The responsibility to ensure that all staff and volunteers have access to the appropriate level of training to fulfil role specific safeguarding responsibilities remains with organisations across the partnership. Agencies in Leeds must deliver training which meets standards as set out in the LSCP Safeguarding Introductory Training, Minimum Content Requirements.
The provision of appropriate multi-agency safeguarding professional development and training remains the responsibility of DSPs. To meet this responsibility for core training, Leeds has continued to use a blended approach to delivery, using online self-directed learning resources, trainer led on-line sessions and web-based resources to ensure the availability of wider learning and development opportunities.
Core safeguarding training includes Introduction to Working Together safeguarding training, Refresher training, Working Together training and Child Exploitation training. Sessions are delivered by colleagues from across the partnership and/or by a quality assured commissioned service.
Alongside this core offer, additional specialist areas of learning have been the focus of sessions delivered by partnership experts. These have included Introduction to Child Exploitation, Introduction to ICPCs, Managing Allegations, Illegal Money Lending and the use of the Rethink Formulation model.
Work in the latter part of 2024/25 has been focused on developing a new approach to learning and training for launch in 2025/26. All the core training previously available will remain on the programme. Additionally, a range of topic-based sessions will be offered, over the course of the year, with the training schedule updated on a quarterly basis, to ensure that current learning and practice changes are included. Sessions will be linked to LSCP priorities, learning from reviews, findings from audits and learning from inspections. All sessions will be delivered by subject experts from across the Partnership, drawing on, wide experience and expertise in Leeds, with consideration given to whether these need to be online or in person events.
Work to develop this new approach to has included a complete refresh of Training pages on the LSCP website to ensure a consistency in presentation and to guide potential delegates smoothly and effectively to training which meets their individual needs.
Providing delegates with the opportunity to evaluate LSCP training remains a core part of the training offer, with the feedback utilised to improve training delivery, content and opportunities, as well as offering a level of assurance regarding the effectiveness of the training. In progressing the new training model for 2025/26, a plan has been put in place to more effectively judge the extent to which training has a direct impact on practice. A mechanism has been developed whereby, delegates will be contacted, to ask that they complete a short questionnaire to help the LSCP understand how practice changes as a result of practitioners attending a training session, to support the understanding of how the training offer impacts upon practice.
The LSCP continues to work with the other safeguarding partnerships in Leeds to ensure that wider safeguarding learning and development opportunities are available and promoted, in areas of joint responsibility, such as domestic abuse and professional curiosity.
Evaluation
Evaluation is part of all training opportunities which are offered via the LSCP, with the feedback utilised to improve training delivery, content and opportunities, as well as offering a level of assurance regarding the effectiveness of the training.
Table Five- Training evaluations
Overall multi-agency training across the year has evaluated positively as outlined in Table Five, increasing knowledge, understanding and skills, which is consistent with previous years.
Professional Curiosity
In response to learning from reviews, David Shemmings, OBE PhD, Emeritus Professor of Child Protection Research at the University of Kent was commissioned this year to deliver Professional Curiosity and Decision-Making training. Professor Shemmings focused on how professionally curious practice best informs decision making, to keep children and young people safe, providing an opportunity for delegates to explore challenges and reflect on how they can think differently about professional curiosity, to improve their practice in the future.
Feedback from delegates was very positive with 100% of participants reporting that the training had increased their knowledge and understanding and met their expectations.
In view of the positive evaluation of the sessions and professional curiosity being an ongoing theme within reviews, further sessions will be commissioned in the coming year.
Leeds Safeguarding week
This year a Leeds safeguarding week was established, alongside the Leeds Safeguarding Adult Board and Safer Leeds. The first Leeds Safeguarding Week took place in November 2024 and offered a varied programme of learning opportunities for all Leeds practitioners.
In all, 36 sessions were delivered across the week, with over 1,000 practitioners attending.
The sessions were diverse, covering a wide range of safeguarding topics, which reflected the LSCP priorities, learning from reviews, inspection findings and key areas identified by practitioners. Each session was delivered by experts in their subject matter so that delegates left with valuable insights and newfound skills which could be transferred into practice.
Overall, the week evaluated positively, with opportunities for learning and sharing of knowledge which would not previously have occurred on this scale and across the safeguarding system in Leeds. Planning is already underway for the Leeds safeguarding week in 2025-26.
Overall multi-agency training across the year has evaluated positively as outlined in Figure Three, increasing knowledge and confidence, which is consistent with previous years.
In the coming year the Learning and Development group will consider how the impact on practice and outcomes of multiagency learning and development opportunities, which includes training, can be evidenced.