Safeguarding young people : an exploratory study of how practice develops

Abstract

A Serious Case Review undertaken by a Local Safeguarding Children Board in England found that adolescent neglect was insufficiently understood by professionals working with children and vulnerable adults. A new practice framework was chosen by the Local Authority to address this finding and is in the process of being implemented through training delivered to all who work within Children’s Services. Research evidence, however, suggests that the transfer of learning from training into practice can be relatively low. Informed by the Serious Case Review and previous research evidence, the aim of this thesis was to consider how the development of safeguarding practices by people working within schools and Further Education setting could be supported. A systematic literature review explored the question: how is safeguarding training embedded into practice by professionals working with young people? Narrative synthesis of data from six papers revealed tentative findings linked to four themes: Learning, Perception of training effectiveness, Training design, and Organisation. The review highlighted that previous research considering the transfer of training has largely ignored: the agency of human beings; the potential influence of their specific context on their agency and practice; and the social nature of human learning. Consequently, an empirical study was designed to explore how Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL) from education settings describe their experience of developing their safeguarding practice. Semi-structured interviews were employed as the means of data generation and analysis was conducted using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Three overarching themes emerged that encapsulate the informants described experience. The findings suggest that the DSL role is challenging and complex, with developments in practice largely attributable to experience and personal motivation. Analysis also indicates that there is a desire for improved training opportunities that incorporate connection with safeguarding colleagues. Findings are discussed with reference to existing literature, and implications for future research and practice are offered.