CPD Safeguarding in Education (Social Series)

Section 1: What is safeguarding?

• Definition of safeguarding, including an overview of the background and legal basis for safeguarding provision (to include reference to relevant legislation)
• Explanation of why this is important to staff in education (safeguarding is everybody’s business) and development of an awareness of children’s rights (UNCRC) and appreciating the difference between safeguarding and child protection
• Definitions of physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect (to include a case study around each of these, followed by questions to check understanding/learning) and an overview of the toxic trio
• Overview of key safeguarding concerns, including Peer-on-peer abuse, Child sexual exploitation, Sexual harassment and violence, FGM, Criminal exploitation, County Lines, Gangs and serious youth violence
• How to recognise signs of abuse
• The effects of abuse on children and vulnerable adults
• How and how not to respond to concern that an individual is at risk of harm
• What to do if you have a concern - what information to record and how/where to report this, including how to respond to a disclosure or allegation of abuse or neglect
• Signposting to further learning/resources

Section 2: Prevent/British Values

• What are British Values? Definition of each of these and overview of the importance (to include legislation supporting British Values – Equality and Inclusion, Human rights, and Counter terrorism)
• How British Values can be promoted through behaviours and attitudes within education
• Definition of the prevent duty including background and legal context
• Explanation of why it is important
• How the Prevent Duty supports British Values
• Definitions of Radicalisation, Terrorism and Extremism
• Factors that can make individuals susceptible to radicalization, and warning signs that an individual may be becoming radicalised (to include a case study and questions to check understanding/learning)
• How individuals can be kept safe from radicalisation referring to both internal and external factors
• The legal requirements made for organisational bodies regarding individuals who may be radicalised
• Actions, including reporting procedures, that should be taken if there are concerns that a vulnerable individual or group may be at risk from radicalisation
• Signposting to further learning/resources

Section 3: Consent

• Legal definition of what consent is, defined by Section 74 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, including a brief overview of capacity and freedom to consent
• Examples of what verbal and non-verbal consent looks like and how consent is not just someone saying “yes” or “no”
• Why gaining consent is important, the legal obligation behind it and how it is about mutual respect and safety of all parties
• Consequences of not gaining consent, particularly around new phenomenon – such as photo sharing, filming, upskirting, sharing data etc
• Statutory duty of staff in education around consent and sexual harassment
• How to support those who have experienced assault, harassment, or rape - signposting to advice and help with emphasis on this being free and confidential. There will be information on how to report and what to do to preserve evidence of the crime
• Advice on how to react and talk to someone who is confiding in them about their experience.
• Signposting to further learning/resources

Section 4: Online safety

• General overview of the online world – uses, benefits and then cover the risks including – online radicalisation and extremism, sharing personal content and sexting, sexual offending against children online (including grooming, pornography), mental health impacts, privacy/identify theft, and cyberbullying
• Responsibilities of staff in education and the statutory duties in relation safeguarding remote learners and maintaining online safety
• Warning signs for the above risks – what changes in behaviours to look out for (to include a case study)
• What safety measures are available and how to implement these
• Where to get further advice and support, and where to report any concerns
• Signposting to further learning/resources