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Safeguarding training levels

This page describes the different training levels and qualifications for safeguarding.

Level 1 safeguarding training

This is very basic awareness training and is offered by Southampton City Council to Southampton City Council employees and maintained schools. External organisations should source this from external providers if they feel they require it.

Level 2 safeguarding training

Level 2 training is for staff who work regularly with children, young people and families and who have a professional and organisational responsibility for safeguarding and promoting children and young people’s welfare.

This comprehensive training will provide the knowledge and confidence to identify and act upon any welfare concerns and contribute appropriately to safeguarding processes.

This is regarded as ‘single agency’ training.

Multi-agency level 3 training

  • Identifying needs: early intervention and making a referral
  • Child protection procedures

These multi-agency courses are targeted at members of the workforce who have particular responsibilities for undertaking child protection enquiries, and who work with complex cases. For example, professionals from Children’s Social Care, Police, Health and Education.

Training at this level is for staff who hold a professional or organisational authority and a substantial degree of personal responsibility and autonomy to act on child welfare concerns and who work as part of a core group.

The Southampton Safeguarding Children Partnership (SSCP) organise this training. Member agencies of the SSCP have paid a contribution, in accordance with the pooled budget arrangements, towards the development and delivery of this training. Spaces are therefore allocated in accordance with the percentage contribution from each agency.

Designated Safeguarding Lead Officer (DSL) for education settings

It is a requirement that anyone who works with children and young people has up to date and appropriate safeguarding training to a level relevant to their role. The Education Welfare Service offers courses for people who either require Safeguarding Awareness Training or Designated Safeguarding Lead full training. The DSL training is for anyone who holds this responsibility and is particularly aimed at those working in statutory education, early years settings, post-sixteen establishments and anyone working with children and young people. We also offer DSL Update training, and bespoke training for settings, including internet safety. View further information on the courses available.

Southampton Safeguarding Children Partnership (SSCP)

The SSCP have recently reviewed and updated its safeguarding at level 3 training and it is now offered as two one-day sessions, and delegates only need to attend one of these to attain safeguarding training at level 3.

Each day covers different subjects so you can choose the day that is most suitable for you. You are also very welcome to attend both days, subject to approval for your manager. The new courses have been devised in partnership with In Trac and give the opportunity to learn free of charge (funded by the SSCP) in a multi-agency environment.

Identifying needs: early intervention and making a referral

  • Legislation and guidance overview
  • Learnings from serious case reviews – how do they integrate into practice?
  • Health professional presentation
  • Making a referral: identifying child centred needs and concerns
  • Professional curiosity
  • Thresholds
  • Using and interpreting chronologies
  • Challenging practice and escalation procedures
  • Information sharing and confidentiality
  • The impact of bias/supervision and reflective practice

The child protection process

  • Legislation and guidance overview
  • Learnings from serious case reviews – how do they integrate into practice?
  • Defining child abuse
  • S17 and S47 – consent, confidentiality and Information sharing
  • Strategy discussion
  • Child protection enquiries
  • The child protection conference:
    • Preparation and participation
    • Purpose and tasks
    • The decision-making process
    • The core group

Safer Recruitment

All organisations working with children and young people are required to have ongoing safer recruitment policies and practices. The Safer Recruitment courses are run by trainers accredited by the Safer Recruitment Consortium to help ensure that unsuitable people are deterred from applying or gaining employment working with children and young people.

All these courses have been approved by the Learning and Development Group of the Southampton Safeguarding Children Partnership

Additional information

Any training providers wishing to offer Safeguarding training should contact the SSCP at Safeguarding.PartnershipsTeam@southampton.gov.uk for further information on how to gain approval.

If booking an external adviser to deliver your safeguarding training, you are strongly advised to check that they have LSCB approval for the course they offer.

Would you like to be kept up to date with changes to our courses as they happen?

We regularly add new courses, and occasionally have to make changes to existing courses throughout the year. If you would like to be updated with these changes you can sign up to receive these updates.