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L3Apprenticeship7865 approved providers
The Level 3 Safeguarding support officer, and the 5 providers delivering it.
Support statutory safeguarding responsibilities and demonstrate how organisations work to protect an individual’s health, wellbeing and human rights. Enable individuals to live free from harm, abuse and neglect.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices learn how to identify, triage, and respond to safeguarding concerns for children, young people, and adults with care and support needs. The programme covers key legislation, referral pathways, and multi-agency early help strategies, alongside data handling, secure record-keeping, and risk assessment. Apprentices also develop the skills to advise colleagues on safeguarding matters, support staff in recognising signs of abuse or neglect, and escalate complex cases appropriately, all within the boundaries of their role and organisational policy.
Day-to-day responsibilities
Day-to-day work centres on being the first point of contact for safeguarding concerns raised by staff, volunteers, or members of the public. This means conducting initial risk assessments, triaging concerns, and deciding whether to signpost internally or refer to an external statutory agency. Apprentices maintain accurate case logs using digital or paper case management systems, prepare reports for safeguarding meetings and audits, and handle sensitive information in line with data protection requirements. They also support colleagues in building professional curiosity and asking the right questions when concerns arise.
Career outlook
Completing this apprenticeship typically leads to roles such as safeguarding coordinator or safeguarding advisor. From there, progression can move into designated safeguarding lead positions or specialist roles in child protection, adult safeguarding, or multi-agency partnership work. Employers who hire for this role span a wide range of sectors, including schools and colleges, NHS trusts, housing associations, local authorities, charities, fire and rescue services, and professional sports organisations. The skills gained are transferable across any sector with statutory safeguarding obligations.
5 approved providers
Sorted by achievement rate.
Acorn Training
Employer: 3.0
Acorn Training is a national training provider delivering apprenticeships, training, employability s...
Achieving Excellence UK
Employer: 1.0
Achieving Excellence UK Ltd is an apprenticeship and learning and development provider supporting em...
Achievement Training
Achievement Training Limited (ATL) is a private training organisation based in Plymouth city centre,...
Lift Schools
Lift Schools is a multi-academy trust and specialist apprenticeship training provider focused on the...
3 Spirit Training
3Spirit Training is a UK-based Skills for Care Centre of Excellence established in 2012 that works c...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completing this apprenticeship typically leads to roles such as Safeguarding Assistant, Safeguarding Coordinator, or Safeguarding Advisor. These posts involve triaging incoming concerns, conducting initial risk assessments, maintaining safeguarding records, and acting as a first point of contact for staff and volunteers raising concerns. Some completers move directly into a named safeguarding support role within the organisation where they trained, particularly in larger education or health and social care settings.
Progression paths
Within three to five years, experienced practitioners commonly progress to Designated Safeguarding Lead, Safeguarding Manager, or Senior Safeguarding Advisor. From there, two broad tracks open up: a management route into Head of Safeguarding or Named Nurse / Named Professional roles within NHS trusts and local authorities, or a specialist route focusing on areas such as child protection, adult safeguarding, or multi-agency public protection. Professional qualifications and CPD, including social work or public health pathways, support longer-term advancement.
Where these roles sit
Employers span a wide range of sectors. Local authority children's and adults' services, NHS trusts, schools, colleges, and multi-academy trusts are the largest hirers. Beyond statutory settings, housing associations, national charities, voluntary sector organisations, police support functions, fire and rescue services, and professional sports clubs all carry safeguarding responsibilities and employ staff in these roles, reflecting the cross-sector reach of UK safeguarding legislation.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Learning takes place in the workplace from the start, with the apprentice applying knowledge of safeguarding legislation, risk assessment, information governance and multi-agency working to real cases and situations. Before moving to final assessment, the apprentice goes through a readiness check, often called a gateway, where the employer and training provider confirm that the apprentice has developed the knowledge, skills and behaviours required of the role. Final assessment then provides independent confirmation of occupational competence. Assessment models across many standards are currently being updated as part of ongoing reforms, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
What learners need to prepare
Building a record of workplace evidence from the beginning of the programme makes final assessment considerably more straightforward. Apprentices should document how they have handled safeguarding concerns, triaged referrals, maintained logs, shared information securely and worked with external agencies as they go, rather than attempting to reconstruct evidence later. Regular conversations with both the line manager and the training provider about progress against the knowledge, skills and behaviours will help identify any gaps well before the gateway readiness check.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
A strong provider for this standard will have tutors or assessors with direct experience in safeguarding roles, not just generic health and social care backgrounds. On the FATP profile, look for an achievement rate above 65% and, given the sensitive nature of the work, high scores on both employer and learner satisfaction. Because safeguarding practice is shaped by local multi-agency arrangements, check that the provider covers your region and can demonstrate familiarity with local referral pathways and current legislation, including the Care Act 2014 and Working Together to Safeguard Children. Case-based teaching using realistic scenarios carries more weight than purely classroom-delivered content.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious of providers who cannot clearly explain how they teach triage and risk assessment in practice, or who rely entirely on generic care qualifications to evidence safeguarding competence. A high volume of starts combined with a declining achievement rate is a warning sign in a standard where professional judgement and emotional resilience are central to completion. Vague answers about how they support learners through difficult casework, or no clear process for teaching data recording and information-sharing obligations, suggest the programme may not reflect the real demands of the role.
Questions to ask before you commit
- What backgrounds do your tutors and assessors have in safeguarding specifically, rather than broader health and social care?
- How do you teach learners to triage and prioritise safeguarding concerns, and what realistic scenarios or case studies do you use?
- How does the programme cover local multi-agency referral pathways, given these vary by area?
- Can you show us where learners are typically employed after completing this apprenticeship, and in what roles?
- How do you support learners who are managing emotionally demanding caseloads alongside their studies?
- How is legislation and statutory guidance kept current within the programme, for example when Working Together or local safeguarding partnership guidance is updated?
- What is your current achievement rate for this standard, and how does cohort size affect the support each learner receives?
Common questions
Who is eligible to start a safeguarding support officer apprenticeship?
The apprentice must be employed in a role where safeguarding responsibilities are genuinely part of the job. Suitable employers include schools, health and social care providers, housing organisations, charities, police support services, fire and rescue services, and sports organisations. There are no universal academic entry requirements set in the standard, but employers typically expect good literacy and numeracy skills. Apprentices must also satisfy the government's basic eligibility rules, including being a UK resident with the right to work.
How long does the apprenticeship take and how does learning fit around work?
The typical duration is 18 months, though this can vary depending on the apprentice's prior experience and the employer's programme design. Learning happens alongside employment throughout, so the apprentice remains in their role from day one. Some time each week is set aside for off-the-job learning, which may include training sessions, study, or mentored practice. For the current requirements on duration and off-the-job hours, check the official apprenticeship standard page on gov.uk.
How is the apprenticeship assessed?
Before sitting the end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, where the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has developed the knowledge, skills, and behaviours set out in the standard. Assessment models for many standards are being updated as part of current reforms, so check gov.uk for the latest specification. In general, the apprentice will need to demonstrate competence in areas such as triaging safeguarding concerns, applying relevant legislation, maintaining accurate records, and advising colleagues appropriately.
How does an employer pay for the training?
The funding band for this standard is £7,000, which is the maximum amount of training costs that can be funded. Levy-paying employers draw on their digital apprenticeship service account. Smaller employers who do not pay the levy typically contribute 5% of the training cost, with the government covering the remaining 95%. Employers with fewer than 50 employees who take on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing toward the training costs. Funding covers training and assessment only, not the apprentice's wage.
What does a safeguarding support officer apprentice do day to day?
The apprentice works as the first point of contact for safeguarding concerns within their organisation. Typical tasks include conducting initial risk assessments, triaging concerns, signposting individuals to the right internal or external service, and supporting the designated safeguarding lead. They also maintain safeguarding logs and case records, assist colleagues in preparing referrals to statutory agencies, advise staff on recognising signs of abuse or neglect, and ensure that information is stored and shared in line with data protection and organisational policy.
What can a safeguarding support officer do after completing the apprenticeship?
Completers are well placed to move into roles such as safeguarding coordinator or safeguarding advisor, taking on greater responsibility for case management and staff guidance. Some progress to become a designated safeguarding lead within their organisation. Further qualifications at level 4 or above in safeguarding, social care, or a related field are a common next step for those wanting to develop specialist expertise or move into a management or strategic safeguarding role.
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Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 786.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.