Safeguarding vulnerable adults at risk training courses range from Level 1 (awareness courses), Level 2 (intermediate courses) and Level 3 (advanced courses).
Safeguarding adults courses range from Level 1 up to Level 5. Each course has different learning outcomes, ranging from basic awareness for junior staff to advanced courses for those in senior positions.
We highly recommend that all learners must complete the pre-requisites (for example, Safeguarding Adults Levels 1 and 2) before they complete the Levels 3 course.
See below the UK Core Skills Training Framework (CSTF) guidance for Safeguarding Adults training courses:
- Level 1: All staff working in health care settings
- Level 2: All practitioners who have regular contact with patients, their families or carers, or the public.
- Level 3: Registered health care staff who engage in assessing, planning, intervening and evaluating the needs of adults where there are safeguarding concerns (as appropriate to role).
The training standards and learning outcomes at Level 4 (Named professionals) and Level 5 (Designated professionals) and requirements for Health Board Executives and non-executive directors/members are set out in the Adult Safeguarding: Roles and Competencies for Health Care Staff (2018).
Safeguarding Adults Courses
All citizens have a right to live their lives free from violence, harassment, humiliation and degradation. Ensuring independence, well-being and choice is also a key element of this right (The Association of Directors of Social Services, 2005). Adults with capacity also have the right to make decisions, even if they are perceived as unwise. They may make decisions that put their right to privacy, autonomy and family life ahead of their right to live and to be free from inhuman or degrading treatment. There are safeguards for those people who lack capacity and sometimes
complex work is needed to weigh up whether action should be taken in the public interest or where the person concerned is being coerced.
The health sector can make a positive contribution towards safeguarding those that might be less able to protect themselves from harm, neglect or abuse. Central to effective safeguarding management are trustful and supportive relationships, based upon dignity and respect, between patients, their families and healthcare staff. There are, however, distressing examples where this has failed as documented in the Francis Report (2013), the Cavendish Review (2013) and findings of Serious Case Reviews where there have been major concerns about adult protection or system failures. Healthcare organisations, therefore, have a responsibility to be active and responsive in ensuring people’s dignity and rights and meeting statutory duties to safeguard adults. This requires a systematic approach, effective leadership at all levels and an organisational culture where care and compassion are valued.
The aims of adult safeguarding are:
- To prevent harm and reduce the risk of abuse or neglect to adults with care and support needs.
- To safeguard individuals in a way that supports them in making choices and having control over how they choose to live their lives.
- To promote an outcomes approach in safeguarding that works for people resulting in the best experience possible.
- To raise public awareness so that professionals, other staff and communities as a whole play their part in preventing, identifying and responding to abuse and neglect.
Six key principles underpin all adult safeguarding work:
- Empowerment – Personalisation and the presumption of person-led decisions and informed consent
- Prevention – It is better to take action before harm occurs
- Proportionality – Proportionate and least intrusive response appropriate to the risk represented
- Protection – Support and representation for those in greatest need
- Partnership – Local solutions through services working with their communities. Communities have a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse
- Accountability – Accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding.
Who is safeguarding adults training for?
Level 1: All staff working in health care settings
Level 2: All practitioners who have regular contact with patients, their families or carers, or the public.
Level 3: Registered health care staff who engage in assessing, planning, intervening and evaluating the needs of adults where there are safeguarding concerns (as appropriate to role).
Those healthcare staff who undertake specialist safeguarding roles and responsibilities including named professionals, designated professionals, experts and board members will need to receive higher levels of training and opportunities to promote the acquisition of skills to ensure they can develop the desired level of competence for their role and thus contribute to effective safeguarding. The training standards and learning outcomes at Level 4 (Named professionals) and Level 5 (Designated professionals) and requirements for Health Board Executives and non-executive directors/members are set out in the Adult Safeguarding: Roles and Competencies for Health Care Staff (2018).
Key safeguarding adults learning outcomes
The following section reflects the levels and core learning outcomes in accordance with the Adult Safeguarding: Roles and Competencies for Health Care Staff (2018). However, it needs to be emphasised that dependent upon role/speciality there may be additional learning needs which will need to be addressed. While some of these needs can be addressed through training, some will be achieved through clinical experience and supervision.
Level 1
The learner will:
- be able to recognise potential indicators of abuse, harm and neglect
- know what action to take if they have concerns, including to whom you should report your concerns and from whom to seek advice
- have a basic knowledge of the relevant legislation.
Level 2
The learner will:
- understand what constitutes harm, abuse and neglect and be able to identify any signs of harm, abuse or neglect
- be able to ensure effective advocacy is provided where required (for example where there are mental capacity or communication issues, in line with the legislation and professional guidance)
- be able to identify your professional role, responsibilities, and professional boundaries and those of your colleagues in a multidisciplinary team and multi-agency setting
- know how and when to refer to social care in accordance with organisational policies if you have identified an adult safeguarding concern
- be able to document safeguarding concerns in a format that informs the relevant staff and agencies appropriately
- know how to maintain appropriate records including being able to differentiate between fact and opinion
- be able to identify the appropriate and relevant information and how to share it with other teams
- understand key statutory and non-statutory guidance and legislation including the Human Rights Act and mental capacity legislation in the country of practice
- be aware of the risk factors for radicalisation and know whom to contact regarding preventive action and support those persons who may be at risk of, or are being drawn into, terrorist-related activity.
Level 3
The learner will:
- be able to identify possible signs of sexual, physical, or emotional abuse or neglect using a person-centred approach.
- be able to identify adults experiencing abuse, harm or neglect who have caring responsibilities, for other adults or children and make appropriate referrals
- be able to demonstrate a clear understanding, as appropriate to the role, of forensic procedures in adult safeguarding and knowing how to relate these to practice in order to meet clinical and legal requirements as required
- where undertaking forensic examinations as part of their role, be able to demonstrate an ability to undertake forensic procedures and know how to present the findings and evidence to legal requirements
- be able to undertake, where appropriate, a risk and/or harm assessment
- know how to communicate effectively with adults at risk, in particular, those with mental capacity issues, learning disability or communication needs
- know how to contribute to, and make considered judgements about how to act to safeguard an adult at risk
- know how to contribute to / formulate and communicate effective care plans for adults who have been or may be subjected to abuse, harm or neglect
- demonstrate an understanding of the issues surrounding suspicion of adult abuse, harm and neglect and to know how to effectively manage uncertainty and risk
- know how to appropriately contribute to inter-agency assessments by gathering and sharing information
- be able to document concerns in a manner that is appropriate for adult safeguarding protection and legal processes
- know how to undertake documented reviews of your own (and/or team) adult safeguarding, as appropriate to the role. This can be undertaken in various ways, such as through audit, case discussion, peer review, and supervision and as a component of refresher training
- know how to deliver and receive supervision within effective models of supervision and/or peer review, and be able to recognise the potential personal impact of adult safeguarding on professionals
- know how to apply the lessons learnt from audit and serious case reviews/case management reviews/significant case reviews to improve practice
- know how to advise others on appropriate information sharing
- know how to appropriately contribute to serious case reviews/case management reviews/significant case reviews, and domestic homicide review processes
- know how to obtain support and help in situations where there are safeguarding problems requiring further expertise and experience
- know how to participate in and chair multi-disciplinary meetings as required
- demonstrate the skills required to participate in a safeguarding enquiry.
Proposed Frequency of Refresher Training or Assessment
Proposed Refresher Training Periods
It is recommended that refresher training should take place at:
Level 1 – Induction, to ensure awareness of local procedures and no longer than every 3 years.
Level 2 – No longer than every 3 years.
Level 3 – No longer than every 3 years.
Organisational Implications: Each healthcare organisation will need to determine the required refresher training periods, ensuring that any agreed training schedule is incorporated into local policy.
Refresher training will be indicated for all staff if there is a change in safeguarding legislation nationally, or an organisation has amended its policy locally.
Assessment of Competence
- Where a staff member or learner can demonstrate through robust pre-assessment, including where relevant, practical assessment, the required level of current knowledge, understanding and practice, then this can be used as evidence that knowledge and skills have been maintained and the staff member may not need to repeat refresher training.
- Where a staff member or learner does not meet the required level of current knowledge, understanding and practice through pre-assessment they should complete the refresher training and any associated assessments required.
Suggested Standards for Training Delivery
The employing organisation should be assured that Learning Facilitators that are involved in the delivery of safeguarding education or training have the appropriate, experience, background and qualifications to deliver training to a satisfactory standard. For guidance, this may include the following:
- Advanced knowledge and understanding of adult safeguarding and its application and practice within a healthcare setting.
- Awareness of diversity and cultural issues.
- Familiarity with key issues related to the use/misuse of physical restraint, liberty protection safeguards, the Mental Capacity Act and the Care Act.
- Familiarity with the interfaces between dignity, safeguarding, serious incidents, whistleblowing, complaints, and patient feedback routes.
- Experience of teaching and learning, including the ability to meet the competencies expected for LSILADD04 Plan and prepare specific learning and development opportunities
Trainer requirements
Where any training delivery is supported by a person who is not an expert in the subject, then the organisation should ensure that they have put in place a quality assurance mechanism, whereby the accuracy of the content and the effectiveness of its delivery has been quality assured and is subject to periodic review.
Training needs to be flexible, encompassing different learning styles and opportunities and recognising that individuals learning styles and the roles they undertake to vary considerably.
E-learning is appropriate to impart knowledge at levels 1 and 2 and can also be used at level 3 as preparation for reflective team-based learning.
At level 2 training, education and learning opportunities should include multi-disciplinary and scenario-based discussion e.g. drawing on case studies and lessons from research and audit as appropriate to the speciality and roles of participants. This should be appropriate to the speciality and roles of participants, encompassing, for example, the importance of early help, domestic abuse, adults with cognitive impairment and individuals requiring support with communication.
At level 3 training, education and learning opportunities should be multi-disciplinary and inter-agency and delivered internally and externally. It should include personal reflection and scenario-based discussion, drawing on case studies, serious case reviews, lessons from research and audit.
Organisations should consider encompassing safeguarding learning within regular, multiagency or family meetings, clinical updating, sharing good practice and clinical audit, reviews of critical incidents and significant unexpected events and peer discussions. Such participative learning time should be documented and a reflective record kept by the participant.
Further guidance on underpinning principles for delivery of education and training in Adult Safeguarding is presented in Adult Safeguarding: Roles and Competencies for Health Care Staff (2018).
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