Click on training course title opposite to see: Title Course aims Learning outcomes Duration
All training is delivered within the context of current legislation and research, and can be tailored to meet the specific needs of your agency.
Standard course length is 10am-3pm in order to meet the aims and learning outcomes specified. However shorter cources can be arranged depending on your individual requirements.
Foster Carer courses
Understanding Attachment
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 3.4 b, 5.1 a, b, c, 5.6 c, 6.3 b, 7.3 d, e
Aims
To provide an opportunity for foster carers to consider how the quality of the attachments the child has experienced impacts on the fostering placement
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Be able to define attachment and gain an understanding of attachment theory
Have developed a greater understanding of the different types of attachment patterns the fostered child may have experienced
Have considered a range of strategies for responding to the different insecure attachment patterns the foster child exhibits, in order to give them the best opportunity of forming secure attachments
Have explored how the application of Dan Hughes’ PLACE approach can enable fostered children to begin to develop secure attachments
Have gained an understanding of recent research carried out on the impact of severe neglect on brain development and its implications for children’s attachments
Be able to use a resource list consisting of books, DVDs, and websites for gaining further insight and information about how best to respond to fostered children who have attachment difficulties
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Promoting Emotional Resilience in Fostered Children
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 5.2 a, 5.4 a, b, 5.5 a, b
Aims
Gain a clear understanding of the theory of resilience and how it can be practically applied
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Be able to define what is meant by resilience
Have gained a thorough understanding of the risk and adversity factors that can undermine a child or young person’s resilience
Have gained a greater understanding of the key protective factors of resilient children vis-à-vis individual, family and extra familial support factors
Have gained a thorough knowledge of Grotberg’s ‘I have / I am / I can’ categories
Have considered the different ways in which they can build the three ‘building blocks’ of resilience (self-esteem, self-efficacy and a secure base), with the children they care for
Be able to use a resource list consisting of books, DVDs and websites which can be used to gain further information for applying resilience theory when working with children and young people
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Working with Young People & Managing Their Difficult Behaviour
CWDC Training, Support and Development standards for foster care: 3.3 c, 3.4 a, b, c, 3.5 a, 4.1 a, b, c, 4.2 a, b, 5.1 a, 5.7 a, 7.3 b, d 7.5 b
Aims
To provide a toolkit of skills and techniques for working with young people
To develop participant’s confidence in applying a range of skills to manage the difficult behaviour of young people
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Have explored the meaning behind a young person’s behaviour
Have increased their understanding of why a young person exhibits difficult behaviour
Have considered a number of difficult behaviour scenarios and looked at a range of ways of responding to them
Have explored a range of strategies for promoting positive behaviour in the child or young person
Have developed skills in active listening to help the child to understand their own behaviour
Have learned how to apply the four-part ‘I’ message when giving feedback to the young person regarding their behaviour
Have considered strategies that can be employed for developing a young person’s positive self-esteem
Be able to use a resource list consisting of books and websites for gaining further insight and information about how best to respond to young people who exhibit behavioural difficulties
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Strategies for De-escalating Anger & Aggression in Children & Young People
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 3.4 a, b, c, 4.1 a, b, c, 4.2 a, b, 7.3 b, c, d
Aims
Identify the different stages of an aggressive incident or behaviour and a range of strategies for de-escalating and managing anger
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Have explored what the difference is between anger and aggression
Have gained awareness of their own anger ‘triggers’
Have a clear understanding of the physical sensations linked to anger
Have gained an understanding of the area of the brain known as the amygdala and its relevance to the ‘fight-flight’ response in children and young people
Be conversant with Kaplan and Wheeler’s six-stage de-escalation model of a violent incident
Have developed practical anger management strategies (including assertiveness) that they can teach to the children and young people they foster
Have identified ways in which they can manage their responses and feelings arising from the aggression and challenging behaviour the children and young people display
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Safer Caring — Protecting Children & Minimising the Risk of Allegations
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 2.2 a, b, 2.6 a, c, 3.1 b, 3.2 a, 4.5 b, 6.1 a, b, 6.2 b, c, d
Aims
Develop strategies, knowledge and understanding that ensures safer caring
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Have obtained a thorough understanding of the new 2011 National Minimum Standards for Fostering Services and the 2010 Working Together to Safeguard Children requirements vis-à-vis agency procedures on allegations
Be clear about why allegations always need to be taken seriously
Have a clear understanding of the reasons why a child or young person may make a false allegation
Be clear about what needs to be included in a safer care family policy
Have developed strategies that can be used in order to minimise the risk of a false allegation being made against you and your family
Be clear about how they should respond to allegations being made against them
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
The Positive Role for Men Who Foster
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 1.2 a, c, 5.4 a, b, 5.5 a, b, 6.2 a, b, c, 6.3 a, 6.5 a, b, 7.1 a, b, c, 7.3 c
Aims
The opportunity for participants to identify how they can most effectively provide a positive role model as a male carer
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Have explored and examined what constitutes a positive male role model
Have explored how gender may influence work in child care
Have considered the most effective ways to challenge prejudicial attitudes expressed by others
Have identified how they can protect children and young people effectively
Have explored what practices can be developed to minimise false allegations
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Promoting Positive Mental Health in Fostered Children & Young People
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 3.3 a, b, c, 3.4 c, 3.5 a, 4.1 a, b, 4.2 a, b, 5.2 a, 6.3 b
Aims
To provide an opportunity for participants to develop their understanding of how best to promote the mental health of children and young people they foster
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Be able to define what is meant by ‘good mental health’ and be introduced to the definitions used by the Mental Health Foundation and the National Association for Mental Health
Be able to identify the risk and adversity factors that may result in some children and young people being prone to develop poor mental health
Have gained an awareness of the prevalence of mental disorders in looked-after children and young people and the importance of placement stability as a factor in improving the mental health of children and young people
Have considered strategies that can be employed in the understanding and management of a range of mental health problems experienced by some fostered children and young people such as attempted suicide, depression, eating disorders and self-harm
Have gained an understanding of the importance of resilience and the associated protective factors in promoting good mental health in children and young people
Be able to use a resource list consisting of books, and websites for gaining further insight and information about how best to respond to fostered children who have poor mental health
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Understanding Teenagers
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 5.1 a, b, c, 7.3 b, c, d
Aims
To explore a range of assumptions and theories held about teenagers and consider the most effective ways to empower them to reach their full potential
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Have explored the considerable pressures that a teenager experiences in society today
Have considered a range of theories about adolescent development and explore the value of these theories in day-to-day practice
Have gained an understanding of adolescent developmental milestones
Have explored how attachment theory can help make sense of adolescent behaviour
Have gained an understanding of the recent research findings that highlight the significant changes that occur in the brain during adolescence
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Looking After Youself — Strategies for Responding to Stress
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 7.3 a, b, c, d, e
Aims
To provide an opportunity for participants to identify sources of stress and how these can best be managed
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Have developed their understanding of stress and its effects
Have identified the signs and symptoms of stress
Have developed a clear understanding of what happens to them physically and psychologically when they become stressed
Have identified the specific nutrients the body needs for responding to stress
Have gained an understanding of the concept of ‘flow’ and its importance in responding to stress
Have gained a clear understanding of the strategies to manage stress
Have developed a manageable plan for effectively responding to stress
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Communicating Effectively with Children — Active Listening & Responding Skills
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 4.1 a, b, c, 4.2 a, b, 4.4 b
Aims
To provide an opportunity for participants to develop their active listening and responding skills
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Have recognised and understood why active listening skills are essential when caring for children and young people
Have developed active listening and responding (e.g. clarifying, paraphrasing, reflecting, and summarising) skills
Have understood the difference between ‘open’ and ‘closed’ questions and know how and when to use these questioning techniques
Have gained the skills to accurately interpret non-verbal communication from the children and young people they foster
Have practiced active listening and responding skills using case scenarios
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Life Story Work
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 2.3 a, 5.6 a
Aims
To consider the issues involved in undertaking life story work with children and young people and develop skills to do this work
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Be clear about what memory book and life story work is
Understand why memory book and life story work with children and young people is so important
Be clear about why life story work is a process, rather than simply the production of a life story work book
Have explored the difficult feelings that life story work can provoke in children & young people and those doing the life story work
Have a range of practical exercises and resources that they can use with children
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Child Protection — The Safeguarding Role of Foster Carers
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 3.5a, 6.1a, b, 6.2a, b, c, 6.3a, b, c, d, e, 6.4a
Aims
To familiarise foster carers with the Child Protection process
To enable foster carers to have an understanding of the different types of abuse and neglect
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Have identified the possible signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect
Have gained a clear understanding of what abuse and neglect is; as outlined in ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’
Have explored and examined ways of managing ‘disclosure’ by a child
Have identified the possible signs and symptoms of bullying, including cyber-bullying
Have considered strategies for dealing effectively with bullying and cyber-bullying
Have developed internet safety guidelines for children and young people in the home
Be familiar with anti-bullying and internet safety websites in their safeguarding role as a foster carer
Have considered how best to safeguard children and young people when they are using social networking sites
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Transitions and Endings for the Foster Child and Foster Carer
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 5.1a, 5.3a, b, c, & 5.6c
Aims
To provide an opportunity for foster carers to understand how best to support traumatised children going through transitions and change
To give foster carers and their family a greater understanding of the process of loss and grief, when a foster child moves on
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Have recognised the importance of planned transitions and endings and how these can impact on the foster child, carer and their family
Have a greater understanding of how to help traumatised children to face change and loss
Have gained an understanding of the impact of secure and insecure attachment patterns on the child’s ability to deal effectively with transitions and endings
Understand the importance of a child’s ‘script’ or narrative, and how it is formed
Have developed an understanding of their own life ‘scripts’ and consider any impact this might have in helping a traumatised child to manage transitions and endings
Have gained an understanding of how to assist a child to create a positive ‘script’ around transitions and endings
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Advanced Parenting Skills
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 3.3c, 3.4a, b, c, 3.5a, 4.1a, b, c, 4.2a, b, 5.1a, 5.7a, 7.3b, d, 7.5b
Aims
To provide a toolkit of skills and techniques for working with young people
To develop participant’s confidence in applying a range of skills to manage the difficult behaviour of young people
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Have explored the meaning behind a young person’s behaviour
Have increased their understanding of why a young person exhibits difficult behaviour
Have considered a number of difficult behaviour scenarios and looked at other ways of responding to them
Have developed skills in active listening to help the child understand their own behaviour
Have explored a range of strategies for promoting positive behaviour in the child or young person
Have learned how to apply the four-part ‘I’ message when giving feedback to the young person regarding their behaviour
Have considered strategies that can be employed for developing a young person’s positive self-esteem
Be able to use a resource list consisting of books and websites for gaining further insight and information about how best to respond to young people who exhibit behavioural difficulties
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Young People, Alcohol, Drug & Solvent Misuse — Signs, Symptoms & Strategies
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 3.3b, c, & 3.5a
Aims
To provide skills and techniques for working confidently with young people who are misusing alcohol, drugs and solvents
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Have explored why children and young people misuse alcohol, drugs and solvents
Be able to identify possible signs and symptoms of alcohol, drug and solvent misuse
Have separated the facts from the myths in relation to alcohol, drug and solvent misuse
Have considered effective ways of communicating with and responding to children who are misusing alcohol, drugs and solvents
Have considered what tips can be given to young people to minimise their drinks being ‘spiked’
Be able to use a range of websites for gaining further information about how best to respond to fostered children and young people who are misusing drugs, alcohol or solvents
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Preparation for Independence and the Transition to Adulthood
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for Foster Care: 2.4 b, c, 4.1 a, d, 5.2 a 5.3 a, b, c
Aims
For foster carers to have an opportunity to consider their particular role and responsibilities in preparing young people for leaving care
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Have a thorough understanding of the new 2011 National Minimum Standards requirements vis-à-vis preparing young people for leaving care and independence
Be conversant with the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000
Have an understanding of the pathway planning process and their role in this
Have an understanding of John Coleman’s focal theory and its’ relevance to young people leaving care
Have an understanding of the practical issues related to working with young people who are leaving care and living independently
Have explored how to support the young person to manage the transition to adulthood
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Promoting and Supervising Contact in Foster Care
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 2.3a, b, 4.3a, b, c, 4.5c, 5.6a
Aims
Explore the benefits and challenges of facilitating contact within the foster home
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Be able to define what is meant by contact
Have gained a greater understanding of the importance of contact for fostered children
Be conversant with the legal framework underpinning contact
Have a thorough understanding of the 2011 National Minimum Standards requirements for promoting and supporting contact with fostered children
Be clear about when and how contact ought to be supervised
Have clarity on how to accurately complete a contact report
Have covered a useful checklist of questions to consider when being asked to report back on a supervised contact session
Have gained an awareness of the popularity of social networking sites and the possible impact this may have on contact plans and the safety of the foster child
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Getting Your Point of View Across — Assertion Skills for Foster Carers
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 4.4a, b, 7.3b, d, e, 7.4a, c, d, 7.5b
Aims
To provide skills and techniques that assist foster carers to behave assertively
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Have a clear understanding about what it means to be assertive and understand its importance
Be able to recognise when they are behaving in an assertive, aggressive or passive manner
Be able to recognise the non-verbal aspects of passive, aggressive, and assertive behaviour
Have gained and applied the techniques of saying ‘no’, the ‘broken record’ and the ‘workable compromise’ to assist them in behaving assertively
Have learned how to apply the four-part ‘I’ message when giving feedback to another person about their behaviour
Have learned the skills and techniques for resisting manipulation and coping with criticism through the application of ‘fogging’, ‘negative assertion’ and ‘negative enquiry’
Be more confident about choosing to behave assertively in their fostering role
Have practiced being more assertive using case scenarios
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Communication, Negotiation & Influencing Skills
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 4.4a, b, 7.3a, b, c, d, e, 7.4a, b, c, d
Aims
Examine the most effective ways to negotiate and influence other professionals
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Understand why influencing & negotiating skills are essential to a foster carer
Be able to identify their own dominant influencing style
Have explored the components that can make you an effective influencer and negotiator
Have gained the necessary skills and confidence to influence others in meetings
Understand the most effective and persuasive ways to deal with resistance when attempting to influence other professionals
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Child Development for Foster Carers
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 5.1a, b, c
Aims
Gain a thorough understanding of what constitutes ‘normal’ development in children and young people
To provide foster carers with the skills and knowledge necessary to begin to identify when children and young people's development may be impaired
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Be able to identify the key developmental milestones in a child’s development
Be able to identify practical ways in which to provide a stimulating and nurturing environment that enables children and young people to achieve their key developmental milestones
Have developed a greater understanding of the different types of attachment patterns the foster child or young person may have experienced
Have gained an understanding of the recent research carried out on the impact of neglect on brain development
Be able to use a resource list consisting of books and DVDs which can be used to gain further information about the key developmental milestones in child development
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
An Introduction to Understanding Sexual Abuse
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 6.1a, 6.3b, 7.3b
Aims
To provide foster carers with the knowledge for caring confidently for children and young people who have been sexually abused
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Have explored what constitutes sexual abuse
Have identified signs and symptoms of sexual abuse
Have explored and examined ways of managing disclosure by a child
Have applied the ‘three stranger’ questions when endeavouring to keep a foster child or young person safe
Have identified the warning signs of sexually harmful or abusive behaviour between children and young people and their peers
Have developed internet safety guidelines for the children and young people in your home
Have considered how best to safeguard children and young people when they are using social networking sites
Duration
One Day
Foster Carer courses
Train the Trainer
CWDC Training, Support and Development Standards for foster care: 7.4a, c, 7.5a, b
Aims
To gain the necessary skills and confidence to run or co-run training sessions and courses
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants will:
Have an understanding of the necessary skills to design and deliver effective training
Have looked at some theoretical frameworks about how people learn
Have considered the implications of working with different learning styles and the opportunity to explore their own learning style
Be conversant with techniques and skills regarding how to handle resistant and difficult participants
Have had the opportunity to learn about and practice some training/facilitation skills and techniques
Be conversant with Tuckman’s 5 stages of group development and how this can be applied when completing group work as a trainer
Have had the opportunity to give a 10 minute presentation incorporating their learning
Have received constructive feedback from their peers and the course facilitator, following completion of a 10 minute presentation
