Upcoming Events and Booking Forms

This post qualifying course is aimed at social workers and managers in children and families’ teams, family placement teams as well as other specialist settings across the statutory, voluntary and independent sector. Applicants will require the support of their employer to attend as well as validate their work. It is imperative that sponsoring agencies ensure their nominated students have the motivation, capacity and commitment to complete the course.  Please note this course will be delivered virtually using an online platform.

The course is at MSc Level 11 and attracts an award of 60 credits (postgraduate certificate) which can be taken forward to further study. The course is validated by Strathclyde University.

The introductory session for students and their managers will be on the 2nd September 2021. The course requires virtual attendance at three taught modules of three consecutive days per module between September 2021 and January 2022. Assessment will be on the basis of three written assignments as well as an assessed observation. The final assignment is due in March 2022. Comprehensive feedback is available to students. A student handbook will provide all the required information.

For further information on dates and costs, please click here

Date:  Tuesday 22 June 2021

Time:  10.00am - 2.00pm

Online Platform:  MS Teams

Cost:  £85.00 + VAT

Facilitator:  Rhona Pollock, Legal Consultant

In Scotland, it takes on average over 2 years between a decision for permanence being made and a legal order being granted - this is too long in the life of a child.

This workshop will tackle reasons for drift and delay and importantly what we can do to reduce these.

Delegates will have a safe and informed forum where they can share views and experiences with other workers by taking part in group work, case scenarios and discussion. Plenary sessions will provide up-to-date factual information on the responsibilities of all of us in promoting our individual role in taking control of these timeframes.

Innovatively, delegates are invited to submit beforehand anonymised case experiences so that a practical solution can be explored to see how the system can be child driven.

Looking at case planning from the outset, information recording, report writing, preparing for and presenting at Children’s Hearings and Courts, decisions about contact and moving to permanence, court decisions, research and theory and understanding legal requirements will inform and enable delegates to find the best way forward for children and families.  For more information and to download an application form, please click here

Date:  Tuesday 27 July 2021

Time:  10.00am - 2.00pm

Facilitator:  Angie Gillies & Rhona Pollock

Online Platform:  MS Teams

Cost:  £85.00 + VAT

With new legislation and regulation around placing brothers and sisters becoming operational on 26 July 2021, what better time to examine the legislation, research and tools we have available for making good assessments and decisions for siblings. 

For further information and to download a booking form, please click here

Date:  Wednesday 1 September 2021

Time:  10.00am - 2.00pm

Online Platform:  MS Teams

Cost:  £85.00 + VAT

Facilitator:  Ravinder Kaur, Trainer/Consultant

The role of the minute taker in adoption and fostering panels is a crucial one.  Adoption and fostering panels are underpinned by specific legal and regulatory requirements.  Therefore, minute takers need to have a sufficient understanding of these requirements in order to produce a minute that is relevant, clear and appropriate.  For more information and to download an application form, please click here

Date:  Tuesday 28 September 2021

Time:  10.00am - 2.00pm

Facilitator:  Rhona Pollock

Online Platform:  MS Teams

Cost:  £85.00 + VAT

There will be times when the practitioner needs to interview a child to establish the facts of the case and ascertain the child’s truth. To be effective, the adult must be child centred and child driven, acknowledging the child’s feelings and needs and responding to the child’s concerns.  It requires forming a rapport, building trust, explaining roles and most importantly helping the child to understand their own rights and responsibilities in the process. Successful interview techniques rely on using the appropriate communication tools.  This is a vital aspect of our jobs as adults involved in child welfare. How do we make sure we are achieving this while complying with the new and existing domestic and international legislation and aspiring to keep The Promise?

This workshop will equip the practitioner with knowledge of the legislation, case law and guidance while drawing on research and protocols in an interactive, safe and informed environment.  For further information and to download a booking form, please click here

Date:  Tuesday 19 October 2021

Time:  10.00am - 2.00pm

Facilitator:  Jane Steele, Trainer/Consultant

Online Platform:  MS Teams

Cost:  £85.00 + VAT

The role of the supervising social worker is a complex one, with many different elements including managerial, supervisory, educative and support functions.

This workshop provides supervising social workers with the opportunity to consider how the role has evolved, the various strands of their work with foster carers and how to support and challenge foster carers in supervision. Ways of responding to concerns about the quality of care will also be considered.

For further information and to download a booking form, please click here

Date:  Tuesday 16 November 2021

Time:  10.00am - 2.00pm

Facilitator:  Lindsey Dunbar, Associate Trainer

Online Platform:  MS Teams

Cost:  £85.00 + VAT

This workshop will look at the co-ordination of adoption placements and will consider good practice when children are moving to permanent foster placements, how children and young people can be helped to successfully move and, the perspectives of the different people involved in transitions.

It will look at common pitfalls and dilemmas and be able to share good practice with the opportunity to consider the model devised by the University of East Anglia and think about how this model can be adapted to work in our own area.   

This workshop is suitable for Social Workers who are new to moving children on and also as a refresher course for those who are keen to think about different facets of this complex work. It will also be suitable for children's Social Workers who are keen to learn more about good practice in settling children in permanent placements.

For further information and to download a booking form, please click here

Date:  Wednesday 1 December 2021

Time:  10.00am - 2.00pm

Facilitators:  Jane Steele & Anne Thom

Online Platform:  MS Teams

Cost:  £85.00 + VAT

The assessment of family members and known adults as kinship carers for a child or young person unable to live with their birth family is one of the most complex that a worker can undertake.  It is only through the completion of practice in the assessments that decisions can be made in the child’s best interest.  This workshop will look at good practice in the assessment of any alternative family carers as well as key differences in the assessment of kinship carers.  Issues of power and partnership as well as risk assessment will also be considered.  For further information and to download a booking form, please click here

Date:  Monday 31 January 2022

Time:  10.00am - 2.00pm

Facilitator:  Ravinder Kaur, Trainer/Consultant

Online Platform:  MS Teams

Cost:  £85.00 + VAT

Kinship care panels deal with making complex recommendations for children and their families. This online workshop will consider the task of being a minute taker within these meetings where crucial life-changing discussions take place.  It will consider the legal context, explore key information required for a good minute, discuss useful kinship research relevant to the role and share good practice with others in a safe setting.  For more information and to download an application form, please click here

Date:  Wednesday 3 February 2022

Time:  10.00am - 2.00pm

Facilitator:  Ravinder Kaur, Trainer/Consultant

Online Platform:  MS Teams

Cost:  £85.00 + VAT

Chairing adoption and fostering panels require a key set of knowledge, skills and values which are essential to promoting positive outcomes for children. 

The business of panels is complex, they make recommendations about the adoption and permanence plans for children, approve foster carers and adopters and consider matches. They also oversee the reviews of foster carers and adopters. 

In addition, the provisions of the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 allow any agency decision to be reviewed or ‘appealed’ and this also falls under the remit of these panels.  Whilst experience of chairing other meetings is helpful, there are unique aspects to chairing panels which will form the basis of this workshop.

This workshop invites new panels chairs to apply, and it may also be of interest to experienced panel members and agency decision makers.  For further details and to download a booking form, please click here

Date:  Wednesday 3 March 2022

Time:  10.00am - 2.00pm

Facilitator:  Ravinder Kaur, Trainer/Consultant

Online Platform:  MS Teams

Cost:  £85.00 + VAT

The expectations of the panel adviser can vary across different agencies, so this workshop will look at the core requirements of the role in terms of quality assurance, maintaining consistency, providing and promoting a feedback loop and supporting everyone involved in panels to participate as fully as possible. It is a complex and at times, a challenging role and therefore discussions will take place in a supportive and safe environment.    

This workshop invites existing panel advisers to apply as well as agencies who are considering creating this role and it may also be of interest to experienced panel members and agency decision makers.  For further information and to download a booking form, please click here