Identifying and Managing the Additional Safeguarding Vulnerabilities for SEN/ALN

Course introduction

Children with additional needs including SEND are at increased risk of abuse and neglect and sometimes indications of abuse are harder to identify. In this half day course time will be given to understanding the links between safeguarding and SEN/ALN including the importance of joint working with the DSL and SENCo/ALNCo. We will discuss the importance of the question ‘How often do we ask ourselves how we would regard the behaviours, mood changes or injuries of a child with SEND if they did not have SEND?’. Then unpick the key issues of communication difficulties and social interactions, online safety, risk of child-on-child abuse and neglect and dependence as well as supporting effective communication with children and their families.

What we will cover throughout the day

• Identify the additional safeguarding vulnerabilities and risks for children with SEND;

• Develop effective responses to those safeguarding risks;

• Consider how to work effectively with parents and multi-agency colleagues to safeguarding children with SEND;

• Develop the personalisation needed to work with children with SEND to promote their safety and wellbeing;

• Look at ways to promote joint working between DSLs and SENCo/ALNCo to support and promote safeguarding;

• Discuss the increased vulnerability amongst children with SEND, particularly the 5 bullets points listed in Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022;

• Learn the importance of identifying and responding to individual needs.

Target audience

DSLs and SENCo/ALNCo in main stream schools and specialist settings.

Trainers for this course

Sara Alston

Sara is a practicing SENCo and an independent SEND and Safeguarding Consultant and Trainer with over 35 years teaching experience. She provides support and training to schools for special... needs and safeguarding. Sara writes regular articles for Teach Primary and Headteacher Update as well as blogs about SEND and Safeguarding issues. She is the co-author of The Inclusive Classroom: A New Approach to Differentiation (Bloomsbury, 2021) which was shortlisted for an Education Resource Award 2022. Her new book Working Effectively with Your Teaching Assistant will be published in February 2023.Read more

See what others have to say about us

Interesting and inspirational

Very informative - covered a broad range of information concisely and with context.

It was extremely well put together and so informative, the pace was great and it would be great to do as a whole SLT, which I will be recommending to my team.

About the venue

Stay at home, get comfortable and enjoy our live interactive course via Zoom! You’ll receive the link a few days before the course date so you can get prepared (and excited) ahead of time.

Handy course logistics

• The course will run via Zoom from 9:15 am – 13:00, however, the trainer will be available 15 minutes before and after the course times to answer any questions.
• You’ll receive mid-morning, lunch and afternoon breaks to re-energise.
• This course is designed to be interactive and inclusive. We welcome questions and discussions throughout and we want you to be comfortable and stress-free no matter where you join us from!
• Your course pack includes handouts, an M&S voucher for food, a snack, a pen and a notepad – we’ll send this to you before the day. Please note this is only for UK-based participants, international attendees will receive the pack via email.
• Additional links and information will be emailed to you before and during the course.
• This course is also available as an in-house / INSET training session at your school. Contact us for details.
• Please Note – The course is per person