About this course
Female genital mutilation is a serious form of abuse and a violation of the rights of girls and women. It is also one of the safeguarding topics staff feel least confident about, and one where generic training is most often wrong about what actually applies in Further Education and Skills.
This practical awareness course is written for colleges, independent training providers, apprenticeship teams, Skills Bootcamps and other post-16 provision. It prepares you to recognise a possible concern, respond well to a disclosure, record accurately and report through your safeguarding route - and it is explicit that diagnosis, investigation and certainty are no part of your role.
It is also precise about the law. The specific FGM mandatory reporting duty applies to certain professionals in certain settings, and current government procedural guidance states that a teacher in an FE college in England is not covered by it. The course explains exactly what that does and does not mean, so staff neither over-claim a duty they do not have nor conclude that nothing is required of them.
The course contains no graphic images and no unnecessary graphic description. You can pause and return at any point.
What learners cover
- What FGM is, the four broad types, and why you never need to identify one
- The everyday words learners actually use instead of the term FGM
- The legal framework in outline, including FGM Protection Orders and lifelong anonymity
- Who the specific mandatory reporting duty covers - and what applies to FE staff in England
- How to recognise possible risk without stereotyping learners
- How to respond to a disclosure: listen, reassure, explain, record, report
- Why you must never examine a learner, investigate, or contact the family
- How to record facts and exact words, and how to report and escalate
- How to support a survivor and help her reach specialist services
Course content
The course is delivered in short, bite-size sections that learners can stop and restart at any point.
- Section 1
1. Understanding female genital mutilation
What FGM means, the four broad types at awareness level, the words learners use instead of FGM, why it happens, why it is not a religious requirement, and the difference between professional curiosity and cultural suspicion.
- Section 2
2. FGM and the law
The Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 in outline, assisting FGM, extra-territorial provisions, failing to protect, lifelong anonymity, FGM Protection Orders, and a clear explanation of the mandatory reporting duty for FE and Skills staff.
- Section 3
3. Recognising risk and possible indicators
Possible indicators of risk and of FGM having occurred, the travel example, the absolute rule against examination or investigation, and how to handle adult learner disclosures including risk to a daughter or younger relative.
- Section 4
4. Understanding the impact of FGM
Possible physical and psychological consequences, described sensitively, why you must never tell a survivor how she should feel, and how your language and reaction shape whether she keeps talking.
- Section 5
5. Responding to a disclosure
Listen, reassure, explain, record, report - with the confidentiality conversation scripted, examples of investigative questions to avoid, and the "summer trip" scenario.
- Section 6
6. Reporting, recording and safeguarding action
Your own reporting routes and out-of-hours arrangements, why a 17-year-old apprentice is a child, emergency action, the known, suspected and at risk distinction, and information sharing done properly.
- Section 7
7. Respectful and inclusive practice
Professional curiosity rather than cultural suspicion, why fear of causing offence must never stop a report, and how to help a survivor reach specialist health, mental health and advocacy support.
- Section 8
8. Case study: Amira, 17, apprentice
An interactive eight-stage case study following a concern from a passing comment to urgent escalation, covering proof, family contact, investigative questioning, confidentiality, recording, the duty question and apprentice child status. Feedback on every option.
- Section 9
9. End of course test
Eighteen applied questions drawn at random from a bank of forty, with an 80% pass mark and feedback on every answer.
Who it is for
Teachers, tutors, trainers, assessors and learning coaches in FE colleges, independent training providers, apprenticeship provision, Skills Bootcamps and adult community learning; support, admin, HR and management teams; safeguarding link staff who need awareness-level grounding; and employers hosting apprentices. No previous FGM training is needed.
Entry requirements: None. The course is written in plain English and assumes no prior knowledge. It discusses FGM, abuse and some physical and emotional consequences, without graphic images or unnecessary graphic description, and you can pause and return at any point.
How it is delivered
Fully online and self-paced
Learners work through the course at their own pace and can pause and resume where they left off.
Any device
Works on desktop, laptop, tablet and mobile, with audio, video and written transcripts throughout.
Interactive throughout
Scenarios, exercises and images keep learners engaged rather than clicking through slides.
Knowledge checks
Short checks at the end of each section so learners can see what has landed before moving on.
Average completion time is around 1 hours, though learners can take as long as they need and return as often as they like.
How it is assessed
Two quick checks at the end of each module let you test your understanding as you go. The course finishes with an 18-question test drawn at random from a bank of 40, with an 80% pass mark. You can retake it as many times as you need, and a different set of questions is drawn each time. Feedback is given on every answer.
Certification
A WorkplaceHero certificate is issued the moment you pass the end of course test, and appears in your account alongside your other certificates. 1 hour of CPD is added to your CPD log automatically.
Refresher guidance: A suggested refresher and review date is set 12 months after completion. This is a prompt, not an expiry date - a CPD certificate does not run out. Employers and sectors may set their own training requirements, and where statutory guidance sets specific expectations you should follow those.
How it works for teams
- 1. Choose how many licences you need and pay by card, or request an invoice.
- 2. Add your learners' names and email addresses.
- 3. They sign in to their WorkplaceHero account and start the course straight away.
- 4. Track who has been set up from your account.
Common questions
Does the FGM mandatory reporting duty apply to FE college staff?
Current government procedural guidance states that a teacher in an FE college in England is not covered by the specific FGM mandatory reporting duty. Teaching work in some other settings, such as sixth-form colleges and 16 to 19 academies, may be covered, and certain regulated health and social care professionals are covered. Whatever the answer for your role, wider safeguarding responsibilities always apply: every FGM concern must be recorded and reported through your organisation's procedures without delay.
Who should complete FGM awareness training?
Anyone working with learners in post-16 education and training - tutors, trainers, assessors, learning coaches, support staff, managers and administrative teams - plus employers hosting apprentices. The course assumes no previous knowledge of FGM.
Is the course content distressing?
The course discusses FGM, abuse, and some of the physical and emotional consequences involved. It contains no graphic images and avoids unnecessary graphic description. There is a content notice at the start, your progress is saved, and you can pause and return at any point.
How long does the course take?
About 60 minutes, including the interactive case study and the end of course test. You can stop at any point and pick up where you left off.
Will I receive a certificate?
Yes. A WorkplaceHero certificate is issued as soon as you pass the test at 80% or above, and 1 hour of CPD is logged automatically. Both sit in your WorkplaceHero account and can be downloaded or shared with your employer.
Does the course train me to identify FGM?
No, and deliberately so. Staff must never physically examine a learner, ask to see an injury, or try to establish whether FGM has occurred or what type it was. The course teaches you to recognise a possible concern, respond well, record accurately and report - the safeguarding process does the rest.
Does it cover adult learners as well as under-18s?
Yes. Adult learners may disclose historic FGM, live with ongoing consequences, or raise a concern about a daughter, sister or younger relative who may be at risk now. The course covers all of these, and is clear that a 17-year-old apprentice is a child for safeguarding purposes.
Does this course replace my employer's safeguarding procedures?
No. It is awareness training, not a policy. It does not replace your organisation's safeguarding policy and procedures, designated safeguarding lead training, or specialist training, and it does not replace any training your setting requires.
Accuracy and scope
Content last reviewed September 2026. This course primarily reflects the position in England, drawing on the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003, the multi-agency statutory guidance on FGM, current government procedural information on mandatory reporting, and current information-sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners. Organisations and practitioners should follow the legislation, statutory guidance and local safeguarding arrangements applicable to their setting and jurisdiction.