Cylix's new Safeguarding Essentials course has been specifically designed to provide fire-service staff with the confidence and practical knowledge they need to fulfil this role. Developed with Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, the course explores the problems children and adults at risk can face, and the steps staff should take if they have any concerns. But it's not all about responding to problems: the course also provides staff with practical tips and pointers for maintaining a professional relationship with young people and creating a safe, positive environment for them.

The course has a run-time of 60 minutes and is structured into four bite-sized modules, enabling staff to study it in short sessions and find the specific information they need, when they need it:

Safeguarding our communities

• What is safeguarding?
• Who are "children" and "adults at risk" in the eyes of the law?
• Forms of abuse (including sexual exploitation, FGM, radicalisation, and modern slavery)
• Common myths and misconceptions about abuse
• The scale of the problem

 How you can help

• Creating a safe, positive environment
• Potential signs of abuse
• What to look for during Safe and Well Checks
• What to do if you have a concern
• Handling a personal disclosure
• The bigger picture: What happens after you report an issue?

What would you do?

• A series of challenging case studies - all set in a fire service context - to explore how best practice guidelines can be applied in practice.

Test your knowledge

• Comprehensive mastery test to check retention and understanding of key points. On successfully passing the test, users can download a personal course-completion certificate.

The course, which can be readily re-branded and customised for any fire service, is far more than an electronic book: it's a highly interactive and engaging multimedia resource that incorporates a range of features to enhance the learning experience, including

• interactive case studies and scenarios to explore the practical application of key ideas
• an innovative "Ask the Expert" resource, enabling staff to find answers to frequently asked questions and drill down into key topics
• an interactive glossary providing definitions of all specialist terms
• web links to further sources of information and advice.

The course can be accessed through Cylix's cloud-based training portal or deployed through any SCORM-compliant learning-management system, enabling administrators to track and report on usage for audit purposes.

Cylix is now offering fire services free evaluation access to the Safeguarding Essentials course.