Designated Safeguarding Lead Training
Quantity: 1
Designated Safeguarding Lead Training
Also known as Designated Safeguarding Officer and Level 3 Safeguarding Children
Duration 3-4 hours
Last audited 16th July 2026
For me
For teams
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100% online training
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Start when you like
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Learn on any device (desktop, mobile or tablet)
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Instant assessment and result
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1 learner per course
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Train teams of all sizes
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Bulk discounts starting at 10% off 10 courses
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Pay by invoice with 30 day payment terms available (5+ courses)
£65 +VAT
include vat
Includes a 10% discount for 10+ courses
This course has been updated to comply with Keeping Children Safe in Education, published by the Department for Education on 7th July 2026, which comes into force on 1st September 2026.
As Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or Deputy DSL, you will be the first point of contact for safeguarding and child protection enquiries within your setting. You also have a responsibility to ensure that everyone in your setting is following best safeguarding and child protection practices, so it’s essential that your knowledge is in-depth and up-to-date.
This Designated Safeguarding Lead course will help you to understand the safeguarding and child protection process in more detail and teach you more about what the role of the DSL involves. It explores how to effectively create a culture of safeguarding, raise awareness of safeguarding and child protection issues in your setting, respond to concerns and make referrals. The course contains a variety of scenarios, reflections and exercises to enable you to apply your learning, and throughout the course, you will find a range of downloadable resources to help you review and develop the safeguarding and child protection procedures within your setting.
100% online training
Access anywhere
Same day digital certificate
Printed certificate posted next working day
Full audio voiceover
Assessment retakes at no extra cost
Learn at your own pace with no completion deadlines
Developed by a qualified safeguarding and child protection consultant and trainer
Written in line with statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children and Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)
City & Guilds Assured
Accredited by CPD
Earn 3 CPD points on completion
Bulk discount for orders of 10+ courses
This level 3 course provides learners with knowledge to an industry recognised standard
Bigger orders = bigger discounts
Save on our courses when you buy more training upfront. Lock in a better price now and access the training whenever you need to. You can mix and match any of our courses too and get the discount off your whole order.
10+ courses = 10% off
50+ courses = 20% off
100+ courses = 30% off
500+ courses = 40% off
What you'll learn
At the end of this DSL training course, learners will be able to:
- Understand and describe their role and responsibilities as the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
- Be clear about the difference between safeguarding and child protection.
- Ensure the policies and procedures in their setting sit within the legislative and statutory guidance safeguarding framework.
- Understand the need to respond to all safeguarding and child protection concerns, including low-level concerns.
- Understand what makes a good referral.
- Understand and explain their role in any assessment process and/or interventions put in place following the assessment.
- Describe the actions they and their setting need to take if they disagree with actions or decisions made.
- Recognise the importance of understanding their local threshold document and how to respond appropriately to children's differing levels of need within the safeguarding framework.
- Recognise when and if it is appropriate to share information and with whom, and understand how information should be recorded and stored.
Training you can trust
City & Guilds Assured
Thoroughly reviewed independently by City & Guilds learning and development experts, this course is approved as City & Guilds Assured. High Speed Training is the first e-learning provider to have online courses awarded City & Guilds Assured status.
Accredited by CPD
All of our courses are accredited by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to universally accepted Continuing Professional Development (CPD) guidelines.
Recommended renewal:
2 years
What does this mean? This certificate does not have an expiry date, however, based on industry best practice guidelines there is a recommended renewal period.
Course in action
Engage and empower
Our in-house Learning Designers develop all of our courses to give you and your learners the most engaging training possible.
Why take this course?
It is impossible to put an exact figure on how many children in the UK are suffering maltreatment at any one time, as it comes in many forms, and many cases of child maltreatment go undetected and unreported. Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews often highlight the many missed opportunities to address safeguarding and child protection risks.
Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure the health and safety of the children in their care, and every organisation working with children must have an appointed Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). It's essential that those with safeguarding responsibilities are suitably trained to effectively carry out their duties.
DSLs are responsible for developing and maintaining safeguarding standards and responding to concerns within their setting. This course will help a DSL to understand their role and how to establish a culture that enables everyone to fulfil their statutory safeguarding responsibilities.
Module 1: Introduction to Designated Safeguarding Lead
This module defines safeguarding and child protection, while outlining key legislation and guidance and beginning to explain the key responsibilities of the DSL.
Module 2: Creating a Culture of Safeguarding
This module outlines how to create an effective culture of safeguarding within a setting. It covers key topics such as professional curiosity, developing and implementing effective policies and procedures and introduces safer recruitment processes.
Module 3: Raising Awareness of Safeguarding and Child Protection Issues
This module provides an overview of the overarching categories of abuse and the types of maltreatment that sit within these. It also examines why children may not disclose information relating to maltreatment, their response to being maltreated and why professionals may not take action. It also examines the DSL's responsibilities associated with safeguarding training within a setting.
Module 4: Responding to Concerns
This module examines how concerns may be brought to your attention. It also covers how to respond to a direct disclosure or a reported concern, and explains the levels of need and responses within the wider safeguarding framework.
Module 5: Making a Referral and the Referral Process
This module looks at how children and their families are assessed to determine their levels of need. It also examines different types of referrals, how to make an effective referral and your responsibilities as part of this process.
Module 6: Working with Others
This module focuses on how to work effectively with other settings and organisations as part of multi-agency safeguarding arrangements (MASA). It also examines how to work effectively with parents or carers.
Module 7: Recording, Sharing and Holding Information
This module explains how to record and share information effectively, including the implications of confidentiality and Data Protection laws.
Module 8: Designated Safeguarding Leads in Education and the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
This module includes an optional section for DSLs working in an education setting. Within this, there is a further optional section for DSLs working in the EYFS. The aim of this module is to equip you with sector-specific knowledge and understanding of legislation and guidance, responsibilities and issues which are particularly relevant to your setting.
The online assessment is taken on completion of the training material.
You will be asked 25 multiple choice questions with a pass mark of 80%.
The answers are marked automatically so you will instantly know whether you have passed. If you don't pass don't worry! You can take the test as many times as you need with no extra charge.
This course is written at an advanced level and it is recommended you have some knowledge of safeguarding procedures before beginning the training.
It is suitable for anyone who works frequently with children and who holds a management, supervisory or designated child protection role in settings such as schools, universities, charities, places of worship, sports clubs, leisure centres and GP and healthcare practices.
If you are a Governor or someone with a strategic safeguarding responsibility who does not deal with individual concerns at an operational level, then our Safeguarding for Governors Course is more suitable for you.
Written by experts
In partnership with
Joanna Nicolas
Safeguarding and Child Protection Consultant
Joanna Nicolas is a highly regarded safeguarding consultant, trainer and social worker with 30 years of experience in the sector.
Joanna is a co-opted Board member of Cafcass and a member of the Prince’s Trust Safeguarding Advisory Panel. She is also a court-appointed expert witness in child protection cases.
She was a core trainer for her Local Safeguarding Children Partnership for 15 years and works with various Local Authorities and other organisations specialising in the most complex child abuse cases.
In recent years Joanna has worked with a range of UK organisations including the Department for Education, Ofsted and Local Safeguarding Children Partnerships.
Frequently asked questions
Is this course suitable for Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads?
Yes. This online DSL course is suitable for Designated Safeguarding Leads and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads. As stated within Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) statutory guidance, any deputies should be trained to the same standard as the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Which Safeguarding course is right for me?
Designated Safeguarding Lead Training is recommended for anyone wishing to understand the responsibilities of the Designated Safeguarding Lead, including those already in this position seeking further training and support, deputies and those assisting whoever holds the position, as well as those taking on a safeguarding lead for their organisation.
Level 3 Safeguarding Adults Training is recommended if you are looking to become a Designated Safeguarding Lead but you look after vulnerable adults in your care setting.
Advanced Safeguarding Children (Level 2 Safeguarding) Training is recommended if you require an advanced level of safeguarding knowledge but you are not a Designated Safeguarding Lead/Officer or Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Introduction to Safeguarding Children (Level 1 Safeguarding) Training is recommended if you have no prior safeguarding knowledge or do not require an advanced course. It is suitable for workers of all levels, including managers, supervisors, full-time staff, part-time staff and volunteers.
Is this DSL course suitable for Early Years practitioners?
This course covers the key principles, legislation and statutory guidance for Designated Safeguarding Leads working across all educational settings from early years to college. All safeguarding principles in the training apply to children of all ages, including those under 5 years of age. It is the responsibility of educational settings to ensure they are meeting any additional, specific training requirements unique to their setting.
How do I access the training?
All of our training is done within your web browser - there are no apps to download or software to install.
After picking the courses you need and completing your purchase, you will receive a confirmation email. To access our courses yourself or to distribute them to others you just need to click the ‘Get Started’ button within the email and select which option you want. You will then be able to add the course(s) into an existing account, or create a new account.
Can I buy training for my team?
Of course just add the amount of courses you need and follow the purchase process. Please do be aware that it is one course per learner so they will all need their own course.
When buying courses for a team you'll also get access to our Management Suite free of charge. This is a tool that will allow you to allocate, track and review the training of your team.
Did you know? - We offer free training sessions on how to get the most from your Management Suite. To benefit from this, please contact: managersupport@highspeedtraining.co.uk to get your session booked in.
If I order multiple courses will I receive any discount?
Yes, our bulk discounts are automatically applied to orders containing any combination of courses. We offer the following discounts on bulk purchases:
If you purchase 10+ courses you receive a 10% discount
If you purchase 50+ courses you receive a 20% discount
If you purchase 100+ courses you receive a 30% discount
If you purchase 500+ courses you receive a 40% discount
What payment options are available?
You can pay for our training using either a Debit or Credit card.
For companies ordering 5 or more courses, you’ll also be given the option to pay by invoice. If you would like to pay by invoice for fewer than 5 courses then please contact our Sales Team by calling 0333 006 7000 or emailing us at sales@highspeedtraining.co.uk.
Can I access the training material after I have completed my course?
Yes. You can use your username and password to log in and revisit the training material as many times as you like, even after completing the course.
Is there a time limit on completing the course?
No, we want our courses to work around you so there’s no time limit in which you must complete the training after making a purchase. You can also split your training over as many different sessions as you wish, as course progress is saved as you make your way through the training. You’re free to learn entirely at your own pace.
How do you make your courses?
All of our courses are made by our in-house Learning Design team with an approach to solve real-world performance problems - not just to tick a box. This approach is built on the widely recognised Double Diamond framework, adapted to ensure that every course is engaging, effective and rooted in the learner's reality.
We collaborate with experts in the field to help pinpoint the specific barriers preventing safe or ideal behaviour. We identify opportunities for the course to solve these barriers, increasing the likelihood that training will translate into real-world action.
By training with us you can be confident that you are taking a course that has gone through rigorous internal reviews and external approvals to truly be built with the learner in mind.
