North Tyneside Safeguarding
Children Board
Training Strategy
April 2016 – March 2019
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Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................................................ 1
1.
Purpose of the strategy ............................................................................................................... 1
2.
Context of the strategy ................................................................................................................ 2
3.
Principles of the NTSCB Strategy.............................................................................................. 3
4.
Creating and supporting a learning culture .............................................................................. 4
5.
Multi-agency training programme .............................................................................................. 5
6.
Single agency training ................................................................................................................. 5
7.
Strategic Training Sub-Group..................................................................................................... 6
8.
Risk management ........................................................................................................................ 8
9.
Quality Assurance, evaluating and monitoring the effectiveness of training ....................... 8
10.
Charging Policy......................................................................................................................... 9
11.
Multi-agency Training framework and target audience .................................................... 10
12.
Risk Assessment .................................................................................................................... 12
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Introduction
The North Tyneside Safeguarding Children Board (NTSCB) Training Strategy, has
been developed to set out how the NTSCB will support its commitment to providing a
high quality multi-agency training programme which supports professionals,
volunteers and the independent sector in their work to safeguard and promote the
welfare of children, young people and families.
This is clearly set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015) which
requires LSCBs to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of training, including mutliagency training. NTSCB promotes the premise that, by organisations and agencies
working together children can be effectively safeguarded by:
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A shared understanding of roles, responsibilities and information sharing
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A common understanding of key terms, definitions and thresholds for action
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Effective communication and working relationships between services,
including an ability to work in multi-disciplinary groups or teams

Effective assessment and decision making processes, and learning from
Serious Case Reviews (SCRs), including child deaths and learning reviews
Training Strategy will be reviewed and refreshed on a 3 yearly cycle.
1. Purpose of the strategy
This strategy provides a framework to support safeguarding children training in North
Tyneside, so that those who work with children, young people and families are
appropriately skilled, competent and confident in carrying out their responsibilities in
regard to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
The training strategy sets out;

The context in relation to safeguarding children training

The principles around the delivery of safeguarding training
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A framework for the delivery of multi-agency training and the type of training
required for different roles

How safeguarding training will be delivered in North Tyneside

How North Tyneside will fulfill its requirements to monitor the effectiveness of
safeguarding training.
2. Context of the strategy
This training strategy is aligned with and informed by;
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Children Act 1989 & 2004; places a duty on local authorities to make
arrangements through which key agencies co-operate to improve the wellbeing of children and young people.
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015; covers the legislative
requirements and expectations on individual services to safeguard and
promote the welfare of children; and a clear framework for Local
Safeguarding Children Boards to monitor the effectiveness of local
services.
A child-centred System: The Governments response to the Munro
Review of Child Protection 2011; challenges us all to work towards a
child protection system that is centred on the child or young person and
to build a child protection system where the focus is very firmly on the
experience of the child or young person’s journey from needing to
receiving help.
Common core of knowledge and skills for the children’s workforce
(2010);describes the skills and knowledge that everyone who works with
children and young people is expected to have.
North Tyneside Children and Young People’s plan 2014 – 2018; sets
out the strategic framework for commissioning and delivering children’s
services in North Tyneside.
The NTSCB Learning and Improvement Framework; enables the
Board, partner organisations and local partnership bodies to be clear
about what needs to be learnt (including from reviews), where services
and practice require improvement, and to improve services as a result.
NTSCB Business Plan; sets the strategic direction for the Board’s work,
sets out the key achievements against each priority and identifies the key
challenges for the year ahead.
North Tyneside Prevention and Early Intervention Strategy (2016)
ensures partners achieve a more sustainable balance between
preventative / early intervention services and remedial provision.
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Wood Report 2016; a fundamental review of the role and functions of
Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) within the context of local
strategic multi-agency working, included consideration of the child death
review process, and how the intended centralisation of serious case
reviews (SCRs) would work effectively at local level.
3. Principles of the NTSCB Strategy
This strategy is underpinned by the following principles which ensure that all training
will:
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be child focused so that the voice of the child and the child’s welfare remain
paramount
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be delivered by trainers who are knowledgeable about safeguarding, child
protection and promoting welfare. When delivering on complex areas trainers
will have relevant specialist skills and knowledge
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be informed by current research, lessons from serious case reviews and child
deaths and national and local policy and practice developments
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be underpinned by the values contained within Working Together 2015
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be regularly reviewed and evaluated to ensure that it meets the agreed
learning outcomes and has a positive impact on practice
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be delivered using a variety of teaching and learning methods, such as
example; face-to-face, e-learning, briefings, conferences and ‘expresso’
events
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enable practitioners to build capacity to safeguard and promote the welfare of
children and share the learning across their organisation/teams
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embed a ‘whole family’ approach to safeguarding and the principles of the
Prevention and Early Intervention model
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be evaluated and ensure it is fit for purpose and measures the impact on
practice
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4. Creating and supporting a learning culture
The NTSCB recognises that professionals learn in a variety of ways and absorb
information from a variety of sources.
Many factors contribute to their continuing professional development, including
experiences in the workplace, reading, peer discussion, co-working, supervision and
professional reflection.
It is essential that the NTSCB actively promotes a learning culture, which enables
practitioners to apply learning to practice, and encourages them to continue to reflect
when they return to their work environment. The traditional approach to this has
been through face to face delivery. This is a highly effective means of learning as it
enables a greater understanding and richness of dialogue between partner
organisations. However partner organizations are having to reconsider the
frequency of this delivery method in light of diminishing resources. This has led to a
focus on alternative means of delivering multi agency training in order to maintain a
learning culture moving forward. This includes;
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‘Classroom based’, multi-agency face-to-face’ learning
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Specific learning events, such as conferences
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‘Expresso’ events – short interactive workshop style sessions
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Learning through experience in the workplace
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E-learning and blended learning
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Peer learning and peer support
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Reflective supervision
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Reading and research
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Individual reflection
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Learning from ‘Resolving Professional Concerns’ procedure; and
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Learning from the Professional Conversations framework for locality teams
The Strategic Training Group also recognizes that there is a need to expand our
interface across to adults safeguarding which will lead to a greater understanding
and dialogue between Safeguarding Adults Board and the NTSCB, ensuring
maximum opportunities to exploit the learning. Furthermore the Wood report makes
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recommendations for more sub regionally working within safeguarding of children.
These will further develop a more integrated and strategic approach to workforce
development within the safeguarding area.
5. Multi-agency training programme
The NTSCB has a comprehensive programme of training and learning events that is
linked to the NTSCB priorities and Business Plan which;
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Ensures it meets the needs of a wide range of practitioners across statutory,
non-statutory, private, voluntary and community sector organisations.
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Provides opportunities for multi-agency staff to learn from reviews, the
development of new skills and knowledge about specific issues that impact on
children’s safety, emotional health and welfare and;
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Offers key multi-agency staff access to training that is linked to and shaped
by; local priorities, learning from reviews, audits, analysis of performance and
outcome of complaints, surveys from children and young people, parents and
carers and practitioners.
The training programme is flexible to enable the Board to respond to national
guidance, the development of new ways of working and to new government policy,
changes in procedures and learning from critical/significant local/national events.
The training prospectus is made available on the NTSCB Website and is also
circulated via the partner members of the Strategic Training Sub-group.
The framework in appendix 1 provides a guide for practitioners, on appropriate
NTSCB training routes, in order to continue to develop their knowledge and skills in
safeguarding children.
6. Single agency training
Employers are responsible for ensuring that their staff are competent to carry out
their responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and
creating an environment where staff feel able to raise concerns and feel supported in
their safeguarding role;
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Staff should be given a mandatory induction, which includes familiarisation with child
protection responsibilities and procedures to be followed if anyone has any concerns
about a child’s safety or welfare.
Partner agency staff with responsibility for safeguarding, are encouraged, through
their agency representative, to attend NTSCB multi-agency training as appropriate.
This ensures they continuously improve their practice and keep abreast of local and
national learning from reviews.
In line with requirements under section 11 of the children Act 2004 to safeguard and
promote the welfare of children, all agencies should have systems in place to:
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identify the safeguarding training needs of their employees
have adequate safeguarding training opportunities available to their workforce
and can evidence the effectiveness and impact of their safeguarding training.
Evidence of this will be captured in the section 11 audits and used to inform the
NTSCB training work plan. The Strategic Training Sub-group will ensure it quality
assures and challenges this evidence as appropriate and uses the information to
inform planning.
A detailed annual training plan will be developed and implemented by the Strategic
Training Sub-Group, and will be underpinned by the NTSCB Business plan and
Board priorities. The work plan will be regularly reviewed and monitored by the
Training Sub-Group.
7. Strategic Training Sub-Group
The NTSCB Strategic Training Sub-group takes responsibility for the delivery and
monitoring of a programme of multi-agency training and events. The sub-group will
consider available resources when developing training in response to current and
emerging strategic issues.
The Strategic Training Sub-Group (STSG) will be made up of senior or strategic
managers or lead persons for safeguarding training who will be expected to act on
behalf of their organisation.
Members will have sufficient authority to make decisions in relation to the training
strategy, and be able to allocate resources to support the strategy, or ensure that
required actions are implemented.
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The voluntary representatives will provide the group with a broad view from a
voluntary perspective.
The Strategic Training sub-group will:
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Identify training needs across partner agencies
Develop and implement a safeguarding training strategy
Identify and share key learning from reviews
Embed learning into training in order to inform and update
practitioners
Provide a safeguarding training programme, accessible to all partner
agencies, which is flexible and adapts in response to emerging needs
Publicise the safeguarding training programme
Monitor the effectiveness of multi-agency training
Implement quality standards for training facilitators
Provide regular progress reports to the Business Sub-Group
Share examples of good working practice
Oversee Section 11 audits in relation to single agency training
Identify and minimise identified risks of delivering the strategy
All NTSCB member organisations have an obligation to provide the Board with
reliable resources (including finance) that enable it to be strong and effective.
Members should share the financial responsibility for the LSCB in such a way that a
disproportionate burden does not fall on a small number of partner agencies.
In relation to the NTSCB training programme, agencies provide suitably experienced
trainers to contribute to the development and delivery of the programme, or
alternatively the use of free training venues.
Governance of the Strategic Training Sub-group
The NTSCB Strategic training sub-group will meet bi-monthly, and will report to the
NTSCB Business Sub-group. The sub-group will use the RAG rated action plan, as
a mechanism to monitor progress and to feedback to the Board.
The Strategic training sub-group will provide quarterly progress reports, which will
include a summary of the delivery of and attendance at training, the contribution
made by partner agencies and the impact of the effectiveness of training. In
addition, the sub-group will also provide an annual training report, which will inform
the NTSCB Annual Report.
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8. Risk management
The NTSCB Strategic training sub-group will identify potential risks to the successful
development and implementation of the training strategy. This will include what
might stop the present or future arrangements going forward. The sub-group will
also identify and implement ways to minimise or eradicate the risks. See table in
appendix 2.
9. Quality Assurance, evaluating and monitoring the
effectiveness of training
The Training Associates who make up the ‘pool’ of trainers, who deliver on the
programme, will be supported through the NTSCB Induction programme and
monitored through the Quality Assurance Protocol for trainers. This includes
observation of their teaching practice and a record of their strengths and any areas
for development.
All multi-agency training is subject to rigorous evaluation that aims to measure the
effectiveness and impact of the training programme and to address any issues by;
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monitoring and reporting on attendance and non-attendance at training to
ensure equal access, best use of resources and attendance at appropriate
levels of training for different groups of staff
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monitoring and reporting on the contribution made by partner agencies to
ensure effective use and sharing of resources and the sharing of learning and
expertise from a wide range of professionals
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collating feedback from evaluation sheets completed at the end of the training
events in order to review and update teaching and learning
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considering feedback from the section 11 audits provided by the Quality
Improvement Learning and Performance Sub-group
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using follow up electronic surveys, to measure the impact of training on
practice from practitioners and managers
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discussing reflections from supervision and performance reviews within the
STSB to identify any unmet needs
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implementing a quality assurance protocol for NTSCB trainers, including
observation of their teaching practice.
10.
Charging Policy
Training is free of charge to organisations that contribute to the work of the NTSCB
training programme. This contribution includes either;
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Providing a minimum of 2 days training delivery as part of the NTSCB multiagency training programme
Providing free training venues and facilities for the use of multi-agency
training or;
As part of an agreed Service Level Agreement (SLA)
Organisations which do not contribute to the work of the NTSCB training programme
will be expected to pay a fee as set out in the NTSCB Charging Policy.
A non-attendance charge is levied in line with the charging policy.
The charging policy is available on the NTSCB Website.
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Appendix 1
11.
Multi-agency Training framework and target audience
The framework below provides a guide for practitioners on appropriate NTSCB
training routes in order to continue to develop their knowledge and skills in
safeguarding children.
Note: The Child Protection Introduction course is basic training. Social workers, and those involved
in safeguarding, should complete the full day CP multi-agency training and not the introduction.
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* For Health professionals = level 3
** Child Protection Refresher can include the half day refresher session, or any course
appropriate to the individual as agreed with their organisation/manager.
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Appendix 2
12.
Risk Assessment
NTSCB Training Strategy Risk Assessment October 2016
RISK DEFINITION / DESCRIPTION
No.
Risk Description
Consequence
ACTIONS
Possible Opportunities
Risk
Score
Control
By Who
By When
1
reduction in resources
(trainers to develop and
deliver training)
training cancelled, staff not
appropriately trained
therefore children at risk and
statutory requirements not
met
recruitment of trainers
from partner agencies
B2
Recruitment campaign and
induction of new trainers
BM/MG
Jan-17
2
reduction in resources
(appropriate/efficient
venues)
LSCB requires funding to
pay for venues
LSCB charging policy
funds venue hire
C3
Funds allocated from LSCB
Budget
LR/SB
Mar-17
3
lack of appropriate
technology and equipment
training not delivered as
planned, therefore some
content missed = reduced
quality of training
use venues which
provide IT support
including partners
agencies
B3
Admin book venues where
IT support is available
MJ
Mar-17
4
training not updated due to
lack of capacity of trainers
outdated or inaccurate
information and advice
resulting in unsafe practice
collaborative approach
in development
materials maximised
with partners
C3
Workforce Lead and
Training Officer regularly
update trainers and provide
support through Training
Associates meetings
BM/MG
ongoing
5
non-attendance at training
courses cancelled due to
low numbers, or training
quality compromised
implementation of nonattendance charging
policy, flexible
approach to delivery
C2
Notification of charging
policy explicit on booking
and promoted through
partners agencies
MJ/all
Mar-17
Status
6
replacement of face-to-face
training with e-learning
prevents opportunity for
multi-agency discussion and
working
practitioners ability and
understanding of agencies
roles and responsibility
compromised, effective
working together effected
use of blended
learning, using elearning/pre-work and
shorter face to face
events
C3
7
section 11 returns not
shared effectively with
training sub-group
quality of single agency
training not monitored and
challenged
mechanism for sharing
S11 returns is
developed
C3
8
poor communication
between QUILP and other
relevant sub-groups
prevents key learning being
shared
key learning from reviews is
not used to inform training
therefore poor practice may
continue unchallenged
Learning is shared
from other sub-groups
and used to inform
training
D2
Workforce Lead and
Training Officer work with
trainers to identify
opportunities for blended
learning which is effective
and fit for purpose
Strategic Training Subgroup receives S11 returns
in relation to training and
provides challenge at subgroup meetings
BM/MG
Mar-17
LR/SB
Feb-17
Mechanism for sharing
learning with sub-group is
developed and
implemented
JH/LR/BM
Dec-16