roles and responsibility
- Training Work Plan
- Evaluation
Appendix 1: Training Matrix
Appendix 1a: Training Matrix
Appendix 2: Standards for Single and Inter-Agency Safeguarding Training
Appendix 3: Training Observation Form
1. Introduction
Solihull Local Safeguarding Children Board Training Strategy has been developed by the Solihull Safeguarding Children Board Training Sub Group. It draws heavily on the guidance provided in the following documentation:
- Working Together 2006 and 2010
- Children Act 2004
- Every Child Matters change for children Programme
- 2020 Children and Young People’s workforce strategy
- Solihull Children and Young People’s workforce strategy and action plan
- Learning from Serious Case Reviews
- Terms of Reference for the LSCB Training Sub-Group
- LSCB Training work plan 2010-2011
- Sustaining Quality: Standards for Inter-Agency Child Protection Training and Development, Revised Edition (PIAT 2003).
- Safeguarding Children and Young People: Roles and Competence's for Health Care Staff. Intercollegiate Document September 2010
2. Purpose
The purpose of this strategy is to support the national aspirations of the Children Act 2004 and Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010 to have a workforce that is competent and appropriately skilled to carry out their duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. It will provide a framework for the training and development of all employees and volunteers who work with children young people, and families in Solihull. This includes training provided by single agencies to their own staff and inter-agency training where staff from more than one agency train together.
Working Together 2010 endorses a training strategy mandated by the LSCB that makes clear the difference between single-agency and inter-agency training and also requires the following:
- Adequate resources and capacity to deliver or commission training
- Policies, procedures and practice guidelines to inform and support training in line with the strategy
- Identification and periodic review of local training needs, taking in to account research, national developments, learning from Serious Case Reviews
- Robust arrangements for organising and coordinating delivery
- Structures and processes for the delivery of inter-agency training that are not unduly dependant on a single individual; and
- Quality assurance processes in place e.g. evaluation of training
3. Basic Principles
The Solihull LSCB believes that the following principles should inform all safeguarding training:
- All safeguarding training is child centred, incorporating and promoting children’s rights and needs and ensuring that their welfare is paramount.
- Training promotes working in partnership with parents and carers and recognising families’ strengths in responding to the needs of their children and young people.
- Training respects diversity and is inclusive of the wide range of individuals and organisations that have responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the well being of children and young people.
- Training places value on people working collaboratively, bringing people together in ways which mirror the diversity of practice networks engaged with children, young people and their families.
4. Strategy Drivers
Working Together 2010 sets out the roles and responsibilities of the LSCB and employers in various settlings, in ensuring that staff are competent in carrying out their responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting children’s welfare. A raft of legislation including Section 11 of the Children Act 2004, Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2002, Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009, Sections 175 and157 of the Education Act 2002, ensure that all organisations and any commissioned bodies, exercise their functions with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
Solihull Local Safeguarding Children Board requires that all statutory, voluntary and independent agencies take responsibility for ensuring that their staff are appropriately trained to meet the safeguarding needs of children and young people that they may have contact with, either directly or through work with their parents/carers.
5. Design Considerations
Funding
Member agencies of the LSCB contribute towards delivery both financially and in kind through the following means:
- A Training Sub Group
- A full-time Training and Development Officer
- A pool of inter agency practitioner trainers
- An annual budget to cover training costs
Training Needs Analysis
A detailed Training Needs Analysis is in place and underpins the delivery of safeguarding training within Solihull over a twelve month period. It is anticipated that this will be updated reflecting local and national priorities and will be sent out to all partner agencies in October of each year for submission to the LSCB Training Department in December. The Training Sub-Group will consider the information received and will work on implementing the training brochure for the next financial year subject to the Board’s approval and financial considerations.
Complementing other Training
Safeguarding training is an integral part of Solihull’s children and young people’s workforce development strategy. The collaborative aspects of safeguarding training shares commonalities with Common Assessment Framework training and Level 1 safeguarding training is a core aspect of the Common Induction for the children’s workforce. There is also strong potential for collaboration with Solihull Adult Safeguarding Board to explore and agree common processes for the delivery and evaluation of training.
Time Constraints
Given the current economic climate and the requirement of all public bodies to maximise efficiencies it is very important that staff time is used appropriately. While safeguarding training is of extreme importance, due consideration must be given to ensuring that the training structures offered produce the learning outcomes desired in the shortest possible time.
Training Appropriate to Staff Needs
Agencies will make judgements about which level of training is appropriate for staff referring to the targeted eight groups as recently outlined in Working Together 2010 as follows:
- Those who have occasional contact with children, young people and/or their parents or carers.
- Those in regular or intensive but irregular contact with children and young people and with adults who are parent/s or carers.
- Those who work predominately with children and young people, and with adults who are carers, including practitioners contributing to assessments of children in need.
- Those who have particular specialist child protection responsibilities
- Professionals advisers and designated leads for child protection
- Operational managers of services for children, young people and/or parents/carers.
- Senior managers responsible for strategic management of services for children, young people and/or parents/carers.
- Members of the LSCB
6. Levels and Delivery of Training
Having embedded a three tiered structure following previous guidance from central government, it was felt initiating a new format for training delivery would be counter productive. The training matrix (Appendix 1: Training Matrix) can be used in conjunction with the information below to assist agencies in making decisions as to the appropriate level of training for employees/volunteers. Appendix 1a: Training Matrix maps outs the three tiered structure adopted by the LSCB against the requirements of other regulatory bodies/professionals guidance.
Induction Level
The aim of Induction Level Training is to develop an understanding of safeguarding and an ability to act on, concerns about the safety of children and young people for those in occasional contact with children and young people, parents and carers. It is the appropriate level for many members of staff across the wider workforce. Appendix 2: Standards for Single and Inter-Agency Safeguarding Training sets out the minimum learning outcomes for induction level training.
Level One Training
From the 1 April 2010, Level 1 safeguarding training within Solihull has been delivered on a single agency basis. It is envisaged that this training will provide individuals with the necessary information and knowledge relating to identifying the signs and symptoms of child abuse; barriers to safeguarding for children/ young people and adults; an overview of the Every Child Matters agenda; the Children Act 2004 and local reporting processes in Solihull where there are concerns about children and young people.
This training may be helpful for all grades of staff and volunteers but is specifically formed for staff in groups 1 and 2 above. The training is the equivalent of Level 2 of the Intercollegiate document for health professionals and forms a main component of the Common Induction for the children’s workforce. It is recommended that this training is completed within twelve weeks of the employees being in post. A training programme has been produced by the LSCB for use by agencies; alongside detailed trainer notes. Appendix 2: Standards for Single and Inter-Agency Safeguarding Training sets out the minimum learning outcomes for Level 1 training
Level Two Training
This training is aimed at staff within group 3 of the training matrix and also Levels 3 and 4 of the Intercollegiate guidance. Specifically staff who work predominantly with children, young people and/or their parents/carers and who could potentially contribute to assessing, planning, intervening or evaluating the needs of a child and parenting capacity where there are safeguarding concerns. Within Solihull this training is delivered on a multi-agency basis by a pool of local trainers. It is envisaged that this training will cover issues relating to the referral process, barriers to information sharing and multi-agency working, roles and responsibilities of individual agencies, understanding the child protection process, vulnerabilities of particular groups of children and young people, understanding Significant Harm and the process of Section 47 Enquiries and Child Protection Conferences and outcomes for children and young people. It is recommended that this training is completed within sixteen weeks of the employee being in post. Appendix 2: Standards for Single and Inter-Agency Safeguarding Training sets out the minimum learning outcomes for Level Two training.
Level One safeguarding training must have been completed before undertaking this level.
Level Three Training
Within Solihull a number of topic based courses are delivered at Level Three and aimed at those staff who work predominately or regularly with children and young parents/carers or those with a particular/specialist responsibility for safeguarding children and young people and those groups which fall within Level 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Inter-collegiate guidance. These include specific training around children and young people at risk of sexual exploitation, lesson from Serious Case Reviews, domestic abuse, safeguarding children and young people where there are trafficking concerns, Managing Allegations, Safer Recruitment training and other courses specifically related to parenting and safeguarding. These courses are delivered by a group of local trainers as well as external trainers that have been commissioned to deliver the training. Specialised training events for senior managers and Members of the LSCB are also included at this level.
Level One safeguarding training must have been completed before undertaking this level.
Frequency of Level One Refresher Training
Practitioners and managers should undertake refresher training three years following their attendance on a Level One course, and then every following three years. Additionally, this cohort should receive annual written briefing of any changes in practice and legislation from their employer.
Level Two ‘Refresher and Update’ Training
Practitioners and managers should undertake refresher training every two years following their attendance at a LSCB Level Two course. The content of refresher training will evolve continuously to take account of any important national and local developments, including learning about what we do well, and from national and local serious cases. The delivery of such training may be via the LSCB refresher course or any other method which meets the required learning outcomes. An annual written briefing of any changes in practice and legislation should also be provided by the employer.
Training Pool
The delivery of inter-agency training by practitioners from contributions “in kind” from partner agencies has proved to be an effective model of collaborative working in Solihull.
There are currently 18 practitioner members available to deliver inter-agency Safeguarding Children training across Levels Two and Three. Developing a pool of up to 28 trainers will provide sufficient flexibility to ensure a mix of discipline, role and experience in the training pairs.
Level Two - Working Together to Safeguard Children
| Delivery Partners | Current Number of Safeguarding Trainers | Required Number of Safeguarding Trainers |
| Police | 1 | 1 |
| SMBC People Directorate | 2 | 2 |
| Third Sector * | 1 | |
| HoEFT | 1 | |
| CAFCASS | 1 | 1 |
| Integrated Youth Support Services | 1 | |
| Probation | 1 | 1 |
| Care Trust | 1 | |
| Mental Health | 1 | 1 |
Level Three - Specialist and Topic Based Courses
| Delivery Partners | Current Number of Safeguarding Trainers | Required Number of Safeguarding Trainers |
| Police | 1 | |
| SMBC People Directorate | 10 | 11 |
| Third Sector* | 15** | 2 |
| HoEFT | 1 | 1 |
| CAFCASS | ||
| Integrated Youth Support Services | ||
| Probation | ||
| Care Trust | 2 | 2 |
| Mental Health | 1 | 1 |
*Third sector - Vol Orgs and Independent Sector
**This total includes external providers
7. Quality Assurance and Evaluation
Trainers delivering Levels One and Two safeguarding training courses are required to have appropriate knowledge of safeguarding issues and relevant practice/training experience. Trainers can attend the LSCB three day Train the Trainers course or have undertaken an equivalent course. Partners to measure the impact of training on practice, two methods will be piloted: to consolidate skills and experience. Alternatively they may hold an equivalent professional qualification. The Train the Trainers course has been strengthened by the addition of a further day in which practice skills are addressed.
To assure the quality and consistency of training it is suggested that trainers be assessed in practice on an annual basis by peers who would have completed delivery of six Level One or Level Two safeguarding training events. A template for completing such assessments can be found at Appendix 3: Training Observation Form. The criteria against which trainers will be assessed include:
- Demonstrates appropriate level of subject knowledge
- Projects a confident and professional image
- Ensure that ethical and anti-discrimination standards are maintained.
- Responds to questions
- Uses reinforcement and praise
- Uses appropriate non-verbal communication
- Voice communicates enthusiasm
- Seeks and listens to feedback from learners
- Responds flexibly
- Variety of processes and teaching methods are used
- Provides appropriate levels of challenge and support
- Facilitates and promotes participation
- Punctuality
- Pays attention to physical environment
Agencies can of course adopt other methods to quality assure the delivery of training. Additionally trainers at Level One and Two will be invited to attend two half day workshops per year to ensure familiarisation with course materials and promote consistency.
Member agencies are required to audit training needs, monitor take up and provide a range of delivery data on an annual basis as set out at Appendix 2: Standards for Single and Inter-Agency Safeguarding Training.
To assist partners to measure the impact of training on practice, two methods will be piloted:
- Participants will be asked to complete an immediate paper evaluation of a course with a sample followed up through a joint evaluation with a manager/supervisor.
- The evaluation toolkit Connect, Share and Learn developed by NSPCC will also be implemented in order to test effectiveness.
Training materials will continue to be frequently revised reflecting current research, lessons from serious case reviews, together with local and national developments.
8. Roles and responsibility
Role of the LSCB
To achieve high quality training the Solihull LSCB has established:
- A Training Sub-Group
- Quality assurance processes
- A set of standards (see Appendix 2: Standards for Single and Inter-Agency Safeguarding Training)
- Requirements for single agency evaluation (see Appendix 2)
- A Training and Development Officer position with lead responsibility for training.
- Training as a standard item on the Solihull LSCB agenda
Role of Employers
Member agencies have a responsibility to support intra and inter agency safeguarding training by:
- Providing staff to participate in the Training Group who have organisational responsibility for those who will participate in training and who have sufficient authority to make decisions in relation to training.
- Releasing staff with the relevant experience to act as practitioner trainers. Such members of staff would have appropriate knowledge of safeguarding issues and relevant practice/training experience. They should have the opportunity to complete LSCB three-day Train the Trainers course or have undertaken an equivalent course. Alternatively they may hold a recent equivalent professional qualification.
- Ensuring staff receive Induction Level, Level One and intra agency training prior to attending inter agency courses which ensures employees are aware of how to recognise and respond to safeguarding concerns including maltreatment
- Ensuring staff have opportunities to consolidate learning from inter agency training
- Establishing systems to monitor the attendance of their staff
- Commit resources for inter-agency training such as providing trainers to the pool of trainers.
Role of Employees/Volunteers
Staff have a responsibility to:
- Access and engage in the training provided
- Identify their own development needs
- Maintain and improve their professional knowledge and competence
Role of the Training Sub-Group
The Training Sub- Group will:
- Ensure that both single and inter-agency training is delivered to a consistently high standard.
- Develop processes for evaluating the effectiveness of training and the extent to which it contributes to improving the knowledge and skills of the workforce.
- Ensure that training is available for the target groups.
- Identify processes to engage children and young people in the development, design and delivery of safeguarding training
- Review opportunities for refresher training
- Regularly review and update the training programme in line with the training strategy and local and national developments.
- Manages the identification of training needs
- Feed into planning and commissioning of training.
9. Training Work Plan
A detailed training work plan will be implemented and will be underpinned by the LSCB business plan. The work plan will be discussed and monitored at the training sub-group and will be updated and amended accordingly. The work plan will form an essential part of the work of the Training Sub-Group and will also include task to finish groups as deemed necessary by the sub-group members..
10. Evaluation
Strategy Evaluation
The strategy will be regularly monitored on behalf of Solihull LSCB, by the Training Sub Group. Any local or national issues identified as having an impact on this strategy will be brought to the attention of the LSCB so that a review can be completed.
Training Evaluation
In order to measure compliance with the requirements of the LSCB training strategy, agencies will provide annual reports to the LSCB detailing:
- The numbers of staff currently employed in groups designated Level One, Two and Three
- The actual numbers and percentages of staff that have been trained at each level during the year.
- How the agency has ensured that issues of diversity are adequately covered in the training and that there has been equality of access to the training provided.
- The number of staff previously trained, how long ago and staff requiring refresher training in the coming year.
- Reasons for staff not completing courses within the required timeframe's (e.g. lack of places, staff illness, etc).
- The number and percentage of new staff that were trained at the appropriate level within 16 weeks of appointment,
- The content and methods of training including the number of single agency courses provided.
- The trainers’ relevant skills and knowledge.
- How the quality of delivery has been evaluated
- How the training has been evaluated and what was the subsequent learning.
- How any gaps in the provision or uptake of training will be addressed.
Appendix 1: Training Matrix
Click here to view Appendix 1: Training Matrix.
Appendix 1a: Training Matrix
Click here to view Appendix 1a: Training Matrix
Appendix 2: Standards for Single and Inter-Agency Safeguarding Training
Organisational Requirements
All agencies must have a named person who is:
- Responsible for ensuring that safeguarding training is delivered to all staff within agreed timescales.
- Responsible for implementing and maintaining a system to monitor training undertaken.
A safeguarding training strategy must be produced with resulting programme of training taking requirements of regulatory bodies and refresher training into account. For an agency to consider itself ‘adequately trained’ a minimum of 60% of all staff must have completed the appropriate level of single agency training within the agreed timescale at the time of reporting or meet the requirements of the relevant regulatory body. A ‘well trained’ agency will have trained 75% of staff within the agreed timescale at the time of reporting or meet the requirements of the relevant regulatory body.
Trainers delivering Levels 1 and 2 safeguarding training courses are required to have appropriate knowledge of safeguarding issues and relevant practice experience. They should have the opportunity to complete the LSCB three-day Train the Trainers course or have an equivalent professional qualification.
Access
Staff must be able to undertake the appropriate level of training within 16 weeks of employment.
Content of Training
Induction Level Training
The Aim of Induction Level Training is:
To develop an understanding of safeguarding and an ability to act on, concerns about the safety of children and young people.
The Minimum Learning Outcomes for participants at Induction Level will facilitate:
- An understanding of what safeguarding is and the different ways in which children can be harmed.
- The ability to recognise when a child or young person is in danger or at risk of harm and know what to do to protect them.
- An understanding of normal child development and the importance of maintaining a child focus.
- Knowledge regarding Government and local guidance, policies and procedures and your own role within these.
Level One Training
The Aim of Training for Level One staff is:
To develop an understanding of safeguarding and an ability to act on, concerns about the safety and welfare of young people.
The Minimum Learning Outcomes for participants at Level One will facilitate:
- An understanding of what safeguarding is and the different ways in which children can be harmed.
- The ability to recognise when a child or young person is in danger or at risk of harm and know what to do to protect them.
- An understanding of normal child development and the importance of maintaining a child focus
- Knowledge regarding Government and local guidance, policies and procedures and your own role within these.
- An understanding of statutory requirements for information sharing within the context of children’s well being and safety.
- The ability to effectively record concerns, making a distinction between observation, fact, opinion and information gained from others.
- An awareness of the most current relevant legislation.
Level Two Training
The Aim of Training for Level Two staff is:
To promote the importance of inter-agency and integrated working in identifying and safeguarding children and young people at risk of significant harm.
The Minimum Learning Outcomes for participants at Level Two will facilitate:
- An understanding of their role and responsibilities in the context of the roles and responsibilities of other organisations in relation to the safeguarding of children
- Development of an ability to respect and welcome the views of other practitioners.
- A clear understanding of processes to follow during inter-agency consultation.
- A clear understanding of the processes which encourage and the barriers which inhibit effective inter-agency communication.
- An ability to evaluate information and distinguish between fact and opinion.
- The application of ethical principles and values in inter-agency work.
- Investigation of the impact of parenting issues and family functioning on safeguarding children and young people.
- Understand the safeguarding roles of parents and carers and recognise factors that can impact on parenting capacity.
- Exploration of the challenges when working with resistant families.
- Accurate record-keeping in different forms with accompanying understanding of the practical implications of confidentiality.
- An awareness of the most current relevant legislation, policy developments and implications for practice emerging form serious case reviews.
Level Three Training
The Aim of Training for Level Three staff is:
To build on existing knowledge or experience by undertaking topic based courses which provide specific training around children and young people at risk.
The Minimum Learning Outcomes for participants at Level Three will facilitate:
- Effective professional practice in applying specialist legislative requirements.
- Development of an ability to use professional judgements to enhance safeguarding processes.
- A clear understanding of when they must collaborate with other practitioners in different organisations
- A clear understanding of when and how to take emergency action.
- A clear understanding of the processes which encourage and the barriers which inhibit effective inter-agency communication.
- An enhanced ability to communicate with children in challenging situations
- An ability to effectively assess information and work with complexity.
- The application of ethical principles and values in inter-agency work.
- Investigation of the impact of parenting issues and family functioning on safeguarding children and young people.
- Accurate record-keeping in different forms with accompanying understanding of the practical implications of confidentiality.
- An awareness of the most current relevant legislation, policy developments and implications for practice emerging form serious case reviews.
Level One ‘Refresher and Update’ Training
Aim of this course is for all those who have attended the Level One course to refresh and update their knowledge and understanding of effective single and multi-agency safeguarding practices.
The Minimum Learning Outcomes for participants:
Re-visited key learning points from the Level 1 training course to include:
- An understanding of what safeguarding is and the different ways in which children can be harmed.
- The ability to recognise when a child or young person is in danger or at risk of harm and know what to do to protect them.
- An understanding of normal child development and the importance of maintaining a child focus
- Knowledge regarding changes in legislation, Government and local guidance, policies and procedures including information sharing and your own role within these.
- The ability to effectively record concerns, making a distinction between observation, fact, opinion and information gained from others.
Level Two ‘Refresher and Update’ Training
Aim of this course is for all those who have attended the Level 2 course to refresh and update their knowledge and understanding of effective safeguarding practices.
The Minimum Learning Outcomes for participants:
Re-visited key learning points from the Level 2 training course to include:
- Understanding of their role and responsibilities in the context of the roles and responsibilities of other organisations in relation to the safeguarding of children
- A clear understanding of processes to follow during inter-agency consultation.
- A clear understanding of the processes which encourage and the barriers which inhibit effective inter-agency communication.
- Evaluation of information and consider issues of diversity and discrimination.
- Awareness of the impact of parenting issues and family functioning on safeguarding children and young people.
- Exploration of the challenges when working with resistant families.
- An awareness of the most current relevant legislation, policy developments and implications for practice emerging from serious case reviews.
- Had opportunities for reflection and to consider any changes they need to make to their own practices.
Appendix 3: Training Observation Form
Click here to view Appendix 3: Training Observation Form.
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