New to Role Early Years Designated Safeguarding Lead Training

Learning Outcomes

• To enable delegates to understand their role and main responsibilities as an Early Years Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).
• Provide participants with relevant knowledge of national legislation and guidance regarding safeguarding children in early years settings, and the key responsibilities and requirements that determines their settings policies and approaches.
• Ensure delegates understand their role in liaison with local statutory children's services agencies, and with the local safeguarding children partnership, including Kent's specific safeguarding children procedures.
• To ensure DSLs know what is likely to happen following a referral/request for support, understand what role the setting has to play and the role of the DSL within multi-agency working.
• Ensure delegates are able to identify, understand and respond appropriately to signs of possible abuse and neglect, including abuse/neglect outside of the setting.
• Explore expectations for DSLs regarding recording child safeguarding concerns and expectations for appropriate information sharing.
• Consider how DSLs in early years settings can create a 'safer culture’, including raising awareness with staff to ensure they recognise and respond to concerns at the earliest opportunity and in a timely and appropriate way, and explore approaches which can help settings prevent and respond to inappropriate staff behaviour.

By attending this course, delegates and their settings will be able to meet their statutory safeguarding responsibilities including those identified in the ‘Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage’ (EYFS), ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’, ‘The Prevent Duty’ and ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’. This course will also assist delegates in understanding the local Kent processes, including making a request for support via the Integrated Front Door and the role of the local Kent Safeguarding Children Multi-agency Partnership (KSCMP).

This course is the first level training for staff in Early Years settings in Kent who are new to the role of the DSL. It may also be suitable for Early Years DSLs (EYDSLs) who have attended DSL training outside of Kent, or for EYDSLs whose training is no longer in date. Existing EYDSLs who need to refresh their knowledge and skills should access our EYDSL refresher training; eLearning or face to face options are available.  Staff working in settings where children live outside of Kent, or work in other early years provision can access this course, however, they will need to undertake independent research to ensure they understand the relevant guidance and processes specific to their setting or location.

The course uses a variety of interactive scenarios and discussions to help delegates put learning into practice and is delivered by experienced trainers who have a sound knowledge of social work and early years practice. Delegates should ensure they are familiar with and have access to section 3 of the EYFS and the KSCMP Support Level Guidance when accessing this training. 

This session will run as an interactive virtual session (either via Zoom or Microsoft teams).  Please note that these sessions are not recorded, and delegates will need to attend the live session.  Delegates should ensure they are able to access the training platform and will require a working camera/microphone so they can participate in discussions and activities.  Full attendance/participation is required to receive a certificate of attendance; non-participation, missing content, late arrival/leaving early may mean certificates are withheld.