Child Safeguarding Courses

The prevention and protection of children and young people from harm and fostering an environment where they can thrive is a crucial and shared UK societal value. This safeguarding children eLearning Level 1 course provides all healthcare staff and volunteers, no matter what their role, with an introduction to the fundamental concepts and principles of safeguarding children.

Upon completion of this course, the learner will:

• Know potential indicators of child maltreatment in its different forms – physical, emotional and sexual abuse, neglect, grooming and exploitation to support and/or commit acts of terrorism (known as radicalisation)
• Be aware of child trafficking, female genital mutilation (FGM), forced marriage, modern slavery, gang and electronic media abuse, sexual exploitation, county lines (young people involved in organised crime who are coerced to traffic drugs or other illegal items around the country)
• Understand the risks associated with the internet and online social networking
• Be aware of the vulnerability of looked after children, children with disabilities, unaccompanied children, care leavers and young carers, and missing children
• Understand the impact a parent/carer’s physical and mental health can have on the wellbeing of a child or young person, including the impact of domestic abuse and violence and substance misuse
• Understand the importance of children’s rights in the safeguarding/child protection context
• Know what action to take if they have concerns, including to whom concerns should be reported and from whom to seek advice
• Be aware of relevant legislation (Children Acts 1989, 2004, and Children and Social Work Act 2017, the Sexual Offences Act 2003, and the equivalent Acts for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales)

Safeguarding children is a shared responsibility across society, with healthcare staff, alongside police, teachers and social workers, having certain statutory responsibilities. This Safeguarding Children Level 2 course is designed for healthcare workers who regularly interact with children or their parents/carers, providing a more detailed understanding of safeguarding and child protection. Building on Level 1, this course delves deeper into specific risks and harm children may face, as well as exploring additional concepts such as levels of need, effective advocacy, multi-agency collaboration, effective reporting and appropriate documentation.

Upon completion of this course, the learner will be able to:

• Understand what constitutes child maltreatment and be able to identify signs of child abuse or neglect
• Be able to act as an effective advocate for the child or young person
• Understand the potential impact of a parent’s/carer’s physical and mental health on the wellbeing of a child or young person in order to be able to identify a child or young person at risk
• Be able to identify one’s own professional role, responsibilities, and professional boundaries, and understand those of colleagues in a multidisciplinary team and in a multi-agency setting
• Know how and when to refer to social care if a safeguarding/child protection concern is identified
• Be able to document safeguarding/child protection concerns in a format that informs the relevant staff and agencies appropriately
• Know how to maintain appropriate records, including being able to differentiate between fact and opinion
• Be able to identify the appropriate and relevant information and how to share it with other teams
• Be aware of the risk of FGM in certain communities, be willing to ask about FGM in the course of taking a routine history where appropriate to role, know who to contact if a child makes a disclosure of impending or completed mutilation, be aware of the signs and symptoms, and be able to refer appropriately for further care and support, including the FGM mandatory reporting duties to the police in accordance with current legislation
• Be aware of the risk factors for grooming and exploitation to support and/or commit acts of terrorism (known as radicalisation) and know who to contact regarding preventive action and supporting those vulnerable young persons who may be at risk of, or are being drawn into, terrorist-related activity
• Be able to identify and refer a child suspected of being a victim of trafficking and/or sexual exploitation

Safeguarding children and young people from harm, and providing an environment in which children can flourish is a key societal value. Healthcare workers can be in an important position in helping to recognise child maltreatment.

This Safeguarding Children level 3 course provides clinical staff with an understanding of assessment, evaluations and interventions relating to safeguarding and child protection concerns.

Upon completion of this course, the learner will be able to:

• Be able to identify, drawing on professional and clinical expertise, possible signs of sexual, physical, or emotional abuse or neglect including domestic abuse, sexual exploitation, grooming and exploitation to support and/or commit acts of terrorism (known as radicalisation), FGM, modern slavery, gang and electronic media abuse using a child and family-focused approach
• Understand what constitutes child maltreatment including the effects of carer/parental behaviour on children and young people
• Have an awareness or knowledge of, dependent on role, forensic procedures in child maltreatment, with specific requirements and depth of knowledge relating to role (e.g., where role involves/includes forensics teams or working alongside forensics teams)
• Know how to undertake, where appropriate, a risk and harm assessment
• Know how to communicate effectively with children and young people, and ensure they have the opportunity to participate in decisions affecting them as appropriate to their age and ability
• Know how to contribute to and make considered judgements about how to act to safeguard/protect a child or young person, including escalation as part of this process
• Know how to contribute to, formulate, and communicate effective management plans for children and young people who have been maltreated within a multidisciplinary approach and as related to role
• Understand the issues surrounding misdiagnosis in safeguarding/child protection
• Know how to ensure the processes and legal requirements for looked after children, including after-care, are appropriately undertaken, where relevant to role
• Know how to appropriately contribute to inter-agency assessments by gathering and sharing information, documenting concerns appropriately for safeguarding/child protection and legal purposes, and seeking professional guidance in report writing where required
• Know how to assess training requirements and contribute to departmental updates where relevant to role, including through audit, case discussion, peer review, supervision, and refresher training
• Know how to deliver and receive supervision within effective models of supervision and/or peer review as appropriate to role, and recognise the potential personal impact of safeguarding/child protection work on professionals
• Be able to identify risk to the unborn child in the antenatal period as appropriate to role
• Know how to apply lessons learnt from audit and serious case reviews/case management reviews/significant case reviews to improve practice
• Know, as per role, how to advise others on appropriate information sharing
• Know how to appropriately contribute (where relevant to role) to serious case reviews (in Wales: child practice reviews), domestic homicide reviews which include children, case management reviews, significant case reviews, and child death review processes, and seek appropriate advice and guidance for this role
• Know how to obtain support and help in situations where there are problems requiring further expertise and experience
• Know how to participate in and chair peer review and multidisciplinary meetings as required