Moving and handling training for mainstream school staff

More about moving and handling training

• Staff core training

  Why do my staff have to attend yearly staff core training?

  There are Key Acts of Parliament relevant to working with and supporting children, however, the ultimate responsibility for the health and safety of employees' rests with the Employer (Head Teacher of the School). This position is reinforced in both criminal and civil law. As stated above it has been agreed with Cambridgeshire County Council that this is completed yearly under mandatory training.

  Whose responsibility is it to book the staff onto the course?

  As stated the ultimate health and safety responsibility lays with the employer, which within the school is the Head Teacher. As a school it is your responsibility to identify, book and allow staff to attend this training. A reminder letter will not be sent out, and therefore if your staff’s training has expired this is your responsibility.

  How do I know when my staff’s training has expired?

  It is important that when your staff attend the core training, they provide you with a copy of the certificate of attendance. Please take note of this date. If the staff member has attended training in September, they need to be booked onto the training prior to September the year after. i.e. June or July.

  What if my staff member cannot find their certificate?

  A central database of all staff core training is kept. On this database it tells us when your staff last received training and whether they are still compliant. Therefore, if you are unable to find this, please contact us via email and we will be able to provide you with this information.

  When does this training take place and how do I book staff onto this training?

  Training takes place approximately every four weeks. Please refer to the reminder letter or the moving and handling website to identify and book onto a training session. Training sessions are booked via Eventbrite. Please also be aware that the training dates book up quickly.

  When should I book my staff onto the course?

  A letter comes out to schools in the Autumn term which has the dates for the following year. Best practice is to book your staff into this training as soon as you receive the letter. Please be aware that training dates book up quickly and we do not have capacity to add people onto dates. We have a maximum of 6 people who can attend each training session. 

  What if I have a child that is due to start in the September, but I have currently not allocated staff to them?

  If you are aware that you are going to have a new child started in September, please still book spaces for the members of staff that will be working with that child. We are happy to take just a school name and then confirmation of staff names nearer the time. Please be aware that our September dates book quickly and therefore you need to be proactive to get these dates booked.

  What happens if the child we are currently working with is transitioning to another school?

  Your community Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist should work with you to identify the child’s specific transition needs and update the M&H document as indicated.

• Child specific training

  How will I know if child specific training is required?

  The community Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist will identify any child/staff that may require child specific training. 

  Who should be present at this assessment?

  The child and ALL school staff handling the child should be present at this assessment. The child’s Occupational Therapist and/or Physiotherapist will also be present. Parents are welcome to attend the assessment, but we ask the community therapists to liaise/ let them know of the date and time.

  What if I cannot release all the staff for the training?

  We would prefer that all staff are released for this training, so everybody that will be working with the child can be part of the assessment. If this cannot happen, then a further date will be set for this member of staff to be trained, but this is something we try to avoid at all costs.
  
  Please be aware that the member of staff who has not received the relevant training should not be working with the child until this has happened.

  Can a member of staff train others to complete the moving and handling procedure?

  No, all staff must attend the core training and be trained by a manual handling advisor. If the transfers that the child is completing were not covered in the ‘core’ training or if the member of staff is not confident in undertaking the transfers, then they should seek further guidance from the OT/PT who will arrange additional child specific support as indicated.

  Is additional training needed if the child receives a new piece of equipment?
  (e.g. standing frame/chair)

  The therapist issuing this piece of equipment should demonstrate safe use of the equipment and provide written instruction for safe use (could be manufacturers guidelines). The school staff should be able to apply the principles of safe moving and handling; however, if it is identified that additional training is required, this would need to be raised with the OT/PT. 

  What happens after the assessment?

  It is important that managers in the workplace monitor practice in accordance with the Moving & Handling Protocol provided following the formal assessment:

  • ensuring employees are trained, assessed and / or updated regularly
  • keeping training records
  • assessing whether employees are following safer manual handling procedures
  • ensuring risk assessments are in place and are implemented.