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Designated Safeguarding Leads Support

All schools have a statutory requirement to provide safeguarding and child protection training to all staff. These expectations are laid out in, ‘Keeping children safe in education’ Statutory guidance for schools and colleges (September 2026).
  • Each school and college must have a designated safeguarding lead who will provide support to staff members to carry out their safeguarding duties and who will liaise closely with other services such as children’s social care.
  • All staff members should receive appropriate safeguarding and child protection training which is regularly updated. In addition all staff members should receive safeguarding and child protection updates (for example, via e-mail, e-bulletins and staff meetings, as required, but at least annually), to provide them with relevant skills and knowledge to safeguard children effectively.
Education Durham has developed a service level agreement offer comprising support and several specialised training courses to supplement what schools do to comply with their statutory duties in respect of safeguarding and child protection.

What we offer

All County Durham schools can access up to date Safeguarding and Child Protection information on the Schools’ Portal and via the Durham Safeguarding Children Partnership (DSCP). This information is regularly updated, and it is the responsibility of schools to ensure all staff members receive this information. Termly summaries of all updated information will be circulated to each head teacher and designated safeguarding lead in schools holding the service level agreement with us (although schools are not advised to rely upon this to meet their statutory duties entirely, as some information circulated this way will reach schools retrospectively).

Training

Access to 3 training options:

1. Introduction to safeguarding and child protection

This course is suitable for all adults working in and supporting your school whether it be a nursery, primary or secondary school. The content is accessible and relevant to every role in school, whether paid or voluntary. The course is amended and updated regularly so it remains relevant, challenging, and thought-provoking. It includes:
  • case studies for discussion, relating to the role of schools in safeguarding children and young people
  • requirements within ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education September’ (2026)
  • safeguarding processes within and beyond school, including Child Protection
  • further themes in safeguarding children related to Serious Case Reviews locally
Training materials will be made available for Designated Leads / HT so that they can deliver in their school/setting to deliver the training themselves in their own organisation.

2. Designated Safeguarding Lead training

This course is suitable for those both new familiar with the role of role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead Designated Leads and also Deputy Designated Leads. Participants will have the opportunity to work with DSLs in other schools. The course covers:
  • the legislative background to Early Help and Child Protection within the overall context of safeguarding all children
  • safeguarding and welfare – responding to the Ofsted context
  • responsibilities and entitlements of the designated safeguarding lead as detailed in Annex B of ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (2026)
  • the processes and paperwork required for efficient and effective work in this area
  • the importance of recording and chronologies in the context of multi-agency responsibilities
  • topical national themes and local safeguarding priorities
This course will be run once per term.

3. Designated Safeguarding Leads – update/refresher network meeting

This termly network meeting is for all Designated Safeguarding Leads and is intended to keep them fully updated regarding their responsibilities. It provides an opportunity to raise issues and concerns as well as share good practice. This meeting will be run once per term.

Other information

Safeguarding model policies updated and issued annually:
  • Child Protection Policy
  • Online Safety Policy
  • Low Level Concerns Policy
Annual updates on KCSIE provided on PowerPoint presentation slides to be shared with staff and governors. Safeguarding Self-Assessment Toolkit issued and updated annually. A range of safeguarding documentation to support your school with a strong culture of safeguarding, for example:
  • Safeguarding Training Matrix
  • Safeguarding Training Annual Planner
  • Staff File Contents Sheet
Single Central Record Check carried out on request by a Leadership Adviser