Recent Ofsted reports have identified poor recruitment and suitability check processes as significant factors leading to ineffective safeguarding. This automatically results in an inadequate overall judgment. Further actions have identified gaps in staff support, supervision and training for staff for both groupcare and childminder settings.

Safe recruitment practices together with ongoing staff support and supervision through regular team meetings, 1:1s, appraisals and inductions are key to ensuring highly effective and meaningful engagement between staff and managers, including childminding assistants and childminders. It also provides an essential opportunity for leaders and staff to identify training needs, prioritise staff wellbeing, discuss concerns confidentially and to offer guidance within the role.

Good staff management is vital to ensuring children are kept safe but also that their learning and development needs are met by committed, skilled and motivated staff.

The training will cover:-

• Safer recruitment procedures and policies
• Robust probationary and induction period
• Effective team meetings
• The role and format of 1:1s and ways to implement them
• Conducting an appraisal
• Having difficult conversations
• Managing expectations and balancing staff needs
• Staff wellbeing and workloads

This training will be interactive and an opportunity to share best practice and common issues.

PVIs and Childminders - managers, deputy managers and room leaders

This course is aimed at individuals that organise school trips. It provides a practical overview of what needs to be considered when planning and delivering school trips, both in the UK and abroad.

The training course covers aspects of the law relating to educational visits, risk assessments of visits and administrative requirements associated with off-site activities.

As part of their obligations, schools must have an Educational Visits Co-ordinator (EVC) in post and ensure that they have been suitably trained.

The Department for Education has published updated guidance to help schools understand their obligations when undertaking educational off-site activities and excursions. Please follow the link below to access the guidance:

Schools will:

• be compliant with legislation in relation to off-site activities

Participants will:

• have greater knowledge, confidence, and ability to act as an EVC
• have increased competence in risk assessing and managing risks associated with school trips

All school staff responsible for school visits