Safeguarding training requirements

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the statutory framework in England. The EYFS 2025 states: ‘Safeguarding policies must include details of how safeguarding training is delivered and how practitioners are supported to put this into practice.’ The EYFS goes on to state that safeguarding training ‘must be renewed every two years’ and further refresher training might be taken to ‘maintain basic skills and keep up to date with any changes to safeguarding procedures or as a result of any safeguarding concerns that occur in the setting.’

The EYFS 2025 includes Annex C which contains details of what must be included in safeguarding training for all staff (including childminders) and the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) which is the childminder.

Contents of safeguarding training

The EYFS 2025 states:

• Training is designed for staff caring for 0 – 5 year olds and is appropriate to the age of the children being cared for.
• The safeguarding training for all childminders and assistants must cover the following areas:
• What is meant by the term safeguarding.
• The main categories of abuse, harm and neglect.
• The factors, situation and actions that could lead or contribute to abuse, harm or neglect.
• How to work in ways that safeguard children from abuse, harm and neglect.
• How to identify signs of possible abuse, harm and neglect at the earliest opportunity.

These may include:

• Significant changes in children's behaviour.
• A decline in children’s general well-being.
• Unexplained bruising, marks or signs of possible abuse or neglect.
• Concerning comments or behaviour from children.
• Inappropriate behaviour from childminders and assistants or household members, or any other person working with the children. This could include inappropriate sexual comments; excessive one-to-one attention beyond what is required through their role; or inappropriate sharing of images.
• Any reasons to suspect neglect or abuse outside the setting, for example in the child’s home or that a child may experience emotional abuse or physical abuse because of witnessing domestic abuse or coercive control or that a girl may have been subjected to (or is at risk of) female genital mutilation.
• How to respond, record and effectively refer concerns or allegations related to safeguarding in a timely and appropriate way.
• The setting’s safeguarding policy and procedures.
• Legislation, national policies, codes of conduct and professional practice in relation to safeguarding.
• Roles and responsibilities of childminders and assistants and other relevant professionals involved in safeguarding.

DSL training

Training for the DSL should take account of any advice from the local safeguarding partners or local authority on appropriate training courses. In addition to the areas set out in paragraph 2, training for the DSL must cover the elements listed below:

• How to build a safer organisational culture.
• How to ensure safer recruitment.
• How to develop and implement safeguarding policies and procedures.
• If applicable, how to support and work with assistants to safeguard children.
• Local child protection procedures and how to liaise with local statutory children's services agencies and with the local safeguarding partners to safeguard children.
• How to refer and escalate concerns (including as described in the EYFS).
• How to manage and monitor allegations of abuse against other staff.
• How to ensure internet safety.

During Ofsted inspection, we must be able to demonstrate that we have a ‘secure knowledge and understanding of safeguarding within the EYFS and how to implement it in Little Explorers’. Little Explorers must also ensure assistants are trained in safeguarding and that their knowledge is regularly updated, following the criteria in Annex C.

Additional guidance includes:

• What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused: Advice for practitioners.
• Keeping children safe in education.
• Working together to safeguard children.
• The Prevent duty for England and Wales.
• Staying safe online guidance.