Training & events programme

Let's acknowledge and celebrate difference. Understand neurodiversity as a natural variation to ‘the norm’ rather than as something that is disordered, dysfunctional or deficient. This session is an introduction to aspects of neurodiversity including autism, dyslexia and ADHD. It will give an overview to increase participants' knowledge and develop confidence in the subject.

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.

Assessing social workers need to meet the statutory requirements as well as those of adoption panels. Applicants want to know that their "story" is represented fairly and accurately, and at the same time there is a duty to safeguard vulnerable children. This two-day course will equip participants with the knowledge and skills to conduct and manage the adoption assessment process so that the best outcomes are achieved for all.

The responsibilities of a Chair can be considerable. Whereas some duties may be clearly outlined in related practice guidance along with the qualities that ensure effective chairing, not all Chair responsibilities are so helpfully detailed or provided. This workshop will explore general planning for and facilitation of panels and complex meetings in the children’s sector. It will explore time management and group facilitation whilst holding the child at the centre of thinking, recommendations and decision making. It will enable Chairs of meetings to consider good practice and approaches to effectively managing the flow of information, summarising and the formation of key action plans.

Sibling assessments are complex and emotive for many. This course will offer a comprehensive approach to undertaking these important assessments. It will explore how assessing social workers can plan the assessment, identify the key contributors and ensure you can engage these contributors in the process. Most importantly it will explore how to gain the views of the children, observe sibling interactions, draw conclusions on the quality of sibling relationships as well as focusing on the individual needs of each child and of the sibling group.

This two hour training is aimed at local authority professionals – both social workers and lawyers - who are involved in the placement of children currently living in England to kinship carers overseas on a Special Guardianship Order. It will provide an overview of the legal and practice issues regarding special guardianship for children being placed abroad. There will then be ample time to discuss issues in overseas cases during the case study and group discussion.

Formulating questions is an important aspect of a panel member’s role. This course gives panel members the opportunity to deepen their understanding around this underestimated skill. Panel members will be able to practice what to ask and how to ask it, while reflecting on their own values and beliefs and how these influence thinking.

This course will explore the support needs of special guardianship families, how to carry out assessment of support needs which are sensitive to the needs of kinship care families, and the how these needs may be most effectively met. This course will explore; best practice, regulation and practice guidance, assessments, eligibility criteria and access to therapeutic support services, the impact of early trauma, identity issues, and the benefits and challenges of contact.

OPEN TO ALL
Kinship Care Week is an opportunity for professionals working with children and young people to come together to celebrate the significant role of kinship carers in children’s lives. Despite being a focus area for the UK government’s reform of children’s social care, and growing awareness around the term, many people still do not understand what kinship care actually is. In this introductory session, we will be exploring the unique circumstances facing kinship families, the vital role that kinship carers play in the lives of children and young people, as well as how professionals can better understand and support them.

This course is an opportunity to consider what we know about staying in touch from research, including what works well, the voices of those with lived experience, and aspects that may present challenges or need more support.