FAQ: As part of your induction process, whatever your role, responsibilities, or sector you work in, child protection and safeguarding training should be available for all new staff and volunteers. Child protection requirements are set out by statutory guidance, for people working or volunteering with children and young people in the UK. Depending on a person’s role, the requirements may differ, whether you work directly with children, or if have a specific safeguarding responsibility.
Separate guidance is also available for people working in sectors such as education, healthcare, early years, childcare and social work. Everyone who works, or volunteers with children, should understand the role they have in keeping children safe. This includes being able to recognise the signs and indicators of abuse, and knowing how to follow their organisation’s safeguarding and child protection procedures.
Depending on your role in safeguarding and child protection, the sector, and whether you are in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, there is different guidance for how often training should be refreshed, which could be every two, or three years. You should follow the guidance from your regulatory body, local authority and UK nation.
A certificate does not have an expiry date, but based on industry best practice guidelines, the recommended renewal period for training is three years. However, legislation, regulations and guidance can often change, therefore, it may be more appropriate to have refresher training every two years, notwithstanding completing new training.
This is a mater of choice, and how this best suits your organisation, or team. Specific safeguarding software can be helpful with managing and monitoring safeguarding, in schools, businesses, football clubs, and more. Some services suggest that by having specific safeguarding software, it can support in the following areas of practice:
A Single Central Record (SCR), sometimes referred to as a single central register, is a mandatory document that educational establishments in the UK must maintain. It is a centralised one single record, of all the pre-employment checks conducted on staff, including teachers, support staff and volunteers, to ensure they are suitable for working with children, and in some cases, those legally prohibited from working with children and/or working as a teacher. These checks are an essential part of safeguarding, carried out to help employers check the suitability of candidates.
For safeguarding purposes, a well-maintained SCR ensures that all staff members and volunteers have undergone thorough background checks, and the SCR is up to date. This ensures the safety and welfare of children in the educational establishment.
A SCR is a legal requirement and a critical component of OFSTED and ISI inspections. During an inspection, the OFSTED/ISI Inspector will ask to view the SCR. The DfE Statutory Guidance for Schools and Colleges, “Keeping Children Safe in Education”, states that all schools must produce and maintain a SCR of Recruitment and Vetting Checks, as this is a statutory requirement. Who should be included in the SCR?
In all organisations, it is a management responsibility to ensure safeguarding compliance and that it is always up to date. There is usually a commissioned safeguarding expert appointed for overseeing the organisations safeguarding needs. No matter how large or small your organisation, anyone who works with, or has some form of contact with children and young people, their families/carers, or adults at risk, must protect them by taking reasonable steps through their work. Each organisation should:
Have appropriate policies and procedures in place which follow relevant legislation, statutory and good practice guidance
Ensure these procedures are understood and followed by all paid or unpaid personnel, including managers, governors, trustees, volunteers, clients and beneficiaries
Appoint a designated lead, deputy for safeguarding and, as relevant, a trustee or director for safeguarding , safeguarding governor
Follow safe recruitment practice including relevant criminal records checks when appointing anyone paid or unpaid, and including volunteers, managers, trustees, and governors
Provide safeguarding induction training and relevant safeguarding training to all and update training as required?