Early years safeguarding and child protection training has long needed reform. A new EYFS will address this through a change in both policy and practice. Safeguarding reforms aim to create criteria for effective safeguarding training and require that policies and procedures include details on how the training is delivered and how practitioners are supported in implementing it.
The potential for change is two-fold. It determines training as being authentic and ensures that it reflects and speaks the language of statutory guidance and best practice. It considers the importance of training delivery and how this should be designed to have optimum impact upon a wide and diverse workforce.
What's new for 2025?
Wording under ‘safeguarding training’ in both the group and school provider and childminder framework is clear:
- All practitioners must be trained in line with the criteria set out in Annex C.
- Providers should support practitioners to implement safeguarding policies and procedures continuously.
- Training should be renewed every two years.
- Annual refresher training should be considered by providers and childminders with assistants as to whether staff in the setting require additional input in between the two-year cycle. This will support the basic skills of staff, help them keep up to date with changes and address safeguarding incidents that may occur in the setting.
Th ese distinct expectations provide a welcome and much-needed development in early years safeguarding practice, illustrating that safeguarding training should be a process, not an event. It recognises that one size does not fit all and highlights the necessity to design training to meet individual learners' needs. Most importantly, it emphasises the significance of leaders engaging in quality management processes such as effective inductions, ongoing suitability and professional supervisions to identify and shape learning.
Summarising the training criteria
The new safeguarding training criteria is comprehensive and provides clarity on important features of safeguarding and child protection practices with a caveat it should be ‘designed for staff caring for birth to five-year-olds and is appropriate to the age of the children being cared for’.
It instantly addresses some common misconceptions about safeguarding training in the early years. Safeguarding training does not include health and safety aspects such as risk assessment or safety procedures. Neither does training consider or take its lead from influences recognised from Ofsted inspections.
The criteria demonstrate the foundations upon which all practitioners acquire and build knowledge. It also provides definitive training expectations for those undertaking the role of the designated safeguarding lead (DSL). Training for all practitioners provides a linear approach, starting with the understanding of what safeguarding means, knowledge of the categories of abuse, harms and neglect, and ultimately knowing how and when to take appropriate actions. Much of the existing EYFS text remains but has been strengthened to reflect the current landscape.
Training needs to consider practitioners' understanding and responses should they become aware of children who ‘experience emotional abuse or physical abuse because of witnessing domestic abuse or coercive control’.
All practitioners should be trained to ‘respond, record and effectively refer concerns or allegations related to safeguarding in a timely and appropriate way’.
Reforming DSL training
DSL training is essential for developing robust safeguarding skills. Criteria state that DSLs should ‘take account of any advice from the local safeguarding partners (LSP) or local authority on appropriate training courses’. This is important for many reasons, not least of all because it is associated with the legal requirements that partnerships have in fulfilling their ‘joint function’ responsibilities to provide oversight of learning from serious incidents, local child safeguarding practice reviews and national reviews. These functions, documented in Working together to safeguard children (2023), also include making sure that relevant agencies are clear about their role and contribution to multi-agency safeguarding arrangements. Effective DSL training will support this expectation.
Other elements of training draw upon emerging case review learning, data analysis, as well as noting the essential skills that DSLs should acquire in order to respond to escalation of need and concerns, (both internally and externally) and know how to make effective referrals. Training courses must cover safer culture, safer recruitment, developing policies and procedures, liaising with statutory services including the LSP, knowing how to manage allegations and internet safety.
Delivery of training
Approaches to learning and sourcing suitable and dependable training will inform policy content. A surge in online training in recent years has impacted negatively upon the drive towards excellence. Effective training depends on current, accurate content and self-directed learning from participants. Without this, the impact is minimal if effective at all. Careful consideration should be given to the source of training, how it is delivered and who is leading the learning experience.
The DfE has suggested that settings can deliver safeguarding training to their teams themselves should they choose to. Experienced and knowledgeable managers, particularly DSLs, can use the criteria to design training and contextualise their LSP's and the setting's specific policies and procedures. Safeguarding training at every level must provide sufficient impact. This must be relevant to the individual learner, the wider collective workforce and, most importantly, the children with whom they come into contact.
Safeguarding training should:
- provide accurate and authentic content underpinned by relevant legislation and Government guidance
- support learners to join the dots, to make connections with why and how we follow safeguarding policies and procedures
- draw upon learning and expert analysis of contexts, data and current research
- build on learners' existing knowledge and encourage further exploration and enquiry to develop skills and competencies
- consider personal misconceptions and biases that may affect professional judgements or decisions regarding the safety or welfare of a child.
Applying due diligence when choosing a training provider
In the absence of regulated safeguarding training, it is crucial to make informed decisions and exercise due diligence when selecting a trainer.
Some things to consider when picking a training provider:
- Verify claims of affiliation with recognised organisations.
- Ask, are others' testimonials about the provider evaluative and measurable?
- Use the mirror test: if the training content and delivery do not reflect social care contexts and language, it is likely unfit for purpose.
- Persuasive marketing does not ensure accurate content or delivery. Seek reputable trainers known for their expertise and reputation in the field of safeguarding and child protection.
case study: Portico Nurseries
Vicki Cardwell, senior manager and safeguarding lead at Portico Nursery Group, where Rachel Buckler hosts termly designated safeguarding lead (DSL) sessions, on implementing effective safeguarding training.
‘Our systems reflect our commitment to safeguarding and child protection, starting with recruitment and interview questions. New staff undergo a rigorous three-day induction, including comprehensive policies and procedures on day one. As the safeguarding lead, I provide new employee training and yearly refresher sessions for the entire company. Our company lead undergoes refresher training and a train-the-trainer course from our membership organisation to maintain current knowledge.
‘We receive support from our local authority (LA) by attending their designated officer awareness training sessions and by participating in their termly designated safeguarding lead (DSL) network meetings. We also have a point of contact to help us with any questions we may have when supporting children and families.
‘The company has invested in an Early Years and Safeguarding Hub to provide access to safeguarding compliance, child protection requirements, regulation updates and CPD opportunities.
‘Rachel hosts termly DSL sessions through the hub, helping us at Portico stay current with local and national safeguarding practices.
‘In addition to this, our teams hold monthly meetings where safeguarding is consistently included as an agenda item. Our biannual supervisions incorporate scenarios related to various safeguarding aspects to promote practitioner reflection and ensure adherence to policies.
‘Within our staff room we have a child protection display with flow charts. The open-door policy and whistleblowing procedures allow the team to contact the DSL, compliance lead, LADO or MASH team when necessary.’
