• Safeguarding Support Officer

    Skills Scan

  • The Safeguarding Support Officer Level 3 Apprenticeship is designed to equip individuals with the knowledge, skills, and behaviours needed to support statutory safeguarding responsibilities across a wide range of sectors, including education, health and social care, emergency services, housing, and the voluntary sector.

    Apprentices in this role act as the first point of contact for safeguarding concerns, conducting initial risk assessments, triaging cases, and signposting to appropriate internal or external services. The course emphasises preventative safeguarding, early intervention, and multi-agency collaboration.

    Apprentices will develop expertise in person-centred communication, professional curiosity, and accurate documentation, ensuring that vulnerable individuals are protected from harm, abuse, and neglect.

  • Please enter your email address (upon completion of this skills scan you will need to click on the submission button. Once you have done this, the completed skills scan will be emailed to you and your line manager. You will need to upload your completed skills scan to the OneFile learning assessment record that you have opened to access this skills scan)

  • We need to ensure you require substantial learning and development to access a funded apprenticeship. You do not need to research topics to answer. This is about what you may already know or do, so we can get a baseline and create a personal learning programme. You may also wish to state areas you would like to develop further.

    Please rate each question with Yes, Some or No

    Please note if you answer Yes or Some to any of the questions, a drop-down box will appear and you will need to write about what you already know and/or do. If you have any qualifications, competency evidence or certification appliable to the question, it is very important you attach these to the OneFile learning assessment record (LAR) that you have opened to access this skills scan. Please ensure you always maintain confidentiality and avoid putting any names of colleagues/patients.

  • Duty 1:

    Responding to Safeguarding Concerns

  • Skills - Focuses on the ability to identify, assess, and act on safeguarding concerns. It includes prioritising cases, tailoring responses to individual needs, escalating appropriately, and ensuring accurate documentation. These skills are essential for protecting vulnerable individuals and ensuring timely intervention.:

  • Can you identify, prioritise, and escalate safeguarding concerns, including those involving staff, while tailoring responses to individual needs?*
  • Can you recommend appropriate safeguarding actions based on the nature and urgency of the concern?*

  • Knowledge - Understanding how to respond to safeguarding concerns is fundamental. This includes recognising different types of concerns, knowing when and how to escalate them, and being aware of organisational and legal protocols for reporting allegations. It also involves understanding the importance of acting in the best interest of individuals and maintaining confidentiality throughout the process.

  • Do you understand how to respond to safeguarding concerns, escalate complex cases, and report allegations in line with legislation and organisational policy?*
  • Are you confident in identifying when a decision is not in an individual’s best interest and knowing how to escalate it?*

  • Duty 2:

    Applying Safeguarding Legislation and Policy.

  • Skills - Applying legislation and policy to real-world safeguarding scenarios, advising colleagues, and supporting multi-agency working. It also includes maintaining accurate records, supervising referrals, and embedding learning from reviews into practice:

  • Can you apply safeguarding legislation and procedures in your practice and support others in doing the same?*
  • Can you supervise or support others in making multi-agency referrals?*

  • Knowledge - Covers a deep understanding of safeguarding legislation, national and local policies, and how they apply in practice. It includes knowledge of referral pathways, whistleblowing procedures, and how to interpret and apply findings from safeguarding reviews and audits:

  • Are you familiar with safeguarding legislation, referral processes, and how to support colleagues and partner agencies in applying policy?*
  • Do you understand how to apply local and national safeguarding reviews to improve practice?*

  • Duty 3:

    Communication and Person-Centred Practice.

  • Skills - This involves using appropriate communication techniques to engage with individuals and stakeholders, providing emotional support, and ensuring that safeguarding conversations are handled with empathy and clarity:

  • Can you use and adapt communication styles to support individuals and colleagues in safeguarding contexts?*
  • Can you provide emotional and practical support to stakeholders during safeguarding work?*

  • Knowledge - Effective safeguarding relies on person-centred communication that respects individuals’ views, feelings, and cultural backgrounds.

    This includes understanding how to adapt communication styles and support others in emotionally sensitive situations:

  • Do you understand how to use person-centred communication and adapt your approach to suit individual needs and cultural influences?*

  • Duty 4:

    Information Sharing and Data Management.

  • Skills - Maintaining accurate records, sharing information appropriately, and preparing data for safeguarding meetings and inspections.

    These are essential for accountability and effective case management:

  • Can you maintain accurate safeguarding records and share information appropriately to support safeguarding processes and audits?*
  • Can you collate and present safeguarding data for meetings or inspections?*

  • Knowledge - Focuses on the secure handling of safeguarding information, including how to store, share, and access data in line with legal and organisational requirements.

    It also includes understanding how to use data to inform safeguarding decisions and audits:

  • Do you know how to securely manage, share, and store safeguarding data in line with local and national policies?*
  • Are you confident in identifying appropriate data sources to inform safeguarding decisions?*

  • Duty 5:

    Supporting Safeguarding Practice and Caseloads.

  • Skills - Skills involve managing caseloads, contributing to team discussions, and applying reflective practice.

    It also includes recognising the emotional impact of safeguarding work and seeking support when needed:

  • Can you contribute to safeguarding caseloads, reflect on practice, and apply lessons learned to improve outcomes?*

  • Knowledge - Understanding safeguarding theory, reflective practice, and how to support individuals and colleagues through the safeguarding process.

    It also involves applying learning from past cases to improve future outcomes:

  • Are you familiar with safeguarding theory and how to support vulnerable individuals and colleagues through the safeguarding process?*

  • Duty 6:

    Training and Stakeholder Engagement.

  • Skills - Delivering or assisting with training, supporting learning outcomes, and embedding safeguarding knowledge across teams and partner organisations:

  • Can you assist in delivering safeguarding training and ensure stakeholders understand their responsibilities?*

  • Knowledge - The knowledge needed to support and deliver safeguarding training, ensuring that stakeholders understand their responsibilities and comply with relevant policies:

  • Do you understand safeguarding training requirements and how to support stakeholder learning*

  • Duty 7:

    Professional Development and Inspection Readiness

  • Skills - Evaluating your own learning, applying audit feedback, and seeking support to maintain wellbeing and resilience in safeguarding roles:

  • Can you evaluate your development, apply feedback from audits, and seek support to maintain your wellbeing?*

  • Knowledge - Recognising the importance of continuous professional development, preparing for inspections, and applying feedback to improve safeguarding practice. It also involves understanding how safeguarding work can impact personal wellbeing:

  • Are you aware of your own learning needs and how to stay up to date with safeguarding legislation and best practice?*

  • Thank you for completing your skills scan

    check the emails you have entered are correct before clicking on the submission button.

    Your Email : {yourEmail}

    Managers Email : {email8}

    Reminder: your completed skills scan will be emailed to you immediately, please upload to the skills scan learning assessment record on OneFile, with any other evidence. This is very important as your allocated coach will review before the planning meeting.

    Please inform your manager they will receive your skills scan.

    At the planning meeting with your coach, your line manager will be asked to confirm it is correct and /or identify further areas of development.

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