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This training is designed for practitioners from all partner agencies to develop a multi-agency understanding of safeguarding, risk management and professional responsibilities when working with children. Participants should have completed Level 2 Safeguarding Children (eLearning) via the Virtual College.
The 3-hour, in-person session is interactive, giving you the chance to share experiences and learn from other practitioners to improve outcomes for children and young people across Westmorland and Furness.
Dates & Locations:
1 December 2025 (1.30pm–4.30pm) – Barrow Town Hall
Booking / Queries: Email WFSCPTraining@cumbria.gov.uk with your full name, job title, organisation and email address.
This full-day, in-person training is open to all staff, including support and frontline teams. It explores how trauma impacts the brain, body, and behaviour and how adopting a trauma-informed approach can improve the way we support individuals, communities, and each other at work.
Participants will reflect on applying trauma-informed principles in their own practice, services, and organisations.
Date & Location:
12 January 2026 (9am–4pm) – Kendal Town Hall, Assembly Room
Booking / Queries: Email WFSCPTraining@cumbria.gov.uk with your full name, job title, organisation and email address.
If you have any training requests, wish to offer a course to the partnership, or have any questions about our learning and development programme, please contact us at WFSCPTraining@cumbria.gov.uk. We welcome your input and are always keen to support the professional development of practitioners across Westmorland and Furness.
Did you know the WFSCP website includes a dedicated section on neglect? This page provides access to useful tools, including the 'Day in the Life' resource and the new 'Home Conditions Assessment' tool, designed to support practitioners in identifying and responding to neglect more effectively.
Explore the resources here: WFSCP Neglect Resources
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There is have several learning opportunities available to support professionals working to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse. Two upcoming webinars on Putting the Child Sexual Abuse Response Pathway into Practice (Northwest) are scheduled for:
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25 November 2025 (10–11am) - The link can be found here
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21 January 2026 (10–11am) - The link can be found here
A range of recorded webinars is also available on the North West Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy website, covering topics including recognising indicators of abuse, supporting parents and carers, responding to harmful sexual behaviour in education and online settings, speaking with children about abuse, sibling sexual behaviour, and supporting families following the arrest of a parent.
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As part of our ongoing commitment to safeguarding and professional development, we are seeking to better understand the confidence levels of education professionals in recognising, responding to, and managing incidents of child sexual abuse (CSA).
We are holding a question-and-answer session open to professionals working in education across the North West region. This session is designed to be more interactive than previous webinars, and will begin with a brief introduction to the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse and its resources for education. Lorraine Myles, the Centre’s Lead for Education, will then respond to pre-submitted questions about child sexual abuse related to policy, practice, and/or guidance. Questions can be submitted here ahead of the session.
To register for the event, please click on the link below:
Northwest Q&A for Education Professionals: with the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse
Working with the education sector will help us identify areas where further support, training, or resources may be needed. The sector’s input is vital in shaping a safer, more informed response across our education settings.
Do you care for someone else’s child?
Maybe under a family arrangement, with or without a legal order, or even as a kinship foster carer?
Then you’re a kinship carer - and your experience matters. We’re developing our Kinship Care Local Offer, and we want you to help shape it.
If you...
- Have looked after, or do look after a friend or relative’s child
- Are a grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling, other relative or family friend caring for someone else’s child
- Are a child, young person or an adult now, who has been raised by kinship carers and want to share your experience and help improve the lives of others?
We want to hear about your experiences and understand what support you need, so we can work together to shape and improve the future for kinship carers.
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Scan the QR code to register your interest and be part of shaping services that truly reflect the needs of kinship families. |
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Join us on Tuesday 25th November 2025, 9:30 am – 12:00 noon at the Assembly Room, Kendal Town Hall for our Development Morning, celebrating the launch of the Hope Box Project.
This initiative, in partnership with the Giving HOPE Project and health colleagues, supports mothers and babies separated at birth due to safeguarding concerns. The HOPE Boxes, created with input from women with lived experience, contain items to provide comfort, reduce trauma, and aid practitioners in delivering compassionate, trauma-informed care.
The project stems from Lancaster University’s Born into Care research and reflects our commitment to fostering a trauma-informed culture within Children’s Social Care.
For more information, please visit Giving Hope and Minimising Trauma
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Scan to book your place! |
16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER BASED VIOLENCE 25 NOVEMBER - 10 DECEMBER 2025
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence is an annual international campaign that begins on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day.
We have developed a suite of learning events during the 16 days, via Microsoft Teams.
If you would like to book a place on one of these training sessions, please use this form. If you have any questions or queries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on either alison.goodfellow@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk
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The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, also known as Martyn’s Law, received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025. Named in tribute to Martyn Hett, this legislation strengthens security for public premises and events across the UK.
The Act requires those responsible for certain premises and events to consider how they would respond to a terrorist attack. For larger sites or events with 800+ attendees, additional protective measures must be implemented. A tiered approach ensures responsibilities are proportionate to the expected number of visitors.
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) will establish a regulatory function to advise and enforce compliance. A minimum 24-month implementation period allows time for guidance, planning, and preparation before the Act comes into force.
Martyn’s Law applies across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, promoting consistent protective security nationwide.
For more information and guidance, see the official Martyn’s Law Factsheet.
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Cumbria Safeguarding Adults Board (CSAB) have published a thematic SAR which considered the circumstances of 6 adults all whom experienced self-neglect and sadly died.
A SAR takes place where an adult with needs for care and support died or experienced abuse or neglect, and there are concerns about how agencies worked together to protect them.
You can read the full SAR report which is also supported by an Executive Summary Report that succinctly outlines key themes from the review and is accessible for managers and practitioners learning.
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