Educational opportunities in safeguarding

We work to protect children from harm by providing paediatricians and other child health professionals with essential competencies in their child protection practice. This page introduces learning opportunities and guidance.

Introduction

Child protection continues to evolve, with particular changes in knowledge and focus occurring in the last 10 years. As a result, there is a necessity for updating and further training in child protection matters.

The courses listed below are not mandatory but can support your continuing professional development. They have been developed in line with Safeguarding children and young people: roles and competences for healthcare staff.

The following courses are regularly provided by RCPCH, and may be hosted online or face-to-face.

Course title Number days Level Audience
Child Protection Examination to Court 2 days Level 3 Consultant paediatricians, paediatric trainees ST6-8 & Staff, Associate Specialist and Specialty (SAS) doctors
FII and Perplexing Presentations 1 day Level 3 Consultant paediatricians, paediatric trainees ST6-8, SAS doctors, nurses and social workers
Statement and Report Writing 1 day Level 3 Consultant paediatricians, paediatric Trainees ST6-8 & SAS doctors
Supporting New Named and Designated Paediatricians 2 days Level 4/5 Named and designated paediatricians
Expert Witness in Child Protection: Developing Excellence 2 days Level 5 All paediatricians who are acting as, or thinking of becoming, expert witnesses

RCPCH Learning is our free website for health professionals. It brings together our online learnings, webinars, podcasts and live course materials. You’ll need an RCPCH online account – which is also used for this Portal and the main RCPCH website.

Some eLearning listed below is hosted on eLearning for Healthcare (e-LfH). If you are not eligible for an e-LfH account or if you live outside the UK, you can purchase individual or bulk licenses to use all eLearning for Healthcare products.

eLearning title Level Audience
Introduction to Safeguarding Children and Young People – e-LfH Level 1 All healthcare professionals working in healthcare settings
Female Genital Mutilation – e-LfH Level 2 All healthcare professionals who have some degree of contact with children and young people and/or parents/carers
Child Protection in Practice (CPiP) – ALSG (leaflet coming soon) Level 3 Higher trainees in Paediatrics (ST 4-8), also aimed at trainees from other specialties. Applicants must have completed CPRR or equivalent
Child Protection Recognition and Response (CPPR) – ALSG (PDF) Level 3 Core trainees in Paediatrics (ST 1-3) and others including GPs, A&E, trainees from other specialties with practical safeguarding experience within the NHS. Note this is a blended learning
Maintaining and updating competences – e-LfH Level 3 Paediatricians in training (ST 4-7) and others including GPs, A&E, specialties
Looked After Children – e-LfH Level 3 All clinicians working with children, young people and/or their parents/carers
Emotional abuse and emotional neglect Multi-agency, including paediatric trainees and consultants, nurses, mental health practitioners, teachers and social workers
Imaging in cases of suspected physical abuse in children Radiographers and nuclear medicine technologists, radiologists and hospital-based paediatricians

Blended learning is a mix of a course (which may be delivered online or face-to-face) and eLearning.

Blended learning title Number days Level Audience
Blended Learning for Named and Designated Paediatricians 2 days Levels 4-5 Named and Designated Paediatricians
Child Protection Recognition and Response – ALSG (PDF) Level 3 Core trainees in Paediatrics (ST 1-3) and others including GPs, A&E, trainees from other specialties with practical safeguarding experience within the NHS. Note this is a blended learning

The Healthy Child Programme offers safeguarding modules.

There are also safeguarding modules in MindEd, a free educational resource on children, young people, adults and older people’s mental health – follow the link and select MindEd Healthy Child Mental Health Framework.