What safeguarding training do I need as a childminder?
As a childminder, it is your responsibility to keep the children in your care safe from harm, and to report any concerns you have that a child might be at risk. This means taking action to complete a safeguarding training course regularly, so that your safeguarding certificate is always up to date.
Click here to view our Safeguarding for Childminders online safeguarding course, or read on for more information.
What is safeguarding?
Safeguarding is the word used to describe the ways in which we keep children safe and promote their welfare. This includes preventing harm to their development, protecting them from abuse and neglect, and making sure that they grow up in a safe environment with all of their basic needs met so that they have the best chances in life.
The Government defines safeguarding as this: “The process of protecting children from abuse or neglect, preventing impairment of their health and development, and ensuring they are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care that enables children to have optimum life chances and enter adulthood successfully.”
Child protection is not the same as safeguarding. Child protection is the term used to describe the ways in which we help children who are in need, or who have already experienced abuse or neglect. The easiest way to remember the difference between safeguarding and child protection is to think of it like this:
- Safeguarding is what we do to protect children from harm
- Child protection is what we do to help children who have already experienced harm
Our Safeguarding for Childminders online safeguarding course covers both child protection and safeguarding, and it is appropriate training for all childminders and assistants working in the United Kingdom.
What level of safeguarding training do I need as a childminder?
As a childminder or childminder’s assistant, you are expected to have at least a basic level of safeguarding training. An introduction course like our Safeguarding for Childminders will give you all of the essential knowledge you need. (Additionally, our Safeguarding for Childminders course also includes modules about online safety and the Prevent Duty – so with 3 courses in 1, it’s great value for money, and saves you a lot of valuable time!)
If you have specialist responsibilities for safeguarding the children in your care (for example, if the children have additional needs), you may also be required to take a further safeguarding training course. You can check the requirements for your specific role by contacting your Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) or local authority.
Can I take online safeguarding training as a childminder?
Yes, you can take online safeguarding training as a childminder.
As long as you check that the safeguarding course you are taking is verifiable and written to meet the guidelines for your inspecting body (e.g. Ofsted), an online safeguarding course is appropriate training for childminders and assistants.
Our Safeguarding for Childminders online training course is recommended for childminders and assistants working in the United Kingdom. Not only does it cover all of the essential safeguarding inspection topics, the case studies included are specific to childminders and the course gives a full overview of child protection policies, plus 2 more essential safeguarding topics: online safety, and the Prevent Duty. Click here to find out more.
Why do I need safeguarding training as a childminder?
It is essential to have safeguarding training as a childminder to ensure the safety of the children in your care, but also to protect yourself from accusations and to meet the inspection requirements of Ofsted and equivalent inspecting bodies.
Failing to take a safeguarding training course as a childminder will lose you marks in your next inspection. This could cost you your reputation and valuable business. It is no secret that parents want to know that their children are being looked after by a childminder who takes their safety seriously, and nothing is more serious than keeping up to date with your safeguarding training.
How much does safeguarding training cost for a childminder?
The price of safeguarding training will vary from provider to provider. Generally speaking, if you book onto an independent face to face training course, this will be the most expensive option. Online training is often the less expensive alternative (and it saves you a lot of time, too).
How do I book safeguarding training as a childminder?
It is your responsibility to find and book onto a safeguarding training course. This can involve a lot of waiting around for a face to face course to become available, which is why an online safeguarding course is a much better option for many childminders.
We have trained over 1,000 childminders in the United Kingdom with our Safeguarding for Childminders online safeguarding course. There is no waiting list. You can access the course immediately after purchasing, and you can download your certificate straight away on successful completion.
Click here to view or purchase our Safeguarding for Childminders online training course.
