Overview of the role
The Safeguarding Support Officer Apprenticeship Standard Level 3, is designed to equip individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to support statutory safeguarding responsibilities and ensure individuals live free from harm, abuse and neglect.
This innovative programme offers a new career pathway for those looking to start their careers as Safeguarding Support Officers, or for those currently working in safeguarding who wish to obtain a formal qualification.
Safeguarding involves protecting individuals’ health, wellbeing, and human rights. By adhering to safeguarding best practices, you work to prevent harm, abuse and neglect. While often associated with the protection of children and vulnerable adults, abuse and neglect can affect anyone, making safeguarding a crucial aspect of policies and procedures for any organisation.
Safeguarding Support Officers can work in various public, private, and voluntary sector organisations, supporting statutory safeguarding responsibilities and demonstrating their commitment to protecting individuals’ health, wellbeing, and human rights.
What You’ll Learn:
This comprehensive programme covers various key aspects.
- You’ll learn how to identify and respond to safeguarding concerns, developing the skills to recognise signs of abuse, neglect, or exploitation and take immediate, appropriate action.
- Understanding safeguarding legislation and policies is crucial; you’ll gain knowledge about the legal requirements and organisational policies that guide safeguarding practices, ensuring compliance and best practices.
- Additionally, you’ll become a point of contact for colleagues needing guidance on handling safeguarding issues, offering your expertise to navigate certain situations or concerns.
- The course will also teach you how to tailor responses to individual needs, providing personalised support based on the unique circumstances and needs of individuals at risk.
- You’ll develop the judgement and skills to know when and how to escalate concerns to higher authorities or specialised services for further investigation and intervention.
- Maintaining accurate records is another critical aspect; ensuring all safeguarding activities and concerns are documented accurately creates a clear, comprehensive record.
- Lastly, you’ll learn to engage with stakeholders, building and maintaining relationships with key parties such as social services, healthcare providers and law enforcement, to collaborate effectively on safeguarding matters.
Career options
The apprenticeship covers various roles such as safeguarding advisor, safeguarding assistant and safeguarding coordinator, with the potential to progress to a designated safeguarding officer (DSO) role.
Duration
18 months (this does not include EPA period)
Delivery
The delivery will be done mainly at the workplace, with the off-the-job training accounting for at least 6 hours a week. The assessor will regularly visit you at work to observe you performing relevant tasks and to carry out professional discussions.
You will complete Level 3 Safeguarding Support Officer Apprenticeship prior to taking the end-point assessment.
You will receive a login to an on-line portfolio account which can be accessed from any Wifi point or through 3/4G either at work, at home or in our centre. You will be provided with a detailed course programme. At the centre you will have the opportunity to network with other learners, share practice and access different resources to support your learning including laptops, desktops, tablets and textbooks.
End Point Assessment
The end-point assessment (EPA) for the Safeguarding Support Officer Apprenticeship contains 2 methods of assessment which will be graded as Fail, Pass, Merit or Distinction:
- Presentation with questions
- Competence interview supported by portfolio
Candidates for this course should be working in a related sector.
All applications will be reviewed on an individual basis. If you have experience or previous knowledge that will support your application please remember to include it. Apprentices without level 2 English and maths, aged 16-18, will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment.
Under new rules, apprentices aged 19 and over will no longer be required to achieve a Level 2 functional skills qualification in English and Maths to complete their apprenticeship. Although, the decision will be at the employers discretion, and apprentices are encouraged to discuss these requirements with their employer or training provider.
As an employer that doesn’t pay the apprenticeship levy, you pay just 5% towards the cost of training and assessing an apprentice.
The government will pay the rest up to the funding band maximum.
You’ll pay the training provider directly and agree on a payment schedule.
If you employ fewer than 50 employees, the government will pay 100% of the apprenticeship training costs up to the funding band maximum for apprentices aged:
- 16 to 21
- 19 to 24 with an education, health and care plan provided by their local authority or has been in the care of their local authority
Paying employer National Insurance contributions
Employers may not need to pay Class 1 National Insurance contributions for an apprentice, if the apprentice is:
- under 25 years old
- on an approved UK government apprenticeship standard or framework (these can differ depending on country)
- earns less than £967 a week (£50,270 a year)
The apprentice, as an employee, will continue to pay Class 1 insurance contributions through their salary, this will only benefit the employer.
Read HMRC’s guidance on paying National Insurance contributions.
