The course is free, but it is not instant. You apply for a place, and every application is reviewed by a person before you are enrolled. We do not promise a start date, so if you have a deadline from your employer, apply early and check what they require.
Safeguarding adults level 2 at a glance
- Cost
- free (application required; no payment is taken for the course, the assessment or the certificate)
- Study time
- around 2 hours, at your own pace
- Format
- online and self-paced
- Level
- Level 2 describes the depth of the training, not a regulated qualification level
- Assessment
- online multiple-choice questions
- Certificate
- a certificate of completion issued by CareCertified
- Accreditation
- CPD accredited courses
- Application
- reviewed manually before enrolment
What is safeguarding adults level 2 training?
Safeguarding adults means protecting a person's right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. In England the framework for this is the Care Act 2014 and its statutory guidance, which sets out six principles: empowerment, prevention, proportionality, protection, partnership and accountability. You can read the guidance on GOV.UK.
Level 2 training goes beyond basic awareness. It is for people who need to understand how a safeguarding concern moves through the system, what their own part is and how to record and report it properly. The levels are an industry convention that describes how deep the training goes. They are not regulated qualification levels, and your employer decides which level suits your role.
Who is this course for?
This course is designed for people who work regularly with adults who may be at risk, including:
- care workers, support workers and personal assistants in residential, nursing and domiciliary care
- healthcare assistants and other health staff in community and hospital settings, where adults at risk are common
- volunteers and staff in charities and community organisations
- team leaders and supervisors who want a more detailed understanding than an introduction gives
If you are new to care and want a first introduction, you may prefer to start with the wider Care Certificate course. If your role includes leading enquiries or making safeguarding decisions, ask your employer whether you need Safeguarding Adults Level 3.
Learning outcomes: what you will learn
By the end of this course you should be able to:
- explain the aims of adult safeguarding and apply the six principles in everyday practice
- describe how the Mental Capacity Act 2005 supports decision making and when an advocate may be needed
- identify the stages of a safeguarding enquiry and your own role at each stage
- tell the difference between poor practice and possible abuse
- apply positive risk taking, and explain why defensible decision making matters
- keep clear records, including body maps, and explain how and when to make a referral
- describe what happens at an investigation, a case conference and a review
Why adult safeguarding training matters
Abuse and neglect are not always obvious. They can happen at home, in a care home, in hospital or in the community, and the person responsible may be a family member, a paid carer or a stranger. Staff who spot small changes in a person's mood, health or circumstances are often the first to notice that something is wrong. Training helps you know what to look for, how to respond calmly, and how to pass on your concern so that the right people can act. It also helps you protect the rights of adults at risk to make their own choices wherever they have the capacity to do so.
Types of abuse and neglect covered
The Care Act guidance describes several types of abuse and neglect, and the course introduces them so that you can recognise the signs:
- physical abuse and domestic abuse
- sexual abuse and psychological abuse
- financial or material abuse
- modern slavery and discriminatory abuse
- organisational abuse, where poor care or routines harm people in a setting
- neglect and acts of omission, and self-neglect
Your role in raising a concern
You are not expected to investigate abuse or neglect. Your role is to notice, listen, record and report. In practice that means taking the person seriously, not promising to keep a secret, writing down what you saw or heard in their own words, and passing the concern to the person named in your employer's safeguarding policy. If someone is in immediate danger, the priority is to get help straight away.
Course content
The learning is divided into short modules.
The aims and principles of safeguarding
You start with the purpose of adult safeguarding and the six principles, so that every later topic has the same foundation.
Mental capacity, restrictions and advocacy
This module looks at how capacity is assessed, what to do when you disagree with someone's decision, how restraint and restrictions are viewed in law, and the role of advocates, including the independent mental capacity advocate. The legal background is the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
The enquiry process and decision making
You follow a concern from the first report to the decision on what to do next. The module covers significant harm, the difference between poor practice and possible abuse, and how to weigh risk while respecting choice.
Recording, reporting and referring
Good records protect the person and you. This part covers accurate note keeping, body maps, how to make a referral, reporting a concern to the right person, and what to do when consent is not given. It also explains how multi-agency working helps once a concern has been raised.
Investigation, case conferences and reviews
Finally, the course explains what happens after a referral: investigation, strategy meetings, case conferences, review meetings and Safeguarding Adults Reviews.
Assessment, certificate and accreditation
You finish with an online multiple-choice assessment. If you pass, you can receive a certificate of completion issued by CareCertified.
A certificate of completion shows that you finished this online course. It is not a regulated qualification, and it does not prove workplace competence. Our courses are CPD accredited.
What this course does not do
This is an online knowledge course. It does not replace your organisation's safeguarding policy, your local safeguarding adults board's procedures or your employer's own training. Always follow local procedures, and tell your manager or designated safeguarding lead straight away if someone may be at immediate risk. In an emergency, call 999.
How to apply
- Choose the course and complete the application form.
- A member of our team reviews your application manually.
- If you are approved, we email you with details of how to begin.
- Study at your own pace and take the online assessment.
Find out more on the how to apply page.
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Frequently asked questions
What is safeguarding adults level 2?
It is training for people who work regularly with adults who may be at risk of abuse or neglect. It covers the principles of safeguarding, how to recognise concerns, how capacity and consent affect decisions, and how to record and report concerns.
Is the safeguarding adults level 2 course free?
Yes. There is no charge for the course, the assessment or the certificate of completion. You apply for a place, and a person reviews each application.
Can I start straight away?
No. Every application is reviewed manually, so access is not instant. We will email you once a decision has been made.
How long does the course take?
We estimate around 2 hours of study. You can complete it in shorter sessions.
What is the difference between level 2 and level 3 safeguarding adults?
Level 2 is aimed at people who work regularly with adults at risk and need a working knowledge of the process. Level 3 goes into more depth for people with greater responsibility, such as contributing to enquiries or supervising others. Your employer decides which level you need.
How often do I need to repeat safeguarding training?
Employers set their own refresher cycle, often guided by local safeguarding partnership expectations. Ask your manager what applies to your role.
Is the certificate accredited?
Yes. Our courses are CPD accredited. Until this is confirmed, we do not describe the course as accredited. The certificate is a certificate of completion issued by CareCertified.