📢 Early Heads-Up: New Regional Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Training Offer Across Avon & Somerset
Hello colleagues,
We wanted to give you an early heads-up about an important new Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) training offer being developed across the Avon and Somerset area.
Recent national learning, including the government's increased focus on CSA and findings from the Joint Targeted Area Inspection (JTAI) on child sexual abuse in the family environment, has highlighted the need to strengthen workforce confidence and skills in this area. Across our safeguarding partnerships, we've recognised that more support and training are needed to help practitioners identify, respond to and work effectively with concerns relating to CSA.
🤝 Working together across the region
The five local safeguarding partnerships have agreed a coordinated regional approach to strengthen practice and improve outcomes for children and families. To support this work, we have partnered with the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse (CSA Centre) to develop and deliver a high-quality training programme.
🎓 Building local expertise
A group of trainers from across the system has taken part in train-the-trainer sessions. This will help create a sustainable model, enabling training to be delivered locally across all five safeguarding partnerships.
📅 Training rollout from autumn 2026
We are planning to begin rolling out the training from September 2026. More information about the training programme, intended audiences and booking arrangements will be shared once finalised.
In the meantime, please:
✅ Note this as a key area of development for your partnership
✅ Begin considering how you can support and promote attendance and engagement within your local workforce
✅ Factor in communications and engagement activity within your forward planning over the summer
📬 We will provide a further update in August, including additional details to support local planning and implementation.
Thank you in advance for your support in helping us strengthen our collective response to child sexual abuse and improve outcomes for children and young people.