DRAGON-Shield

What is DRAGON-Shield?

DRAGON-Shield is a multimedia, interactive platform that provides training on the ways groomers and children communicate with one another during online grooming conversations.

The training is underpinned by academic research and consultation with over 250 child safeguarding practitioners, children, and lived experience experts from over 30 countries.

You can read more about how DRAGON-Shield was developed and the results of its evaluation in our Dragon Shield Report September 2023

Learn more about DRAGON-Shield with this brief explainer.

Introduction to Dragon Shield

DRAGON-Shield demo from SwanseaUni on Vimeo.

Can I do the Dragon-Shield training?

DRAGON-Shield is suitable for anyone working in child-facing roles. Previous trainees have included (but are not limited to) the following sectors and roles:

Testimonial 1 from SwanseaUni on Vimeo.

What does Dragon-Shield include?

Two modules that will introduce you to how communication is used in online grooming and the tactics used by groomers during online grooming conversations.
Interactive assessments after each module for you to test your knowledge.
A downloadable certificate upon completion to evidence your continued professional development.
A conversation simulator that enables you to experience “first-hand” what children encounter during online grooming conversations.
A resource pack that can be used with children and young people to educate them about online grooming and how to safeguard themselves against it.
A wellbeing library that recognises the distressing nature of online grooming for trainees and provides you with informative and supportive resources to protect your mental health.
An informative and thorough user guide to support your progress through the training platform.

Why use DRAGON-Shield?

DRAGON-Shield can help you safeguard children against online child sexual grooming by:

Lawrence Jordan, Director of Services for Marie Collins Foundation

Lawrence speaks on the importance of child safeguarding practitioners understanding the language used by children and groomers in online child sexual grooming conversations.

Testimonial 2 from SwanseaUni on Vimeo.

How do I register for the DRAGON-Shield training platform?

If you are interested in enrolling onto the DRAGON-Shield training platform, please register your interest by completing this survey.

Our team will then be in touch with the upcoming available courses and instructions on how to book your place and you will be invited to create an account on DRAGON-Shield.

Once you have created an account, you will have 3 months from the date you start your training to complete the DRAGON-Shield training.

You can find more information about DRAGON-Shield, including information about costs and course accreditation in our DRAGON-Shield Module Information document. Dragon-Shield training module

What have people said about DRAGON-Shield?

Lawrence Jordan, Director of Services for Marie Collins Foundation, explains why he thinks the DRAGON-Shield training is important for child safeguarding practitioners and Professor Lelia Green from Edith Cowan University talks on the benefits that completing the DRAGON-Shield training can have on the work that child safeguarding practitioners do.