Venue: Services For Education, 3 Holt Court, Holt Street, Birmingham B7 4AX

During the course, participants will gain:

• Tips and tricks of how to best lead and manage safeguarding in a setting, ensuring consistency from all adults in contact with children in your care
• A deeper understanding of the responsibilities of different groups of staff – the DSL, the Head Teacher/Principal, the Governing Body and recognition of what all staff should know and do
• Knowledge of national and local documentation, procedures and requirements for effective record keeping
• Up-to-date advice about best practice in multi-agency working, including Early Help and Child Protection processes
• Knowledge of procedures for dealing with allegations against staff and good practice in creating an ethos of safer working practice which reduces the risk of such allegations
• Up to date information on issues of current concern, including recommendations from Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews.

As a bonus, attendees to this course will also benefit from:

• A downloadable 90-page DSL handbook with all of the information covered in the course and signposts to best practice, and you can share this with others in your setting – worth £99!
• Access to a free staff training, pre-recorded webinar for whole staff inset training on safeguarding and up-to-date for the latest KCSIE.  Use it as an update or for those new staff as they join.  We’ve done the work to make your life a little more simple!
• Invites to our termly network meeting sessions, facilitated by our own experienced DSL trainers.  We meet with DSLs and discuss arising issues in the world of safeguarding and give practical support on how best to be that leader of safeguarding in your setting.
• For Birmingham-based delegates the Local Authority previously determined that best practice would be for new DSLs or DDSLs to attend the 2 day DSL training course. Every two years DSLs/DDSLs should attend the half day update course. Six years from the initial course DSLs/DDSLs may choose to re-attend the full 2 day course, unless they are confident they are fully up to date with practice and procedures (from attendance at briefings, trainings etc.) in which case they may continue attending the half day update every two years. However, if DSL training lapses because training hasn’t been completed ‘in-date’ then a DSL/DDSL should attend the 2 day DSL training to get ‘back on track’.

For more information contact us here.

“The training was outstanding and I am hopeful to carry out my newly assigned DSL role with the integrity and knowledge it requires.” Sanjeev Kumar, Partnership Manager, Birmingham City Council

“Excellent training. Very informative and clear. Lots of useful links and sign posting! I appreciated the opportunities to post questions and look at scenarios. The activities were very useful in helping me to apply the information we were given into practice. I feel assured and confident that I can support as a DSL within my existing team of DSLs back at school. It was reassuring to hear that schools are not alone in safeguarding matters and that help is available to guide us through the processes. I found the podcasts accessible and useful too. Thank you Jo, Tricia and Lucie!” Assistant Head, Holy Trinity Catholic School

“A very clear, informative and well-delivered course. Mixture of presenter-led sections and independent activities which kept it fresh and engaging.” Behaviour Lead, Queensbury School

“The training was extremely thorough. All of the resources to follow the training were very helpful. I like learning with paper based resources and so having the option to have these in front of me on paper made the experience enjoyable too. I was able to follow the slides with an ease of understanding and I felt comfortable to say or ask questions where needed. Very lovely staff to carry out training with. Prompt, efficient and highly effective!! They can provide all my future training.” Post 16 Transition Leader, City Of Birmingham School

“Well planned training, adapting to the different school settings, a vast range of knowledge. The welcoming and friendly team delivering the training assisted with all questions asked throughout.” Inclusion Manager Hamilton School

“After training in DSL across three local authorities and different providers, this is by far the best training I’ve been to! It is excellent. The trainers are not regurgitating the legal documents. It’s hands on and practical with real on the ground “walk-through” advice of processes and forms. Excellent. Absolutely excellent.” Beverley Walker-Gordon – Headteacher -The Orchards Primary Academy, Greenheart Learning Partnership.

About the Advisers

Jo Perrin - Interim School Support Lead,  Adviser, Services For Education

Jo Perrin is a seasoned Education Adviser with a strong background in safeguarding. She has held key roles as a Designated Safeguarding Lead and pastoral lead in the education sector. Facilitating training to enhance the knowledge and skills of professionals working directly with children and young people is her passion.

With a wealth of experience in teaching PSHE and expertise in childhood trauma from her time as a foster carer, Jo is dedicated to supporting organisations that work with children and vulnerable adults on safeguarding issues. She is actively involved in professional safeguarding groups in the West Midlands and is currently collaborating on a research project with colleagues from the University of Birmingham and the NHS focusing on FGM awareness within communities. Jo’s has worked as a West Midlands' Adviser for national PSHE resources, presented at the Sex Education Forum National Members' Event and authored an advertorial for PSM magazine and an article for SEND magazine.

Jo's expertise extends to training on topics such as Safer Recruitment and Mental Health at Work. She is also a facilitator for the nationally recognised NPQSL qualification, supporting senior leaders in education. Her contributions to publications and development of resources for RSE provision have been well-received by schools nationally and internationally.

With her extensive experience and dedication to professional development, Jo Perrin is a highly respected figure in the field of education. Her guidance on safeguarding, mental health awareness, personal development, and relationships education is highly valued within the industry.

Lucie Welch – Adviser, Services For Education

Lucie Welch has worked in the field of Primary Education for the last 15 years, holding the positions of Assistant Head of School, Designated Safeguarding Lead, Attendance Lead and Designated Teacher for Looked After Children. Through working across several local authorities and within multi-academy trusts, Lucie has garnered a passion for safeguarding and supporting children and young people to enable them to thrive.

At Services For Education, Lucie is an integral part of the Safeguarding team, sharing her expertise with schools, colleges, trusts, and other educational settings across the city of Birmingham and beyond. Dedicated to improving safeguarding practices in an actionable and impactful way, Lucie works closely with settings to provide bespoke training, supports with reflection on their own practices during Safeguarding audits and always strives to contribute to a better learning environment for all children. Through delivery of statutory training for DSLs and Safer Recruitment, Lucie works with colleagues in all age ranges and is a source of expertise within these areas.

Lucie also wears other important hats within the School Support Team. Not only is she dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of students through her role in safeguarding, but she also plays a key part in the PSHE/RSE and Health for Life teams. Additionally, Lucie partners with the Best Practice Network to deliver the Early Career Framework, supporting new teachers in their professional development.

Emma Mudge - Adviser, Services For Education

Emma has more than 20 years' experience in primary education and has worked in a variety of roles including Assistant Head Teacher, Deputy Head Teacher, and Acting Head Teacher - working at the forefront of school leadership and improvement for the majority of her career.  

Emma now works as the Educational Adviser for English sharing her experience and knowledge to continually promote and improve the standard of teaching and learning in English, and in school improvement overall. Supporting schools with the accuracy of their KS1 and KS2 writing assessments is an important part of her role, using her expertise as a member for the moderation team to inform, train and support teachers and school leaders. 

Emma is also part of the team which delivers the Health For Life programme (improving the healthy opportunities for primary aged children) and the NPQSL, where she proudly supports the development of our aspiring leaders in the city.