The Department for Education (DfE) has launched a free online safeguarding training programme for early years professionals, aimed at strengthening child protection across nurseries, pre-schools and childminding settings.
Developed in collaboration with the NSPCC, the new course is designed to help staff recognise, respond to and report concerns about child abuse. It is available through the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework and can be accessed free of charge by professionals working with babies and young children.
The launch comes amid increased scrutiny of safeguarding standards following several high-profile cases involving the abuse of very young children in nursery settings. It also follows a series of government announcements intended to improve safety in early years provision, including plans for better staff support and clearer supervision requirements.
The training programme comprises five interactive modules, each taking around an hour to complete. Using animations, real-life safeguarding scenarios and practical activities, the course covers recognising the signs of abuse, neglect and harm, responding appropriately to safeguarding concerns, understanding the legal responsibilities of early years professionals, identifying inappropriate behaviour by colleagues, and promoting a strong safeguarding culture within organisations.
Each module concludes with a knowledge quiz, and participants who successfully complete the programme receive a certificate.
The course took six months to develop and was informed by consultation with professionals from across the early years sector, with support from Blackpool Better Start. Every module was reviewed by the Department for Education, Ofsted and NSPCC safeguarding specialists before being released.
Christian McMullen, NSPCC Professional Learning Services Director, said: ‘Early years educators play a vital role in ensuring young children gain a safe and healthy start to life and providing them with the springboard to take them into the school environment.
‘This free training package will help them to lay the foundations for a positive safeguarding culture within early years settings and give them the tools and knowledge to identify and respond to signs of abuse and harm to children who are in their care.
‘We would encourage everyone who works in early years settings to take this training and put themselves on a stronger footing when it comes to the safety and wellbeing of the children who are in their care.’
Minister for Early Education Olivia Bailey, from the Department for Education, said: ‘Keeping children safe is the most important part of my job – and the job of early years professionals across the country, who I know work so hard day in day out to give children the best start in life.
‘This free training will help staff recognise the signs of harm, build a strong culture of safeguarding, and feel confident in raising concerns when something isn’t right.
‘It forms part of our wider work to strengthen safeguarding across every setting, from giving Ofsted stronger powers to investigate provider groups to consulting on clearer and stronger supervision rules.’
Photo: Polesie Toys
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