Safeguarding Support Package for Schools 2022-23

• The training resource packs include a whole staff child protection and whole staff online safety training slides and additional guidance notes for DSLs to help them provide robust staff training which address current safeguarding requirements and expectations.
• The packs also contain supplementary activities which can be used throughout the year by DSLs to demonstrate ongoing safeguarding awareness raising with staff, for example during staff meetings or inset or twilight sessions.
• The packs are intended to be personalised by DSLs to reflect their specific schools’ policies and context and will be updated as necessary by the service throughout the year to reflect current guidance and legislation.

These resources will be accessed via the downloadable DSL resource library.

• This E-Learning course will provide any new members of staff in schools with core messages about their safeguarding responsibilities and ensure a baseline of child protection knowledge and understanding.
• The E-Learning course is suitable for all members of staff and is intended for induction purposes only – it cannot and should not replace whole school staff training and DSLs will need to supplement this course to address individual school policy expectations and procedures.
• This training will be updated throughout the year by the service as necessary to reflect current guidance and legislation.

• The downloadable resource library will contain a suite of comprehensive guidance documents and time-saving templates which will assist DSLs in keeping informed and up-to-date. The library will evolve over time but aims to provide a diverse bank of resources to support safeguarding practice, inform decision making and help schools evidence their approaches towards establishing a safe culture.
• Current resources include:
  • record keeping guidance for DSLs
  • comprehensive Handbook for DSLs
  • guidance for staff regarding responding to child welfare concerns
  • child protection induction leaflet for staff and volunteers
  • safeguarding school self-evaluation tool
  • online safety school self-evaluation tool
  • confidentiality policy template
  • anti-bullying policy template
  • online safety policy template
  • engaging families in online safety guidance
  • social media toolkit
  • Online safety considerations for learners with SEND
  • filtering and monitoring considerations for school leaders and governors
  • cyberbullying guidance for DSLs and School Leaders
  • Developing Online Safety Practice in Education Settings: Policy and Practice Guidance for Leaders, Managers and DSLs
  • protecting professional’s online checklist.

• Safeguarding is a constantly evolving area of work with frequent changes in guidance and legislation, emerging safeguarding risks and priorities, and new national resources or services to support effective practice. The Education Safeguarding Service will ensure that new resources (a minimum of six new resources per academic year) are added to the downloadable resource library.
  • Specific resources will vary based on current trends, however, examples of updates could include FAQs on emerging risks, policy guidance and/or templates, template letters, summaries of core guidance and/or updates, signposting to national advice/resources on key topics, video guides and additional training content.

• We will provide regular (at least annual) updates to all existing training and library resources so DSLs can be confident that the material they use and access via the package are up-to-date. All existing resource library documents were last updated and revised in August 2022, so they were ready for use in preparation for the 2022-23 school year.

• We recognise the benefit of interaction and networking for DSLs to share knowledge, examples of good practice and reflect on key topics. We will be running a series of six one hour DSL briefing twilight sessions (4pm-5pm)  throughout the year. Package members receive one free place, per school on each briefing, starting from the date the school subscribes to the package.
• If the DSL is unable to attend live, we will provide access a recording of the session after the event, where available.
• Additional spaces can be booked if schools wish to certificate more than one DSL or staff member's attendance.

In June 2021 the service published a blog post explaining more about the briefings.

Although subject to changing priorities and emerging issues, the topics planned for the academic year 2022-23 are:

• Key Findings for Education from Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews
• Domestic Abuse
• ‘Think before you scare’: responding to online hoaxes and challenges
• Adverse Childhood Experiences: A Trauma Informed Approach
• Image Based Abuse
• Strategic Safeguarding Updates for 2023-24