Stepping Up to DSL: The Essential Guide for New & Aspiring Safeguarding Leads

ABOUT THIS COURSE

With safeguarding risks evolving rapidly, from online harms to complex contextual factors, this training ensures leaders are up to date, informed and ready to respond. The session focuses on core DSL functions, practical frameworks, recording and escalation, and real-world scenarios that build confidence and clarity. Participants will leave with a solid understanding of the role and responsibilities of the DSL, practical tools they can apply immediately, and the assurance needed to lead safeguarding effectively within their setting.  

BENEFITS OF ATTENDING

• Develop a clear understanding of the DSL role, including statutory duties, expectations and how safeguarding leadership functions across the wider organisational context. 

• Build confidence in managing safeguarding concerns, from receiving information and analysing risk to making defensible decisions and escalating appropriately 

• Strengthen knowledge of current safeguarding risks, including online harms, contextual safeguarding and emerging issues highlighted in KCSIE 2026.  

• Learn practical frameworks for effective recording, reporting and information sharing, ensuring compliance and high quality safeguarding practice 

• Understand how to work collaboratively with external agencies, including children’s social care, police and early help services, to support positive outcomes for pupils.  

• Take away ready to use tools, templates and approaches that support consistent, confident safeguarding leadership from day one in the DSL role. 

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

• Designated Safeguarding Leads (new to role) 

• Deputy DSLs or staff preparing to step into the role 

• Heads of Year and Heads of Key Stage 

• Pastoral, Inclusion and Behaviour Leads 

• SENCOs and Safeguarding Leads within SEND provision 

• Teachers or support staff identified as emerging safeguarding leaders 

• Safeguarding Officers and Administrators 

PROGRAMME

• Exploring how risk is present in every education setting and how KCSIE 2026 strengthens expectations around professional curiosity, unconscious bias and balanced decision making. 

• Demonstrating the different types of harm and how DSLs assess risks alongside protective factors to build an accurate, defensible picture of a child’s lived experience. 

• Evaluating the effectiveness of DSL practice when making referrals, ensuring information is clear, proportionate, evidence informed and aligned with local threshold guidance. 

• Developing confidence in managing the child protection file, maintaining accurate, timely and well structured records that support defensible decision making and effective multi agency communication. 

• Learning how to lead safeguarding with clarity, curiosity and confidence, ensuring decisions remain proportionate, defensible and aligned with statutory expectations. 

• Practical ways to design and implement effective training and development cycles that build staff competence, reinforce consistent practice and strengthen whole school safeguarding capacity. 

• Evaluating the effectiveness of safeguarding leadership by recognising and addressing unconscious bias, ensuring decision making is fair, balanced and rooted in evidence. 

• How to apply evidence informed frameworks to support, coach and challenge staff, driving continuous improvement and embedding a resilient safeguarding culture. 

• Learning how to apply threshold concepts to determine when concerns require Early Help, Child in Need or Child Protection intervention. 

• Practical ways to manage the child protection file, ensuring clear, accurate and timely recording that supports defensible decision making and multi agency communication. 

• How to respond confidently to concerns through scenario based activities that build skill in analysing information, escalating appropriately and challenging practice when needed. 

• Evaluating the effectiveness of DSL involvement in child protection meetings, including preparation, contribution, follow up and ensuring actions are completed. 

• Exploring how leadership behaviours, communication and modelling create a culture where staff recognise concerns early and feel confident to act. 

• Demonstrating how consistent systems, routines and expectations embed safeguarding into everyday practice across all roles and departments. 

• Developing whole setting approaches that promote vigilance, openness and a shared commitment to protecting children and young people. 

• Learning from national safeguarding reviews, local learning and organisational failures to strengthen culture, reduce blind spots and improve practice across the setting.