OVERVIEW
This is the most comprehensive course in the safeguarding programme and is written specifically for those who hold, or are preparing to hold, the role of Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or deputy DSL for children. It assumes you already have a basic awareness of safeguarding and builds the deeper knowledge, judgement and confidence the lead role demands. It covers what safeguarding children means, the legal and statutory framework, the role and accountability of the DSL, safer recruitment, the categories and indicators of abuse, contextual safeguarding and specific risks, responding to disclosures, early help and thresholds, working with children's social care and the multi-agency safeguarding hub (MASH), managing allegations against staff and the role of the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), information sharing, and record-keeping. Safeguarding children means protecting them from maltreatment, preventing impairment of their mental and physical health or development, ensuring they grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care, and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes. This definition, set out in ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ and reflected in ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, is broad and proactive.
The DSL is the central point of contact and source of expertise for safeguarding within an organisation, and the quality of a setting's safeguarding culture very often reflects the knowledge, visibility and judgement of its DSL. The course uses real UK procedures, statutory thresholds, decision points and worked case scenarios so that the learning is directly applicable to the decisions a DSL actually makes. It is deliberately detailed: accreditation for a higher-level lead role requires depth, and the consequences of weak safeguarding practice are serious. Throughout, the guiding principle is the one set out in the Children Acts 1989 and 2004 — the welfare of the child is paramount.
