An exploratory study investigating perceptions, opinions and experiences of safeguarding education in pre-registration children's nursing curricula.

AIM: To explore perceptions, opinions and experiences of safeguarding education within pre-registration children's nursing curricula.

METHODS: Using a qualitative research method, an online questionnaire was developed and disseminated to pre-registration children's nursing students to complete via a weblink added to their programme's virtual learning environment.

FINDINGS: This study highlighted the need to integrate other pedagogies in safeguarding education. These include implementing more practical-based workshops such as completing safeguarding referrals to social care and undertaking case vignettes from a multi-professional perspective.

CONCLUSION: The recommendations from this study for future safeguarding education in pre-registration children's nursing curricula include incorporating a hybrid experiential learning approach, through problem-solving and simulation-based learning, to bridge the theory-to-practice divide and ensure practitioners are fit for practice.