FGM, Honour Based Abuse and Forced Marriage

What the course covers

Safeguarding pupils from hidden forms of abuse requires heightened awareness, cultural sensitivity, and strict adherence to statutory legal duties. This course provides comprehensive training on identifying the warning signs and risks associated with Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Honour-Based Abuse (HBA), and Forced Marriage within educational settings.

Learners will examine the legal definitions, statutory frameworks, and mandatory reporting obligations—such as the mandatory reporting duty for FGM in England and Wales. The module explores the complex cultural and social dynamics underpinning these abuses, how to spot subtle behavioral changes or verbal indicators in pupils, and the heightened risks during school holidays or foreign travel.

By completing this course, independent school staff will understand how to handle disclosures safely, avoid compromising family trust while prioritising child protection, and follow correct multi-agency referral pathways to protect pupils from immediate and long-term harm.

What your team takes away

• Recognise the physical, behavioral, and verbal indicators of FGM, HBA, and Forced Marriage.
• Understand statutory legal obligations, including the mandatory reporting duty for FGM.
• Identify periods of heightened risk, such as the summer "cut season" or overseas trips.
• Respond sensitively to disclosures without putting the pupil at increased risk of further harm.
• Follow correct internal safeguarding escalation and multi-agency referral protocols.

How it runs

The course opens in a browser on a phone, a tablet or a desktop, with nothing to install. Progress is saved as it goes, so someone can stop and pick it back up. The assessment sits at the end, and passing it issues a certificate with its own reference number that an inspector or an auditor can check.

Who it is for

Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs), Deputy DSLs, senior leadership teams, teachers, pastoral staff, school nurses, and boarding personnel in independent schools.

Schools CPD Safeguarding