Safeguarding
VOYC offers comprehensive safeguarding support and child protection training tailored for voluntary and community organisations. Guidance covers essential topics to help keep children and young people safe, with training available at three levels: Induction, Awareness, and Designated Safeguarding Officer.
Child Protection Training
VOYC offer an extensive range of training to the not for profit sector and all courses are recognised by the Devon Children & Families Partnership (formerly Devon Safeguarding Children Board).
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This entry level offering should be given to all new staff within your organisation who have infrequent contact with children and young people.
This course aims to raise awareness of the need for child protection for staff and explains what is meant by safeguarding, protecting and promoting the welfare of children through to identifying signs of abuse and being able to report concerns in line with procedures. Here is a video link which can be used as part of a Group 1 training session. VOYC Devon can offer Group 1 sessions to individual organisations. Please contact us on 01392 250976 or email admin@voycdevon.org.uk
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This course, or a Group 2 refresher, should be undertaken on a regular basis (we suggest every 3 years), by all those within your organisation who have regular contact or have a period of intense but irregular contact (residential or youth exchange) with children and young people. This 3 hour course aims to define what is child protection, looks at signs of abuse and neglect and provide information on reporting strategies. The course will help you recognise and know what to do if you believe a child is at risk. Current Group 2 VOYC training courses can be found HERE
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Did you know that VOYC Devon can travel to your organisation to deliver a personal training experience for your volunteers/members of staff? We can offer bespoke Group 2 (Awareness) Child Protection Training.
By offering this service it means that your organisation benefits by:
Less traveling for your staff
Not having to juggle work/volunteer rotas
All your volunteers/staff being trained at the same time and in familiar surroundings
Bespoke training geared at your personal needs/requirements and pace.
Presenting a rich, immersive, real-time and effective face-to-face learning experience.
Immediate help, support and clarification with the group’s learning.
Consistently high quality delivery (feedback score 98% for quality and overall training).
A point of contact should you wish to ask any questions about safeguarding after the event.
Group 2 (Awareness) training is crucial to anyone working with children and young people in the voluntary sector – paid or unpaid. This course increases awareness and confidence building in respect of identification, responding, recording and reporting processes involved in child protection. It will also raise awareness of legislation, attitudes & values, and blocks & challenges in safeguarding.
To find out more information and enquire about costs, please phone 01392 250976 or email us on admin@voycdevon.org.uk
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This course should be undertaken, by your Designated Safeguarding Officer(s), who have a particular operational management responsibility in relation safeguarding and who support those who work predominantly with children, young people and/or their parents and carers across Devon. This full day course aims to provide an opportunity for participants from various agencies to gain and share knowledge, and explore feelings in relation to child protection as well as gaining an understanding of child protection procedures and other agencies responsibilities. Current Group 5 VOYC training courses can be found HERE
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This awareness raising training has been specifically designed for organisations working in the voluntary and community sector and also private sector, and will cover important issues such as:
Who needs DBS Checks? Effective Staff Induction, Supervision and Appraisal Legislation and Policy Reporting Concerns Best Practice. Current VOYC training courses can be found HERE
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This awareness raising course will enable participants to better understand their role and safeguarding responsibilities if their groups are providing activities or services for children and young people. Current VOYC training courses can be found HERE
Children in Devon are best safeguarded when key agencies work together effectively. The Devon Safeguarding Children Partnership is made up of Devon County Council, NEW Devon CCG, Devon & Cornwall Police and Children & Family Health Devon. Their aim is to make sure that children and families can get the right support, in the right place at the right time.
The partnership intends to do this by:
working together to identify and respond to the needs of children in the area
commissioning and publishing local child safeguarding practice reviews
making sure the effectiveness of the arrangements are independently scrutinised.
The Devon Safeguarding Children Partnership have a really informative website with lots of resources, guidance, and information around the wellbeing and safety of children, young people and families. The website also details what to do when you believe a child in Devon is at risk of harm or abuse, using the contact details below:
If you are concerned that a child is being abused
0345 155 1071
mashsecure@devon.gov.uk
Devon Safeguarding Children Partnership News
If you have any concerns about a child, trust your instincts and contact the NSPCC Helpline. Our specialist team will listen, advise and take any action needed.
An estimated 1 in 20 children have experienced sexual abuse. And child sexual abuse is under-reported by adults. It's time for that to change.
It's never too soon to talk to us. And what you share could make a life-changing difference to a child.
You can contact the NSPCC Helpline by calling 0808 800 5000, emailing help@NSPCC.org.uk or completing our report abuse online form.
Our voice Helpline is currently available 10am–4pm Monday to Friday. You can still email help@NSPCC.org.uk or complete our report abuse online form at any time for free. You don’t have to say who you are.
If you think a child is in immediate danger, please call the police on 999 straight away.
As the national body for youth work in England, the National Youth Agency (NYA) exists to champion its transformative power. We believe all young people should have the opportunity to benefit from the life-changing impact of extraordinary youth workers and trained volunteers.
We help to grow youth work provision in ways that keep it effective, relevant, safe and engaging, to help millions of young people reach their potential and thrive. We do this by providing guidance, support, advice, training and staff development opportunities for youth workers and youth work organisations.
At the heart of everything we do are young people themselves. We work hard to ensure their voices are integrated into all our work, to develop provision that truly meets their needs.