DESIGNATED SAFEGUARDING LEAD (DSL) IN CHILDREN’S SOCIAL CARE
Strengthen your safeguarding leadership through our specialist four-module live online programme. Starting 17 November 2026.
Supported Learning Independence Programme
A structured yet flexible learning framework supporting young people aged 16+ to develop the practical skills, knowledge and confidence associated with greater independence and preparation for adulthood.
Built from real experience.
Independence work can easily become a collection of worksheets, activities or tasks without a clear learning journey behind them. Resources can also become too academic, too rigid or disconnected from the relationship between the young person and the practitioner supporting them.
The Supported Learning Independence Programme was developed to provide greater structure without removing professional judgement, discussion or flexibility.
It provides a framework through which organisations can assess learning needs, identify priorities, support purposeful learning, evidence development and review progress over time.
From assessment to reviewed learning.
The programme creates a clearer learning journey while allowing staff to adapt delivery to the individual young person.
Assess
Use the Learning Pathway Assessment to explore the young person’s current knowledge, experience and development across more than 100 statements.
Plan
Identify priorities and use them to inform which areas of learning should be explored with the young person.
Learn
Work through relevant learning with the young person using their booklet alongside corresponding staff guidance.
Evidence
Capture the learning that has taken place and evidence the young person’s development through the programme.
Review
Revisit progress through assessment and learning outcomes to identify development and future priorities.
Explore example materials.
See examples of the materials used by young people and staff, and how learning and development can be captured through the programme.
Young Person Booklet
See an example of the learning material used to support engagement, discussion, reflection and practical application with a young person.
Staff Booklet
See how corresponding staff guidance supports preparation, discussion, adaptation and purposeful delivery of the learning.
Learning Outcomes Document
See an example of how learning, progress and development can be brought together and reviewed over time.
Printable PDF
Young Person and Staff Booklets can be printed and completed by hand, supporting face-to-face and paper-based work.
Fillable PDF
Fillable versions can be completed electronically by young people and staff using a laptop or PC.
One learning journey. Two perspectives.
The programme is designed to support interaction between the young person and the practitioner, rather than simply asking a young person to complete a workbook.
Engaging with the learning.
Young Person Booklets provide structure for discussion, activities, reflection and practical learning.
Booklets are available as standard PDF versions for printing and completing by hand, as well as fillable PDF versions that can be completed electronically on a laptop or PC.
This allows the young person to use the format that works best for them while maintaining the same structured learning approach.
Facilitating the learning.
Corresponding Staff Booklets help practitioners understand the learning intention and prepare for purposeful work with the young person.
Staff Booklets are also available as standard PDF and fillable PDF versions, allowing staff to work either from printed materials or electronically on a laptop or PC.
Staff can use professional judgement to adapt discussion and activities to the young person’s circumstances, experience and learning needs.
Start with what the young person needs to learn.
The Learning Pathway Assessment is an integral part of the Supported Learning Independence Programme.
It provides a structured assessment across more than 100 statements, helping practitioners identify existing strengths, areas for development and priorities for future learning.
Assessment can then be revisited through review, helping to show where progress is taking place and where further learning may be needed.
Supporting consistency without removing flexibility.
Organisations identify Programme Leads who support implementation and help maintain a consistent approach to the programme.
Programme Leads receive onboarding and provide an important connection between day-to-day delivery, organisational oversight and Social Care Skills quality assurance.
Programme Lead
Coordinates implementation and supports consistency within the organisation.
Onboarding
Programme Leads are introduced to the structure, delivery expectations, learning outcomes and quality approach.
Internal review
Programme Leads support appropriate standards and review work within their organisation.
Quality assurance
Social Care Skills undertakes quality assurance activity to support consistency and integrity of the programme.
More than a collection of learning booklets.
The Supported Learning Independence Programme brings together assessment, learning materials, evidence, review, implementation support and quality assurance.
Structured Learning Modules
A growing programme of independence-focused learning.
Young Person Booklets
Available as printable and fillable PDFs to support different ways of working.
Staff Booklets
Corresponding staff guidance available as printable and fillable PDFs.
Learning Pathway Assessment
Structured assessment, priorities and progress review.
Learning Outcomes
Evidence learning and development across the programme.
Programme Lead Onboarding
Supporting effective and consistent implementation.
Subscriber Support
Opportunities to discuss questions and implementation.
Quality Assurance
Supporting consistency and programme integrity.
Choose the level of programme access.
Organisations subscribe to the programme and can then add young person access according to the number of young people using it.
Core Programme Access
Organisational subscription. Young person access is charged separately according to volume.
- Access to the Supported Learning Independence Programme framework
- Young Person Booklets in printable and fillable PDF formats
- Staff Booklets in printable and fillable PDF formats
- Learning Pathway Assessment
- Programme Lead onboarding
- Programme updates
- Quality assurance framework
Enhanced Programme Access
Enhanced organisational access with additional support, outcomes and recognition.
- Everything included in Level 1 Access
- Live subscriber support sessions
- Young person Learning Outcomes Document
- Structured review of learning and progress
- Provider recognition
- Staff recognition where applicable
- Enhanced implementation support
Scale access with the size of your service.
In addition to the organisational subscription, access is charged according to the number of young people using the programme.
The per-young-person rate reduces as the number of young people increases.
A growing programme of independence learning.
The Supported Learning Independence Programme includes a growing range of learning modules covering areas relevant to everyday life, independence and preparation for adulthood.
Modules provide structure while allowing practitioners to adapt discussion, activities and practical learning to the individual young person.
Bring structured independence learning into your service.
Register your organisation or speak to Social Care Skills about how the programme could support young people, practitioners and services within your organisation.
