Specialist Early Years Safeguarding Course for Managers
What does 'safeguarding' mean to parents?
How can we actively own our professional role in a way that they can fully understand?
Let's consider it from their point of view ....
Parents are apprehensive
There’s been an increased reporting of serious case reviews in the mainstream press following child deaths and historic accounts of systematic sexual abuse of children. The abuse hasn’t necessarily increased, just we are better informed about how to spot it and more people are now reporting it.
We’re finding that parents are understandably apprehensive. They’re cautious about the people they leave their children with.
Parents are also not always aware of the Safeguarding Policy and Procedures that organisations have in place to safeguard their children. Some don’t even understand what safeguarding means.
Many parents don’t respect the management team as Early Years safeguarding experts. Thus, few parents are coming to speak to ask for support and advice.
And some parents aren’t aware of the things they can do to protect their child from harm. They aren’t aware of the early signs that signal when a child needs help. And they certainly aren’t aware of what to do when the child requires protection from serious levels of harm.
How we can improve this
During a four-day course over three months you’ll conduct a thorough appraisal of your safeguarding policy and procedures.
We’ll work through up to date material from the new legislation. We’ll pull in relevant research and apply good practices and guidance.
We’ll help you to transform the understanding and practice of your practitioner teams. Helping to build both your own and their confidence.
We'll look closely at the connections between good standards of practitioner conduct and behaviour, the confidence to whistleblow and responsibilities in having allegations against people in positions of trust fully investigated outside of the setting.
You’ll work through assignments which will help you in the journey of really improving your professional service to children and their families. We'll give you good positive and honest feed back !
We’ll plan a route for reviewing the interface between your policy and practice.
You’ll have the opportunity to network with other professionals in your position during and after the course.
We’ll work with you closely to support your individual development needs.
At the end of this 4-day course you’ll be thoroughly familiar with the breadth of your role. You’ll know how to confidently speak with parents. And parents will approach you as an expert in your safeguarding role protecting their children whilst they’re in your care.
"I have learnt far more than I thought I would. It has made me evaluate my management skills. I loved the networking. I have learnt a lot about safeguarding from others’ perspectives."
- Sarah Mackinnon, Nursery School Classroom Manager
Who will benefit from this training
This course is for people in management positions working with very young children. It’s for managers, owners, room leaders and Designated Lead Persons.
If you’re a manager, you might be looking for support in your safeguarding role working with very young children, including that vital period, the first 1001 days between conception and age 2.
You might want to learn more and develop your skills so that you can confidently demonstrate to parents that you’ve got the knowledge and Safeguarding Policy and Procedures in place to protect their children.
You might not feel you have a truly meaningful relationship with parents. Perhaps you aren’t comfortable bringing up concerns you have regarding a shaky emotional attachment, and/or a mother is showing signs of ante- or post- natal depression and/or rifts in the relationship between the parents and child that are affecting the child.
You might not feel confident that you’re doing enough. Or that you’re not sufficiently well informed to notice and handle safeguarding issues.
Your safeguarding policies and procedures are not up to date. The Early Years Foundation Stage 2018 and Keeping Children Safe in Education, September 2019 guidance, expects that Managers, Owners and Designated Lead Persons for Safeguarding will be thoroughly familiar with their role, the necessary policies and have clear, executable procedures in place for their team.
We're living and working in a complex era. Make sure you’re confident that you and your team are well informed.
It's the ideal time to review and update what you know.
Join us on the next Specialist Early Years Safeguarding Course for Managers beginning in the Autumn of 2020.
"This course offered us fresh insights into safeguarding children and their families management, which has challenged and motivated me to reflect upon and think more critically about what it means to safeguard others."
- Philip Mills, Young Cares Manager