Learning and Development Strategy and Quality Assurance

Working together to Safeguard Children states: "Multi-agency training will be important in supporting this collective understanding of local need. …To enable this, the three safeguarding partners should consider what training is needed locally and how they will monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of any training they commission" (P13/14).

The NSCP/NCSCP Learning and Improvement Model has identified that in order to support the dissemination of learning the Partnerships will consider a range of learning opportunities, which may include courses and seminars. This chapter describes how the NSCP and NCSCP will approach this

Bi-annually, both Partnerships will publish a Learning and Development Strategy which will identify the learning priorities for their respective Local Authority areas. The Strategy will be informed by the learning from reviews and audits through the Learning and Improvement Model, and reflect the work priorities identified in the Partnerships Business Plans. It will identify the core multi-agency training that each Partnership will continue to deliver for safeguarding partners/relevant agencies and others in their area, as well as any seminars or other learning opportunities, some of which may be cross authority, reflecting the priorities for that year.

Each Partnership will publish and advertise a programme of multi-agency training opportunities each year, clearly identifying learning outcomes and target groups for courses and seminars. The courses will be evaluated and any required improvements identified.

Groups/Training Course Levels of which all courses are aligned to. It is each agencies responsibility to decide which group a member of staff is placed in depending on their role within that organisation, in line with your own organisational levels.

A joint Nottinghamshire & Nottingham City Safeguarding Children Competence Framework has been developed which is available for all agencies to use to review that different staff groups are competent to an appropriate level in relation to safeguarding children and that they are accessing appropriate training to support this. This framework provides agreed minimum standards regarding competency levels that are applicable to all safeguarding partners/relevant agencies, however it is recognised that staff with specific roles and responsibilities may have additional competence requirements specified by their own

The NSCP/NCSCP has developed a Training Pathway which is designed to help agencies clarify which multi-agency training practitioners need to undertake and in what order. Organisations may provide their own training in addition to/or as an alternative to suggestions in the pathway.

The NSCP/NCSCP has developed an annual Training Content Checklist for all organisations that work with children & young people to assure yourselves that your organisations Introductory Safeguarding Children training covers the minimum course content. The Training Content Checklist is a self-assessment tool and it is recommended that organisations complete it at the beginning of each financial year i.e. April 1st. The NSCP/NCSCP will review the checklist annually and ensure it is kept up-to-date; in line with any changes in legislation etc. For organisations who submit the bi-annual Section 11 Audit to the Safeguarding Children Partnerships, you can refer to the completion of the checklist as part of the training section of the audit. All organisations who do complete the Training Content Checklist can refer to this within their safeguarding children courses, but are not permitted to use the Partnerships Logo's. The following statement can be used in your training resources:

Our training materials include all the content recommended within the Training Content Checklist provided by the NSCP/NCSCP.