Training and Professional Development for Safeguarding; ‘Voices from the Field’

This paper will discuss issues surrounding safeguarding training and professional development for all professionals working with children. It draws on data from a DfE funded research project that focused on identifying barriers and enablers to embedding learning from Serious Case Reviews (SCRs). Different voices (operational and strategic) of multi-disciplinary professionals were approached to gain an insight of current understanding of and attitudes to safeguarding processes and systems. Recommendations will be made about the development of training at various levels based on these voices, in an attempt to influence education, policy and practice from bottom up. Issue Addressed The complexity of revealing new learning for different disciplines is acknowledged and depends on building a picture of how combinations of the varying contexts, sustainable relationships and infrastructures amalgamate to create new and smarter ways of working. It is anticipated that the evidence collated will illuminate barriers and enablers to embeding policy into practice in light of recent and significant structural changes in different disciplines, agencies and sectors. Results Implications will be discussed in the context of CPD as well as initial training for all practitioners in relation to the following recommendations: • Supporting Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programmes for all practitioners by developing and consolidating ‘hidden’ interpersonal skills as well as legal and work based requirements in all forms of learning environments, supervision and professional development. • Cross disciplinary course development from initial training for all practitioners in the future to include reflection on the drivers that impact on different professional groups for example, health, education, social care and the private, voluntary, independent and third sectors