Advanced Safeguarding Leadership Programme

Deepening insight, strengthening leadership, elevating safeguarding practice

Cohort 2 commencing November 2026

This Advanced Safeguarding Leadership Programme is designed to build upon existing safeguarding knowledge and skills, equipping experienced DSLs with the expertise needed to navigate increasingly complex and challenging safeguarding landscapes. The programme looks at the leadership of safeguarding and its impact on whole school improvement. It recognises that safeguarding is not static, but rather a dynamic field requiring continuous professional development to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults.

The programme is spread out over the academic year and starts with a face-to-face day, followed by a mix of face to face days and four twilight webinars. One-to-one coaching sessions are also included.
 
Some of the themes that are covered, by leading experts in the area are contextual safeguarding, parental and community
co-production, self-evaluation and distributed leadership, and supporting vulnerable students including those in specialist provisions.

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Session 1: Face to Face – 9 November 2026, ASCL HQ, Leicester

Session 2: Webinar on Contextual Safeguarding – 26 November 2026, 3.30-5pm

Session 3: Webinar on Compliancy, Quality Assurance and DSL Development (Introduction to DSl standards and tools available) – 13 January 2027,  3.30-5pm

Session 4: Face to Face – 4 February 2027, ASCL HQ, Leicester

Session 5: Webinar on  Supporting Vulnerable Students including those in Specialist Provisions – (date to follow), 3.30-5pm

Session 6: Webinar on Parental and Community Co Production – (date to follow), 3.30-5pm

Session 7: Face to Face – (date to follow), ASCL HQ, Leicester

Margaret-Mulholland-300px-v2.png      

Margaret Mulholland
ASCL SEND and Inclusion Specialist

Margaret Mulholland is the SEND & Inclusion Policy lead at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), working with schools, trusts and government as an advocate for inclusive practice. 

She is an SEN board advisor to Challenge Partners, Whole Education, Liberty Academy Trust, the University College London Centre for Teaching & Teaching Research and an Honorary Norham Fellow at University of Oxford Department of Education. She currently sits on several advisory groups for the Department of Education. 

Previously, she held teacher, leader and trustee roles in secondary, special settings and teacher education at UCL Institute of Education. She was a director at Camden Learning, a non-exec director at think tank CfEY, joint Project Director for nasen Whole School SEND leading an Education Endowment Foundation trial of the SEND Review Framework and earlier this year appointed to the Institute of Public Policy Inclusion Task Force. 

Margaret is a contributing author to several educational texts including Reflective teaching in secondary schools (Bloomsbury), Practical Theorising in Teacher Education (Routledge), writes regularly for TES Magazine and is a national and broadcast media commentator on education matters.
         
      Victoria Raynor
Director of Raynor Safeguarding Ltd
 

Victoria Raynor is a highly experienced safeguarding consultant with a proven track record in developing, implementing, and delivering robust safeguarding strategies across a variety of sectors, including education, youth services, and community organisations. With over twenty years of hands-on experience, Victoria is dedicated to creating safe environments where children are protected, heard, and empowered. Victoria has extensive experience of working as a Designated Safeguarding Lead, Trust Safeguarding Lead and most recently a safeguarding consultant in both the UK and Internationally.

A qualified NSPCC Train the Trainer practitioner, Victoria is equipped to deliver advanced safeguarding training to professionals at all levels. Her expertise extends to risk assessment, policy development, case reviews, and multi-agency collaboration. She is known for her practical, no-nonsense approach that blends deep subject knowledge with real-world application. Victoria also ensures that all areas of the pastoral agenda are considered within all training and believes that safeguarding is truly the golden thread.

Victoria’s work is underpinned by a passion for prevention, early intervention, and equipping frontline staff with the tools and confidence they need to respond effectively. Whether facilitating workshops, advising senior leadership teams, or leading safeguarding audits, Victoria brings clarity, compassion, and compliance to every conversation.
         
      Kate Gaunt
Safeguarding consultant

Kate Gaunt is a dedicated and knowledgeable safeguarding consultant committed to helping organisations cultivate safe and supportive environments. Drawing upon 15 years of experience in the safeguarding sector, Kate has collaborated with a diverse range of organisations, including education and further education, the faith sector, local authority and voluntary sectors to strengthen their safeguarding frameworks and practices.

With a reputation for her clear communication and practical solutions, Kate delivers impactful training programs, conducts comprehensive safeguarding reviews, and provides expert guidance on complex case management.
Her in-depth understanding of safeguarding legislation, risk assessment, and child protection principles empowers organisations to confidently navigate safeguarding challenges and promote a culture of vigilance. Kate is passionate about empowering individuals and organisations to proactively safeguard those in their care and believes that effective safeguarding is a shared responsibility. She studied Psychology at Newcastle University which focused on child development and has a particular interest in supporting children with social, emotional and mental health needs. She is a trainer in Safer Recruitment and is in the first cohort completing a PG Cert in Leading Safeguarding in Education.
         

9 November 2026, ASCL HQ, Leicester

Part one: great safeguarding – what we know and want to do. 
Part two: reviewing your leadership and whole school approach.

Leadership outcomes

  1. Participants can articulate what “great” safeguarding looks like in their context.
  2. Leaders can identify gaps in current practice and set initial improvement goals.
  3. Participants initiate a structured safeguarding review involving multiple stakeholders.
  4. Leaders can outline an evidence collection plan and identify key collaborators in school.

26 November 2026, 3.30-5pm

Contextual Safeguarding: what it is and why it’s important. Putting principles into practice.

Leadership outcomes

  1. Leaders integrate contextual safeguarding into policy and daily operations.
  2. Participants can align their approach with KCSIE guidance.

 

13 January 2027, 3.30-5pm

Introduction to DSl standards and tools available

Revisit what great strategic leadership of safeguarding is. Review progress of self evaluation – How DSLs have identified strengths, areas for development. Drafting an action plan.

Leadership outcomes

  1. Leaders identify strengths, gaps, and targeted priorities for development.
  2. Leaders arrive at coaching with evidence-based priorities for refinement.

 

4 February 2027, ASCL HQ, Leicester

Action planning into practice

Leadership outcomes

  1. Refining areas for development – personal and whole school.
  2. Building knowledge and capacity to lead on.

date to follow, 3.30-5pm

Supporting vulnerable learners – Identifying needs. System Q&A – reactive or responsive? How do we build our proactive systems?

Leadership outcomes

  1. Leaders embed systems that shift safeguarding from reactive to preventive.
  2. Participants demonstrate strategies for early intervention and collaboration.

Date to follow, 3.30-5pm

Working with parents – what is their role, how are we engaging systemically? 

Leadership outcomes

  1. Leaders can implement systemic approaches for parental engagement.
  2. Participants design communication and involvement strategies tailored to diverse families.

date to follow, ASCL HQ, Leicester

Sustaining and embedding improvement.

Leadership outcomes

  1. Leaders embed enhanced safeguarding practices into school culture.
  2. Participants demonstrate ongoing monitoring and adaptation of safeguarding systems through a distributed leadership model

£849 + VAT for members
£899 + VAT for non members

Multiple delegate discounts available for groups of 2 or more

Suitable for: Directors and Deputy Directors of Trust Safeguarding, experienced DSLs and those who have a strategic leadership role in safeguarding

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