Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Training

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) training is a comprehensive, practitioner-focused course designed for managers and professionals who hold, or aspire to hold, safeguarding leadership responsibilities.

This course equips learners with the knowledge, confidence, and practical skills required to effectively safeguard vulnerable individuals, respond to concerns, and lead a strong safeguarding culture within their organisation.

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Duration: 6 Hours

Max Capacity: 8-15

Session Format: Classroom Based Learning

Course Overview

The training is primarily aligned to children’s services, but can be tailored specifically for professionals working in adult services, ensuring legal frameworks, case examples, and safeguarding responsibilities are fully relevant to the learner’s setting. This flexibility makes the course suitable across a wide range of health, social care, education, and support services.

Delivered through interactive classroom-based learning, the course supports DSLs to understand their statutory responsibilities, manage disclosures appropriately, work effectively with multi-agency partners, and support staff wellbeing when dealing with safeguarding cases.

What’s Involved?

The course is highly interactive and practical, enabling learners to apply safeguarding principles directly to real-world situations. Case studies and scenarios are used throughout to explore lessons learned, common safeguarding failings, and best practice responses.

Duration: 6 hours

Delivery: Classroom-based learning

Group Size: 8–15 learners

Learning Methods: Tutor-led input, group discussion, case studies, and scenario-based exercises

Learning Outcomes

Understand the role and responsibilities of a Designated Safeguarding Lead

Explain the legal and regulatory framework for safeguarding, including Section 47 and Section 17 enquiries under the Children Act 2004 (or equivalent adult safeguarding legislation when tailored)

Identify different types of abuse, including situations that may not initially appear abusive but require safeguarding action

Recognise risk factors at individual, service, and organisational levels

Respond appropriately to signs of abuse and neglect

Manage and report safeguarding concerns confidently and correctly

Apply best practice when handling disclosures, including confidentiality, consent, and information sharing

Assess and manage risk in safeguarding situations

Work effectively with external agencies and multi-agency partners

Understand local safeguarding policies, procedures, partnerships, and available toolkits

Learn from case studies to identify safeguarding failings and lessons learned

Support staff wellbeing and resilience when managing safeguarding cases

Promote and embed a strong safeguarding culture within the organisation

Benefits of Completing This Course

Clear Understanding of DSL Responsibilities

Gain confidence in your statutory role and accountability as a safeguarding lead.

Improved Safeguarding Decision-Making

Learn how to assess risk accurately and respond proportionately to safeguarding concerns.

Stronger Multi-Agency Working

Understand how to work effectively with local authorities, safeguarding partnerships, and external agencies.

Enhanced Confidence in Managing Disclosures

Develop practical skills for responding to disclosures sensitively and lawfully.

Support for Staff Wellbeing

Learn how to support and supervise staff dealing with emotionally challenging safeguarding cases.

A Stronger Safeguarding Culture

Equip yourself to lead, influence, and embed safeguarding best practice across your organisation.

Who Is This Course For?

This course is ideal for:

Designated Safeguarding Leads and Deputy DSLs
Managers and leaders within children’s services
Professionals working in education, social care, health, and support services
Senior staff responsible for safeguarding governance and compliance
Practitioners in adult services, where the course is tailored to reflect adult safeguarding legislation and practice

A Special Mention

"I wanted to say a huge thank you for the 2 day restraint training you provided. As a parent I found it so comforting and reassuring to be trained with my son’s new staff team. Hearing how much emphasis was placed on values really impressed me. As did the training which really looked at avoiding having to use restraint. The training was really able to be tailored to the individual needs of my son which was incredibly helpful for all his new staff who I believe came away with a really deep knowledge of his triggers and how to de-escalate him.

I would recommend it to any parent in the position of their young person moving into supported living. Not only was it a great way to start building relationships with his staff but it was incredibly reassuring to know that the care company are really invested in finding the right training which focuses on treating their service users as people and want staff with the right values working with him. I can’t thank you enough for letting me attend. I know that some trainers would find it difficult training parents along side staff because it could have the potential to alter the dynamics so I’m really delighted you allowed me the opportunity.

A huge thank you from a very reassured mum!"

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What our happy clients said

The trainer has been amazing, she understood we all had different learning styles and adapted everything she taught. She made me feel very at ease and welcome.
The trainer was brilliant, very knowledgeable and delivered the course in a very interactive manner.
Great course, the trainer delivered it with great knowledge, energy and enthusiasm.
The trainer was excellent and one of the best trainers I have had in the industry. The four days flew by and I really enjoyed the course.

Thank you.
Thank you very much, the training was fantastic! It was a really interesting and informative four days!
It was helpful that we had the opportunity to expand on the components of the course beyond the book, maximising the additional time, was really helpful. The trainer gave us the opportunity to engage with the ideas and relate them back to our own clients and activities.

This was useful to the end of helping us see how Timian could be infused with our work.
Since attending the Timian Train the Trainer course we have already implemented some of the worksheets - the post-incident debriefing guidance is now on our HR portal.

I am looking forward to enhancing our PBS plans with IRS models and using the crisis cycle to inform updates and improvements.
The course was excellent! Cath was engaging and made the content interesting- she related it to real life live experiences. This is a worthwhile course, I learnt a lot and can now take it to my place of work and support other with me new knowledge.
I thoroughly enjoyed the training and learnt a lot. It was delivered in an interactive way with lots of exercises and opportunities for learning.
I thoroughly enjoyed the course and am looking forward to be working within the Timian model of positive relationships.

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Empeiria Training is all about offering training that is unique and bespoke to your organisation and its needs. Backed by decades of experience, we offer a safe environment for face-to-face learning, with our specialism being working with people with learning disabilities.

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