Effective supervision and reflective practice for supervising social workers

 THEME

This course is designed to support those who have previously attended “The role of the supervising social worker in supervising and supporting foster carers” and now looking to develop their practice further.

On this course you will explore how good quality, challenging supervision can contribute to a high quality of care provided by foster and kinship carers and to establishing and maintaining effective working relationships. We will explore the balancing the potentially conflicting role of the supervising social worker, who needs to balance providing support with the need to sometimes have difficult conversations too.

Further areas explored include foster care reviews and managing allegations. This course will combine theory, practical exercises and opportunities to reflect, the learning needs of more experienced social workers.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

·      Understand and apply the regulatory context and purpose of foster carer supervision.

·       Explore ‘Professional Curiosity’ when supervising carers: moving away from concept of carers self-reporting to evidence based practice and recording

·       Consider the interface of the role with safeguarding duties and outcomes for children in care

·       Increase confidence in balancing the conflicting roles of supervising social workers

·       Consider connections between effectiveness of the supervision and factors such as placement stability and the quality of the foster care experience, for both children and the carers

·       Increase confidence in manage allegations and standards of care and capability issues

       Annual reviews

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

This course is for supervising social workers and social work managers in fostering and kinship care services.

It is anticipated that participants will have been in post for at least 12 months and completed “The role of the supervising social worker in supervising and supporting foster carers” at least 6-12 months previously.

On open courses we can accommodate a maximum of four delegates from one organisation only. For a larger group booking, please see the information on commissioned training.

For social workers, reflection on this session may contribute to your continuing professional development (CPD).

PRESENTER

Joan Hunt, Associate Trainer, CoramBAAF.

Joan has provided Training and consultancy for a range of Independent Agencies and Local Authorities and within this capacity facilitated training on a number of Child Care/ Fostering /Adoption focused subjects to Professionals, family members, Foster Carers and adoptive parents. These have covered a diverse range of subjects; Separation and Loss, Attachments, Secure Base; Therapeutic Re-parenting, Behaviour Management, Life Story,  Managing  food issues, Assessing Sibling Groups, Parenting Teens, Parenting Siblings, Direct Work with Children, Panel Training, Cultural Diversity, Internet Safety , Supervising Social Workers, Fostering Reviews, Disruption Training, Child Development, Caring for Children who have been Sexually Abused, Supporting children in Education, and Parent and Child Arrangements. Joan also undertaken consultancy work including Chairing Disruptions, Life Story Literature Review, and Parent 2 Parent Peer mentoring. 

RECOMMENDED READING

The Role of the Supervising Social Worker

Author: Alison Davis (2022)

Supervising social workers have an essential role to play in foster care and are a key link between the fostering service and foster carers. However, the importance of this role to successful foster care is often overlooked. The supervising social worker must provide support and advice to foster carers, while fulfilling their role as supervisor, ensuring that the fostered child feels secure and is thriving, and verifying that the carer meets the fostering service’s requirements. The role also involves many challenges; workers must, for example, build close professional relationships while maintaining appropriate boundaries, manage allegations against carers, work with carers who may present challenges, and deal with their own feelings in emotional situations. It is essential for anyone taking on this role, or managing supervising social workers, to understand these varied demands, and the need to be a supporter, teacher, inspector, assessor, coach, mediator, networker, colleague, and counsellor.

This comprehensive, considered and highly practical guide is a vital learning tool and companion for all supervising social workers.

TIME

Registration 9.45 am
Start 10.00 am*
Close 4.00 pm*

*Times subject to change

FEES

Full or associate CoramBAAF member - £158.00 + £31.60 VAT = £189.60
Individual CoramBAAF member - £120.00 + £24.00 VAT = £144.00
Non-member - £220.00 + £44.00 VAT = £264.00

CONTACT

Full or associate CoramBAAF member - £125.00 + £25.00 VAT = £150.00
Individual CoramBAAF member - £105.00 + £21.00 VAT = £126.00
Non-member -  £155.00 + £31.00 VAT = £186.00

MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT FOR OPEN COURSES

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