The Pastoral Formation Institute is licensed by MFHEA
(Licence #: 2013-FHI-023) as a Further and Higher Educational Institute. The Award in Safeguarding Children & Vulnerable Adults is accredited at EQF/MQF Level 4, as Further Education Programme.
This short course will assist employees and volunteers who work with children and vulnerable adults or handle their data, to recognise the key principles of safeguarding and learn to create a safe environment for children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
The intended learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- familiarise themselves with safeguarding policies
- understand the legal obligations with child abuse
- identify signs and symptoms of abuse
- know the disclosures of abuse
- identify the principles of safeguarding
- practice professional boundaries
- know their legal obligations related to the Protection of Minors (Registration) Act (2011) and the Minors Protection Act (2019)
- learn about the different types of abuse and poor practice
- learn a standard response to a disclosure of abuse
- be able to recognise signs of abuse
- identify the actions to take if you have a concern and who can help
For Caritas staff and volunteers
| Code | Mode of Delivery | Value |
|---|---|---|
| PFE/SCA4-23 | Blended Learning | 1 ECTS |
The course is delivered over 5 contact hours. These 5 hours are delivered over two sessions:
- 3 hours – In person session (Face-to-Face Learning)
- 2 hours – recorded material which can be accessed on the PFI`s Moodle Portal (Blended Learning)
Students will also be given additional reading material which they can read in their own time.
You may find all the dates in the Calendar section below.
Each course is delivered over two sessions; (a) 3-hour, in-person session and (b) 2 hours of recorded material which can be accessed on the PFI’s Moodle Portal.
October – November 2025
Lecturing Period
| Mode of Delivery | Date & Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| In-person | 17th October 2025 from 9:00am to 12:00pm | Caritas Community Centre |
| Recorded Material | 18th October – 1st November 2025 | Recorded videos on the VLE platform |
Assessment Period:
| Assessment | Available From | Due by |
|---|---|---|
| Short Multiple-Choice Online Exam | 18th October 2025 | 1st November 2025 |
| Reflective Journal | 18th October 2025 | 17th November 2025 |
This course has three exit certificate options:
- Certificate of Attendance
A Certificate of Attendance will be rewarded to students who have:
- attended in-person session
- watched all the recorded material
- and did not submit any course assessments.
- Certificate of Participation
A Certificate of Participation* will be rewarded to students who meet the attendance criteria and successfully conclude the course multiple choice test. (please check the calendar tab above for exam dates)
- Certificate of Achievement
A Certificate of Achievement* is awarded to students who successfully concluded the course, that is;
- meet the attendance criteria
- sit and pass the short multiple-choice online exam (mentioned in point 2),
- and also submit a written assessment
Click here to view the PFI’s Grading System
*To obtain a Certificate of Achievement or a Certificate of Participation, a student must; attend all the contact hours and successfully conclude the assessment/s.
EQF/MQF Level: Level 4
Accreditation Category: Further Education Programme
Total ECTS: 1 ECTS
Teaching Institutions: Safeguarding Commission together with Pastoral Formation Institute
Award Institution: Pastoral Formation Institute
The Pastoral Formation Institute is licensed by MFHEA
(Licence #: 2013-FHI-023) as a Further and Higher Educational Institute. The Award in Safeguarding Children & Vulnerable Adults is accredited at EQF/MQF Level 4, as Further Education Programme.
Qualifications: Every application will be considered on its individual merits. The Pastoral Formation Institute accepts a wide range of qualifications, and we always try to judge applications on the basis of academic potential. We do consider a very wide range of academic, vocational, and professional qualifications, as well as work and other appropriate experiences and skills.
Language: Primary level understanding of Maltese and English.
Digital: Knows how to access the internet and use a word processor.
For courses offered in face-to-face learning and Blended Learning, it is required that applicants reside in the Maltese Islands and use their Maltese address in their application form.
For further information regarding visa requirements, head to Identity Malta’s VISA requirement for third-country nationals.
