Safeguarding in a Learning Environment NCFE CACHE Level 1

Safeguarding is important for everyone in the learning environment, not just pupils. Parents need to be able to feel confident that their children are fully protected in an environment that will give them the freedom to learn and achieve their full potential. Staff need the security of knowing that they too are protected.

Although Safeguarding has not been given a specific definition in law, it may be considered in its simplest form as ‘keeping children safe from harm, such as illness, abuse or injury.’ Following the implementation of the Every Child Matters Agenda, the term ‘Child Protection’ has been replaced by ‘Safeguarding’ and is the responsibility of all professionals who work with children and young people.

All professionals i.e. professional careers, parenting workers and care assistants, now have a duty of care to the children and young people they work with and are expected to protect a child’s emotional, physical and sexual well-being as well as to ensure the child is not being neglected.  A child or young person may be harmed in many different ways and it is not always obvious to the outsider as to what is happening in a young person’s life or if they are safe or being harmed.

This course is essential for those who come into contact with children as part of their working role including voluntary work and those who work with children on a daily basis e.g. teachers, dental staff, nursery nurses, child-minders, foster carers, teaching assistants or administration staff.