Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 27
27
Deferred
Commission regular surveys to understand DWP staff views on safeguarding policies and workload
Recommendation
We recommend DWP commissions or undertakes a series of surveys to understand how staff feel about the Department’s safeguarding policies, practices and their overall workload. The surveys should include questions relating to views on training and guidance; familiarity and confidence with safeguarding policies; and culture relating to safeguarding, both within the individual’s service area, and across DWP more generally. We recommend DWP undertake an initial round of any such survey as soon as possible, and a second round after one year. Within three months of each survey, DWP should also report to us how it will continue to improve its approach to safeguarding and ensure that where discretion is used, it is consistently applied. DWP should use the survey as an opportunity to understand which areas of training DWP staff would most benefit from, and develop an improved training programme accordingly. (Recommendation, Paragraph 112)
Government Response Summary
The government agrees surveys are valuable and states the new Coaching Academy will capture structured feedback through surveys. It will consider how best to use existing and new surveys to inform safeguarding policy and service delivery, rather than committing to a specific series of surveys as recommended.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The Government agrees that colleague surveys are a valuable tool for understanding staff views on capability and confidence. The Coaching Academy will aim to professionalise employment support through accredited training in areas such as safeguarding, trauma-informed practice. Alongside this, it will provide platforms to capture structured frontline feedback through systems, surveys, reflective practice, and peer learning. This feedback will inform continuous improvement in training and delivery of service, whilst offering valuable insights into safeguarding culture, workload, and the use of discretion. The Department will consider how best to use surveys, including the Annual People Survey, to support the development and assessment of the Safeguarding Approach and ensure that staff voices help shape both policy and service delivery through ongoing feedback cycles.