Lunchtime Learning – Health and Safety Law – recognising and controlling hazards
On completion of this session delegates will have a better understanding of workplace Hazards and precautions put in place to control them.
Adult Social Care
Talking Life has one of the most comprehensive portfolios of Adult social care training in the U.K. We have specialist teams able to deliver everything from aspects of The Care Act, Autism, briefings on the Mental Capacity Act and the new Liberty Protection Safeguards to one and two-day courses on topics like Safeguarding Adults and Writing Effective Reports for Court.
Talking Life trainers bring a wealth of experience, both as practitioners and as teachers to the training they deliver to clients in adult social care. We have included many of the more popular and important courses here; however, if there is a topic missing from this extensive list, please feel free to contact us by phone, email or via our website and we would be happy to discuss your requirements with you.
Our Adult Social Care Courses
The Care Act (2014) for Managers
This programme is a half day course which will be a refresher of the key principles and duties of the Care Act 2014, in relation to assessment, eligibility and care and support planning.
The programme specifically designed for managers will focus on how they can ensure their respective team members meet the objectives and consistently achieve legal compliance and high standards of practice. This will include reflective supervision, overseeing recording and ensuring that strengths based conversations are taking place. It will include a greater emphasis on financial and legal implications.
The training is supported by a comprehensive workbook comprising all slides, many with additional notes, plus case studies and a list of suggested Strengths Based Questions.
The course will cover the person with care and support needs and carers equally throughout the session.
The Care Act (2014) Refresher
This programme is a half day course which will be a refresher of the key principles and duties of the Care Act 2014, in relation to assessment, eligibility and care and support planning.
The training is supported by a comprehensive workbook comprising all slides, many with additional notes, plus case studies and a list of suggested Strengths Based Questions.
The course will cover the person with care and support needs and carers equally throughout the day.
The Programme
The programme covers a refresher of the core principles of wellbeing, the strengths based approach and personal outcomes, the key duties of Prevention, Information and Advice and Advocacy and Assessment, including how involvement can be maximised. Exercises include one quiz on assessment and a case study to reinforce using a diverse range of strengths based questions and the importance of identifying the person/carer’s personal outcomes. The eligibility section covers the 3 stage test for eligibility, focusing on significant impact. It includes unpicking a sample of the eligibility outcomes, working through specific and recent Ombudsmen cases and considering what questions need to be addressed. This section concludes with a brief overview of the elements of accurate recording, professional opinion and providing evidence.
The remainder of the session will cover the duties of Care and Support Planning through completing a quiz, understanding support options and the range of ways a Personal Budget can be taken, including how Direct Payments can be used, the three key principles (transparency, sufficiency and timeliness), Public Law Principles and adopting creative solutions through reference to the case study from the morning session.
Advanced Care Act (2014)
This programme is a half day course intended for those with a good working knowledge of the Care Act and understanding of the key duties and principles, in relation to assessment, eligibility and care and support planning.
It will include a refresher of the key duties and principles followed by a detailed examination of case law and Ombudsman cases.
The training is supported by a comprehensive workbook comprising all slides, many with additional notes, plus relevant case studies, a list of strengths based questions and Ombudsman cases/Judicial Reviews.
The course will cover the person with care and support needs and carers equally throughout the session.
The programme will include a refresh of the core principles of wellbeing, the strengths based approach and personal outcomes, the key duties of Prevention, Information and Advice and Advocacy and Assessment, including how involvement can be maximised. The emphasis will be on the application of the law in relation to these duties/principles and the learning derived from various judicial judgements.
Exercises will include one quiz on assessment which reinforce some key statements in the Care Act Guidance. The eligibility section covers the 3 stage test for eligibility, focusing on significant impact. It includes a selection of Ombudsman cases in relation to specific eligibility outcomes, working through specific and recent Ombudsmen cases and considering the learning drawn from these and identifying key sections from the Care Act Guidance in relation to the consideration of finances.
Authority & Supervision; Difficult and Challenging Conversations – developing frameworks for thinking and action
Supervision, both in name and practice is subject to competing tensions – between the needs (for example) for support for individual supervisees and teams, the needs for organisations to provide overview, quality assurance and evidence of its ‘work’, and of course, the needs of service users and others for accountable and transparent process and planning. Supervisors themselves are likely to experience such tensions in terms of time (or lack of it), competing work and professional priorities, recording (what and where?!), as well as (at times) keenly feeling the ‘emotional labour and challenge’ of working in a field characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity.
This half-day workshop considers issues around ‘authority’ and supervision; focusing in particular on areas which provoke intense anxiety, such as performance management, and ‘game playing’ in supervision and the importance of engaging in ‘difficult conversations’.
Themes introduced include: working in a diverse environment, the nature and limits of supervisory ‘authority’; the parallels between supervision and practice; the importance of contract/agreement around supervision and the idea of ‘candour’ in work relationships.
Intersectionality Awareness
In this session we will be exploring what intersectionality is, some of the key concepts and principles and what we can do to take an intersectional approach when working with people
Supervising and assessing the ASYE year
The Assessed and Supported Year in Employment for social workers in England, is now well established and involves a holistic approach to assessment based on the Professional Capabilities Framework. These courses are designed to assist employers in developing supervisors to meet the ASYE requirements. The one day programme is for participants who have already completed an In-Trac core supervisory skills module, whereas the two day programme is a standalone course. The aim of both programmes is to support supervisors to use their supervisory skills in the holistic assessment of newly qualified social workers in their first year of employment.
Acquired Brain Injury
The aim of the course is to gain knowledge to support people who have an Acquired Brain Injury. It covers both the impact on the individual who has the Acquired Brain Injury and their carers. This course provides the learners with the knowledge to understand the different types of Acquired Brain Injury and the causes as well as looking into some of the conditions associated with ABI such as dysphasia and dysarthria. The learners will also explore the impact of challenging behaviour and know what to do to avoid confrontation with someone who is emotionally agitated.
Physical Disengagement Training
This session is aimed at individuals who work in the community and is intended to provide the practical skills to disengage a potential attacker.
Disengagement Training
This session is aimed at individuals who work with, support or care for children, young people or adults and provides practical techniques to release and re-direct situations whereby we are grabbed or held.
Best Interests Assessor (Refresher)
A 1 day BIA refresher course
Mental Health First Aid Refresher
Conversational Skills
This course will enable participants to improve their conversational skills
Bereavement & Loss – coping with the loss of service users
The course will give an overview of the impact of grief and bereavement. Looking at whats “normal” to what the actual “family”/social care workers who are exposed to grief
Assessment and Eligibility Criteria
The Care Act reinforced many of the overarching principles of assessment and highlighted the importance of an individual being supported to be as fully involved in the process as they are able to be. Aspects such as supported self-assessment and the new legal duty around advocacy reinforce this principle. The strengths or asset based approach, mandated in the Act, is about focusing on what a person can do, rather than what they cannot do, it is a move away from considering needs initially to exploring the person’s skills, relationships and resources.
The Care Act also highlights the importance of an individual defining their own personal outcomes related to what is important to them. These are distinct from eligibility outcomes defined under the Act.
The important principle of wellbeing was introduced alongside new duties of Prevention and Information.
The Act strengthens the rights and recognition of carers.
The eligibility criteria, which from 2003 until the introduction of the Care Act had been set out under the Fair Access to Care Services (FACS) guidance, was replaced by a national eligibility threshold (one for customers and a separate one for carers) comprising three requirements including whether, as a consequence of the person’s needs and outcomes, there is a significant impact on their wellbeing
Practising with Confidence & Assertiveness
In a relaxed and informal atmosphere, participants will explore the makings of professional authority and how to respectfully demonstrate it in day to day practice. It will consider the essence of professionalism and reflective practice in continuing professional development in health, social care and social work settings. It will also consider the contribution it makes to strengths based working and outcomes for customers and effective, evidence based decision making as well as its role in the resilience and efficacy of workers in a whole systems approach. It will examine confidence in decision making and respectful assertiveness, including saying no and using emotional intelligence to address the potential for conflict
Allergen Awareness
Appropriate Adult/PACE
The role of the Appropriate Adult was created in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984, with the intention of safeguarding the rights and welfare of young people and vulnerable adults in custody. When someone is arrested by the police and taken to a police station they have three basic rights;
• The right to free and independent legal advice
• The right to have someone informed of their arrest
• The right to consult the Codes Of Practice (concerning police powers and procedures)
Having identified a young person or a vulnerable adult, the custody officer has a duty to request the attendance of a responsible adult, ( known as an ‘Appropriate Adult’) .This role is different to that of a solicitor. An Appropriate Adult can be a family member, friend or a volunteer or social / health care professional.
Dementia – Challenging Behaviour/Communication
This course looks at understanding and responding to the behaviour of people with dementia. The training uses the principles of person centred care and looks particularly at communication and the effect of the environment.
Young Onset Dementia
As scientific and medical knowledge advances, there are increasing numbers of people in midlife being diagnosed with relatively unusual forms of dementia. Numbers will increase as diagnostic accuracy improves, and it is important to recognise the unique care needs of people diagnosed with these less common forms of dementia.
This learning intervention will enable those attending to understand young onset dementia, appreciate the impact and implications for their respective client groups and apply learning to their workplace.
Working with Male Perpetrators of Domestic Abuse
Honour Based Violence
Older People and Substance Misuse
Down Syndrome Awareness
Down Syndrome is a chromosomal disorder, affecting around 1 in every 1000 babies born in the U.K. In total about 60,000 people are known to be affected by it and this course is designed for individuals who want to ensure best practice in the care, assessment and support of individuals with Down Syndrome, particularly those who support adults with learning difficulties.
LD Awareness
Learning Disability problems affect around 1.5 million people across the UK. but having a better understanding and awareness of different learning disabilities and how they affect individuals is an important part of working within this area.
Assessing Risk in Assets Based Social Care
Multi Skilling the Team
Whilst working in Teams, It is crucial that all team members have a breadth of skills which enable both roles to be covered in times of absence and for promotion opportunities when vacancies arise (succession planning).
Safeguarding Adults Minute Taking
This course will equip participants with the necessary skills to be able to confidently take minutes at vulnerable adult strategy meetings, providing the delegates with a full understanding to this role in a multi agency meeting environment.
Chairing Meetings – Safeguarding Adults
Autism and Mental Health/Diff. To Engage Clients
Producing Reports for Social Workers
Medicines Management & Competency Assessment
Writing Reports for Court
This Writing Reports for Court Training course is designed to provide social workers with the skills necessary to create and defend written statements and reports in a tribunal or court.
Buccal Midazolam Administrators
Outcome Focussed Care Plan
Nurtured Heart
Embracing Change
A course for participants to understand the change process as well as the pace of change and how we can control our journey positively. Also to become resilient and maintain a positive mindset throughout the whole process; to embrace and take an active part in the process every time.
The course will enable participants to build the skills and confidence to enable them to self navigate through the change journey understanding how much control they have. They will develop resilience to positively embrace change and motivate themselves throughout and beyond.
Understanding Alcohol and Substance Misuse
Motivational Interviewing and Solution Focused Interventions
Due to the increase in the popularity of Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Solution Focussed therapy as interventions both in addictions and general health and social care practice, this Motivational interviewing training course will give practitioners the skills to engage with their clients using motivational interviewing techniques in conjunction with Solution Focussed Therapy, thereby facilitating client-led, sustainable behaviour change.
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Building Resilience and Professional Boundaries
The Mindful Manager in Times of Crisis
This course helps participants understand how and why we think, feel and react to stress and to understand and practice mindful responses to stress. Mindfulness will help develop present moment awareness to see life differently, change unhelpful patterns and experience more choice. It will inject moments of stillness into times of disorder, panic, crisis.
The course will enable participants to apply Mindfulness personally and professionally to reduce stress in everyday lives.
The interactive session enables managers to look at difficult times and challenges, some of which we have no experience of and be able to mindfully choose and action effective plans for self and others.
Safeguarding and Homelessness
This course enables participants to develop an understanding of homelessness within the framework of safeguarding adults
Working with Alcohol & Substance misusing Parents
This course is for those working with children and families where they are parental substance misuse issues including alcohol, or those working with adult clients with addiction issues who wish to understand the impact of parental/carer substance misuse on the child and the family.
During the course the participants will look at and discuss issues such as commonly used substances, their impact on parenting and what impact this may have on child development, attachment and ultimately outcomes for children in adolescence and adulthood.
The course will consist of a mix of group discussion, presentation of evidence based research, including the thoughts of children affected by parental alcohol and substance misuse and the use of case studies to allow integration of knowledge in to practice
Bias Training
Bias is something that affects everyone, and shapes our experience of both the world and the people around us. Making a positive change starts with an acknowledgement that it does exist and the potential business impact of not taking action to rectify it.
During this Bias Training session we will explore how both conscious and unconscious bias’ can affect our decisions regarding recruitment, selection, leadership, motivation and more.
Practicing with Professional Authority
In a relaxed and informal atmosphere, participants will explore the makings of professional authority and how to respectfully demonstrate it in day to day practice. It will consider the essence of professionalism and reflective practice in continuing professional development in health, social care and social work settings. It will also consider the contribution it makes to strengths based working and outcomes for customers and effective, evidence based decision making as well as its role in the resilience and efficacy of workers in a whole systems approach. It will examine confidence in decision making and respectful assertiveness, including saying no and using emotional intelligence to address the potential for conflict
Infection Control/Food Safety
Domestic Abuse during Covid-19
The aim of this bite size session is to advise and support on how to give a fast response to domestic abuse with current information around how to manage risks during COVID-19
Emotional Intelligence
Challenging Conversations
Supervision and Appraisal
Schizophrenia Awareness
Through this course, participants will develop an awareness of Schizophrenia how best to support an individual who may be suffering with it.
Reablement
End of Life Care
This course provides participants with a good understanding of how to care for the dying to ensure they;
– Have a clear understanding End of life care
– Demonstrate effective communication
– State the principles of delivering bad news
– Explain palliative care and person centred planning
Working with Distressed & Difficult Clients
This course will look at working with distressed and difficult clients by developing awareness of the issues involved when sharing information in a highly emotive and challenging setting. Delegates will develop an understanding of the impact, on both the giver and receiver, of support and information and explore tried and tested ways of communicating with distressed people and identify the most appropriate strategies.
Investigative Interviewing
The aim of this course is for the delegates to be able to plan, prepare and conduct an interview with a victim and or witness, complying with the requirements and competences compatible with carrying out an interview and investigation.
Dealing with Difficult/Challenging Bahaviour
Dignity in Care
Bereavement & Loss
The key aim of the bereavement training is to increase knowledge or care after death procedures, grief and bereavement (including suicide), develop an understanding in order to build confidence and enhance skills needed to work sensitively and empathically with families, carer’s and others who experience loss and grief.
Customer Care
This course is intended for anyone who deals with customers, whether face-to-face or on the telephone. Customer service is one of the most important aspects of any organisation, it’s not just a question of reacting to your customer’s needs it’s about anticipating those needs in advance of their arrival. We will also be looking at situations when a customer’s expectations are not met and the potential for conflict arises.
Team Building
Medicines Management
The Medicines Management workshop is aimed at all support workers involved in the administration of medication, including those looking after adults/children with disabilities. The session facilitates an overview of the accountabilities and responsibilities of this worker within this context and provides a comprehensive theoretical underpinning to safe medicine administration.
Depression in Older People
Depression is not a natural process of ageing. Approximately 2-4% of the population over 65 years suffer from major depression, which reinforces that the majority do not. However, those that are depressed in this age group are often under-recognised and under-treated, especially those in residential care homes. This course focuses on recognising and managing depression in this age group which can lead to a better quality of life for both patients and carers
Learning Difficulty Awareness
Improving Outcomes for Young Men with ADHD
Supervision Skills (Adults)
Supervision is central to good practice. Good supervision provides an opportunity to develop reflective thinking which can improve resilience, improves the quality of decision making and interventions, supports professional thinking and prevent failure, helps to identify and achieve personal learning and development opportunities and addresses workload management. It can increase a practitioner’s confidence and improve job satisfaction and assure the supervisor that all tasks have been completed, and that practice is legally compliant and meets standards.
This highly interactive day with a number of small and large group exercises will explore the aims and functions of supervision, define good supervision and outline the values, principles and standards, as set out in your Supervision policy. It will cover the importance of reflection and powerful questioning, including using the strengths based approach and addressing difficult conversations. It will reinforce supervision standards required by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), set out the responsibilities of both supervisor and supervisee for supervision and define the supervision contract. It will include an opportunity for supervisees to develop or expand their own resilience toolkit.
This 1 day course will promote high quality supervision in the methods used and content covered to ensure that it supports the individual, their professional development and their wellbeing and where a key aspect is the focus on the quality of practice, which will in turn impact on the quality of interaction/support given to the adult/carer.
Learning Disability & Complex Needs
This course is designed for those who work in Health and Social Care environment, supporting individuals with learning disabilities and/or complex needs. It is designed to provide the essential knowledge and understanding to support them lead fulfilled lives.
Motivational Interviewing/Solution Focused Int
Due to the increase in the popularity of Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Solution Focussed therapy as interventions both in addictions and general health and social care practice, this course will give practitioners the skills to engage with their clients using motivational interviewing techniques in conjunction with Solution Focussed Therapy, thereby facilitating client-led, sustainable behaviour change. This course is delivered over 4 half days, in virtual classroom
Motivational Interviewing
Motivational Interviewing has its origins in the alcohol field in the 1980’s and is one of the best validated and widely used of all psychosocial interventions for alcohol use problems (Miller & Rose, 2009). Dr William Miller observed practice where people accessing treatment and support were often subject to authoritarian and confrontational approaches which resulted in people feeling let down by treatment. Consequently, he developed MI alongside Stephen Rollnick.
MI uses a conversational approach which works with people’s motivations to change grow. The MI practitioner on this 2-day Motivational Interviewing Training course is trained to use a guiding style to empower the service user to consider both their internal motivations for change and growth as well as the impact of external factors (family, friends, society and media). The service user benefits from this approach through being placed in control of their decision making as the expert of their situation. There is a strong focus on the practitioner and service user working in partnership in moving towards change and growth.
Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG)
To understand the legal framework around VAWG and gain skills to act appropriately to women or children who are at risk or have been subjected to violence.
Introduction to Mental Capacity Act
This course is designed to practice the theoretical knowledge of healthcare professionals on carrying out Mental Capacity Assessments and contributing Best Interest decision making process
Report Writing and Record Keeping
This course provides an opportunity to understand the need for effective report writing and record keeping. Clear and comprehensive records are necessary to reflect key information including adult's wishes, needs and experiences.
The aim of the course is to:-
Understand the importance of written communication
Remind you of your responsibilities with regards to producing, keeping and disposing of written records
Confirm or Enhance your skills and knowledge
Give you the tools to improve records you produce from now on.
Safeguarding Adults – Level 2 – Principles and Practice
When it comes to safeguarding adults and minimising the risk of abuse and neglect, there are a number of important responsibilities involved for those who may encounter vulnerable adults within their role.
Our safeguarding adults level 2 training addresses these responsibilities and gives learners a deeper understanding of key safeguarding topics enabling them to apply the knowledge to their workplace.
It introduces safeguarding as a topic, covering jargon, multi-agency working and best practice, as well as explaining how to identify the signs and symptoms of abuse, what to do if someone discloses information, and what you should do if you suspect a vulnerable adult is being abused.
1:1 Direct Supervision
We offer tailored 1:1 Direct Supervision Training sessions facilitated by trained supervisors for individual and group needs.
Using Supervision Effectively for supervisees
This day aims to give staff in receipt of 1:1 supervision in social care an opportunity to understand the key elements of effective supervision, and how they can work with their supervisors in order to maximise its effectiveness. There are a range of models of supporting reflective practice and reflective learning. Critical reflection is seen as a fundamental element of professional practice and the linchpin of sound professional judgment and decision making. A combination of learning methods will be used throughout the day, including lecture, workshop and group work. Interactive and experiential methods, in the form of case studies and reflection dilemmas will be used, to inform participant learning and support application to practice. This course will include looking at the supervision policy and exploring how to use supervision effectively.
The Role of Emotional Wellbeing for Practitioners
This one day course explores the meaning of emotional resilience and how practitioners can develop their own emotional literacy in order to increase resilience and be more effective in their practice.
Reflective Supervision
For new & existing managers to develop reflective supervision practice & make reflective conversations part of the culture of support for team members.
Working with Male Perpetrators of Domestic Abuse
The aim of the course is to provide participants with an opportunity to develop their understanding of men who abuse women. To consider appropriate assessment of risk and how appropriate intervention can be used to plan appropriate child focused responses.
The course will be underpinned by appropriate current research, theory and knowledge drawn from Service User reports, Serious Case reviews, Inspections and Government Inquiries.
Engaging Parents and Carers with Learning Disabilities
This course will enable delegates to work and engage with parents/carers who have any sort of learning disability. Empowering Social Workers to have the confidence to identify and complete assessments with adults with learning disabilities, enabling them to effectively assess parenting capacity and recognise when specialist intervention is required.
Working with Adults with Learning Disabilities
This two-day course will provide participants with the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge when working with adults who have learning disabilities. Through a blended learning approach including seminar sessions, group work and case studies and examples participants will explore the key themes and areas in order to increase their confidence in this field of work. This course will equip participants with the knowledge and skills, to work effectively and confidently with Adults who have learning disabilities.
Autism: Exploring Sensory Awareness
This is a one day course is for anyone who works with children or adults who exhibit autistic behaviours. Many children and adults with autistic spectrum disorders experience diminished or heightened sensitivity to sensory stimuli. This course explores the main sensory processes and the impact on the individual if they are functioning usually. This knowledge can then be applied in designing an assessment which can produce an individual Sensory Profile for each child or adult and how to integrate the results of this assessment into the person’s everyday life to improve communication, socialisation and participation, hopefully making life less stressful and more enjoyable. It will also demonstrate how the assessment results can be used to plan environments, teaching strategies and communication plans for each individual.
Autism – Intermediate 2
This one day course builds on knowledge and skills gained on level one and will enable participants to develop a more detailed understanding of the communicative and environmental strategies that are known to help autistic children and adults make sense of the world.
Supervising to Improve Practice
This four day programme is usually delivered as the two day core programme, plus an additional two days approximately one month later. There will be an expectation that participants complete tasks in the intervening period, thus enabling learning to be put into practice. This course may be supplemented by an observation of supervision practice afters day two and day four. his course aims to provide participants with the skills required to deliver effective supervision with a focus on complex practice dynamics and methods and tools for developing and improving performance. Link to PCF domain 7 & 9 Learning Outcomes
Recording Reflective Supervision
Recording a style of supervision which moves beyond a focus on task completion can be a challenge and for example, within Children’s Services, Ofsted inspections in a number of Local Authorities have commented that reflection and analysis are insufficiently evidenced within the supervision records. In-Trac believes that good recording is an important element of good practice as it provides the opportunity for the supervisee and supervisor to reflect on, summarise and agree the key elements of their discussions as well as providing a permanent record of the reasons underlining decisions which is available to others. We have been working with a number of organisations to create formats that support the recording of reflective supervision and have developed this one day workshop to develop the skills of supervisors in this task. The aim of the day is therefore to explore best practice in recording supervision with a focus on the effective recording of case discussions in the child’s records. It is an interactive participative day focusing on the practical skills involved. It is assumed that participants will have attended previous In-Trac training equipping them with the skills required to deliver reflective supervision
Using Supervision Effectively: a one day course for Supervisees
This one day training workshop aims to offer staff in receipt of 1:1 supervision in social care an opportunity to understand the key elements of effective supervision so they can work with their supervisors in order to maximise its effectiveness
Autism (Developing Skills) – Part 1
This is a one day course for staff to provide day to day support and care to people on the autistic spectrum and to provide an opportunity to build on your existing knowledge of Autistic Spectrum Disorder and to use this knowledge to identify practical strategies that can be used when supporting individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
ADHD & Autism
Promoting Reflective practice in Supervision
Autism in Practice
Do you work with autistic adults or need to interact with people with autism in your workplace role? Would you know how to communicate with autistic adults and if you have more specialist responsibilities for assessing and helping with care planning for autistic adults are you familiar with the relevant Autism Act Guidance and updates?
If so, “Autism in Practice – Working with Autistic Adults” will be useful for you and/or your team. (includes coverage of DHSC Capabilities framework for supporting autistic people and BASW capabilities statement).
Autism for AMHP’s
To give AMHPs a thorough understanding of how to assess, work with and support autistic people (with and without learning disability and/or co-existing mental health needs) effectively in the specific context of their role
Autism Intermediate
The Aim of this course is to help participants understand what Autism is and the varied presentation of autistic people, the main characteristics which lead to a diagnosis of Autism and the range of difficulties and challenges that autistic people can experience in everyday life. There is also a focus on the legal and policy framework that underpins good practice with autistic people.
Mental Capacity Assessments
A 1 day course on mental capacity assessments
Culturally Competent Practice
1 day course for staff on how to be culturally competent in your every day practice
Mediation Skills for Business Support Staff
This course will provide participants with an insight into the available methods complimentary to, and instead of formal processes’ for conflict resolution; including skilled use of communication and questioning and identifying ‘people problems’ which could potentially become an issue for resolution.
Particularly, but not limited to acquiring the skills to re-establish working relationships after a formal dispute has been resolved.
This course will introduce participants to a range of skills, competencies and knowledge/experience that make up the mediator skill set. This includes, but is not limited to, Non-Violent Communication (NVC), Motivational Interviewing techniques and restorative conversations.
Developing Effective Supervision: Core Skills for Supervisors
This two day Developing Effective Supervision Training programme (with the option of a third follow up day) aims to focus on the core knowledge and skills needed by supervisors working within a variety of settings in health and social care.
For social work supervisors the content of the course is consistent with the approach to supervision set out within the employers standards.
Dealing with Difficult Customers and Situations
In this session we will be looking at the ways in which we can approach customers who are difficult to interact with and tricky situations we may encounter
Menopause Awareness
This course help learners understand the symptoms and management of the perimenopause.
Learners should be able to take this information and use it to improve their understanding of the women they work with and support them in the workplace.
The information aims to enable women who know or suspect they are going through the perimenopause to manage their symptoms
Trauma Informed Practice Awareness
This Trauma Informed Practice Awareness Training course focuses on Trauma Informed Practice and what the adoption of this as a core value means for service delivery and equality of access.
It explores the concept of trauma, how it can remain a contributing factor throughout someone’s life and how organizations can adapt the way they offer services to become more accessible and safe for those who are trauma experienced
The Mental Capacity Act – Chairing Best Interest Meetings
• Introduction, terminology, learning outcomes & benchmarking
• An overview of the Mental Capacity Act with a focus on:
1. Mental Capacity assessments
2. Best Interest decisions
• Identification of when a BIM needs to be convened
• Identification of the ‘decision maker’
• Consideration of who needs to attend a BIM
• Identification of the information required to make a BID
• Consider how information needs to be analysed to arrive at a defensible BID
• The BIM process
• Case law which supports various elements of BID making (including wishes and feelings, rights vs risk, disagreements, etc)
• When the Court of Protection needs to be engaged
• Evidencing BID’s
• Consider core BID chairing and making skills (defensible practice, section 5 defences, etc)
Dignity & Respect
This 1 day course will examine what is meant by dignity in care and how to provide best practice when proving services with dignity and respect
Care Act Awareness
This half day course, which will be adapted to meet specific requirements, is intended for staff who do not have a current working knowledge of the assessment and care and support planning aspects of The Care Act and who will not be using this knowledge directly in their day to day practice. However, this course will increase their understanding of how allied professionals work within this legislation.
Neurodiversity
The purpose of this half day session is to introduce participants to the concept of neurodiversity, what that means for our practice and how we can make our services more accessible and our interaction with neurodiverse customers more engaging and productive.
The course will include information on areas such as Autism, Autistic Spectrum Disorder (Including Asperger’s Syndrome), ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia amongst others and will allow discussion on what these conditions mean for those experiencing them, but also what we can do to engage with and be more engaging for our neurodiverse customers.
Human Rights
This Human Rights Training course will provide attendees with a comprehensive overview of the Human Rights legislation in the UK.
Attendees will explore the background and current position of the Human Rights Act 1998 and the European Convention on Human Rights. Attendees will explore the difference between limited, qualified, and absolute rights.
Attendees will also look at how Human Rights should be considered within social care practice, and, how issues with competing rights are addressed.
Safeguarding Minute Taking
This course will equip participants with the necessary skills to be able to confidently take minutes during safeguarding meetings
Professional Boundaries Awareness
This course is designed for everyone that evolves in a professional setting. It aims to enable attendees to define effective and appropriate interactions, understand and implement good practice and manage boundary issues effectively
Risk Assessment Awareness for Social Care Staff
This course is designed for those who work in a social care environment. It is designed to provide the essential knowledge and understanding of responsibilities to staff at all levels with regards to Safeguarding.
Multi-Generational Teams
Building a team presents the team leader with a few challenges. Differing personalities are an obvious challenge, but different age groups representing different generations bring their own differing needs and expectations. ‘Baby Boomers’ in the team, for instance, may have a different set of values from team members from the current Generation Alpha
The aim of this course is to examine the different generations in terms of perception and expectations, in order to develop a better understanding of how teams with a wide age range can successfully work together
The Mental Capacity Act
This half day course will provide practitioners with a clear overview of the Mental Capacity Act and its practical application in adult social care.
Section 42 – The Care Act
This Section 42 - The Care Act Training course explores S42 CA 2014 and how it impacts not only on the vulnerable adult but also the authority, and those partner agencies working on behalf of the authority. The course explores a variety of cases of adults suffering and being subject to one or more of the 10 signs of abuse. The course asks the delegates to work as a group within the 6 principles and what would be the best possible solutions. What enquires, help, support, guidance and other resources are available to achieve the best possible outcome for the adult. The course is very interactive and involves a lot of group work and sharing of good practices amongst the delegates. The course includes group work looking at video’s into mental capacity and then decision making. The course also looks at Safeguarding Adult Reviews and lessons learnt. Highlighting the importance of communication and corroboration amongst all involved.
Personal Care
This Course is designed to provide health and social care professionals with the information necessary to deliver personal care to their service users in a respectful and empowering manner
Manual Handling – Half Day
This course is suitable for anyone who works in a health and social care setting, such as a residential home, nursing home, hospice, day centre, primary care centre, community hospital or disability service.
The training is appropriate for workers of all levels, including managers, supervisors, full-time and part-time staff and volunteers
Trauma Informed Practice (Adults)
This Trauma Informed Practice (Adults) Training course aims to give participants an understanding of the effects of trauma on human development and behaviour. It considers the role of developmental and emotional trauma and the potential life long effects this can have on people’s outcomes. The programme also considers the effect of trauma and moral injury on the workers supporting people and how this can cause moral injury and detachment from the needs of people we aim to help
Ligature Training
Working with clients or patients at risk of self-harm or attempted suicide by means of hanging or strangulation requires specific skills to enable care workers to respond appropriately. Those ‘first on scene’ need to know how to remove a ligature safely using ligature cutters as well as basic first aid which may be required
This Ligature Training course provides these skills, as well as giving an overview
of the physiological effects of strangulation by ligature, with an explanation of the possible types of ligature that might be used as well as explaining policies and procedures in the organisation. There is an opportunity for participants to practise techniques.
Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) for Communication and Influencing
A three-hour session for delegates to understand how to understand a methodology of understanding patterns of behaviour – our habits – and how to change the results in all aspects of our lives, health, relationships, work.
The course will enable candidates to apply NLP (neuro linguistic programming) personally and professionally to understand others better and communicate to change patterns of behaviour and overcome self-limitations.
Autism and Learning Disability Awareness
Autism is sometimes referred to as a spectrum, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD); it is not a learning disability, but around half of autistic people may also have a learning disability. Working with and supporting people in care living with both these conditions requires a special understanding and this course has been designed to enhance awareness of this approach
Enhancing skills in Caseload Management for Adult Social Teams
This course aims to prepare Practitioners undertaking safeguarding enquiries and taking on more complex work that will demand greater skills in caseload and work management
Alcohol & Older People
The aim of this training is to increase knowledge of alcohol use and its effects on the body as it changes with age. In particular looking at Alcohol Related Brain Disease (ARBD) and Alcohol Dementia. It will also enable participants to consider how alcohol misuse may be confused with health issues associated with ageing and feel more confident in addressing these issues with older people.
Safeguarding Adults for the Frontline Workforce
This Safeguarding Adults for the Frontline Workforce training course is designed for those who work in a social or health care environment. It is designed to provide the essential knowledge and understanding of responsibilities to staff at all levels with regards to Safeguarding.
Working with Autistic Adults & Children
Working with perpetrators of domestic abuse
The focus will be on how to effectively and safely engage with perpetrators of domestic abuse. This will be addressed in part through self reflection exercises. Delegates will be invited to recognise their own personal bias and how this can impact on risk assessments. Delegates will look at some of the theory that underpins perpetrators behaviour and use this understanding to develop skills in how to start discussions with perpetrators.
Working with Men who abuse their Female Partners
Venepuncture
Team Development
Safeguarding Adults – Self-Neglect, OCD & Hoarding
Self-Neglect is an extreme lack of self-care, and it is often associated with hoarding – which in turn is a form of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. All of these may be a result of other issues such as addictions. Practitioners in the community, from housing officers to social workers, police and health professionals can find working with people who self-neglect extremely challenging.
This course discusses each disorder in detail and equips the delegate with skills to be able to understand each.
Safeguarding Adults for Provider Services Managers
Suicide First Aid – Understanding Suicide Intervention (SFAUSI) (accredited)
The Suicide First Aid course gives delegates the knowledge and tools to understand that suicide is one of the most preventable deaths and some basic skills can help someone with thoughts of suicide stay safe from their thoughts and stay alive.
SFA USI is comprised of 4 parts, each 90 minutes duration. The programme teaches and practices the skills and knowledge needed to identify someone who may be thinking about suicide and competently intervene to help create suicide-safety as a first aid approach.
The course will enable delegates to build the skills and confidence around suicide, how to support someone who may have suicidal thoughts in seeking the appropriate help.
SFA: Suicide First Aid training is underpinned by three core beliefs:
Most people thinking about suicide do not want their lives to end, they want the pain to stop.
Most people thinking about suicide let others know, consciously or unconsciously. Therefore…
Suicide has to be one of the most preventable deaths.
We limit numbers to 16 people per course so that the instructor can keep people safe and supported while they learn.
No previous experience or training is necessary. Participants will be asked to self- reflect and empathise with a person having thoughts of suicide. There is no expectation on participants to share personal experiences.
Safeguarding Mental Capacity and Consent
The aim of this course is to develop knowledge, skills and confidence in adult safeguarding, including issues around mental capacity and consent
Safeguarding Adults Manager (SAMs) Training (inc chairing meetings)
The course provides a solid understanding of how to manage Enquiry Officers and their duties and responsibilities as outlined in the Care Act 2014
Safeguarding Adults Enquiry Officers
The course provides an understanding of the Enquiry Officer role, statutory duties and responsibilities in line with the Care Act2014 and requirements of London Multi-Agency Safeguarding Policy and Procedures.
Safeguarding Principles for NQSWs
Reviews
The Care Act states that the review should be person centred, outcome (not service) focused and accessible and proportionate to the needs being met and that plans must be kept generally under review.
Reviews need to consider what outcomes have been achieved, what has worked and has not worked, changes to support networks, whether any changes are required and whether eligibility criteria are still met.
The course will include an overview of the strengths based approach, that the process is outcome focused, proportionate and person centred with an emphasis on promoting wellbeing and prevention and that it abides with public law principles.
Stress & Resilience for Managers
Managers often feel stressed trying to cope with both the demands of their senior managers as well as manage a team. The Aim of this workshop is to equip Managers with practical strategies to manage stress and build resilience in themselves and others. It also covers what steps managers can take to resolve any issues.
Safeguarding Adults: Financial & Material Abuse
The purpose of this course is to provide professionals working with vulnerable adults with a basic awareness of financial abuse and how it occurs. It focuses on the prevalence of financial abuse and what options are available to investigate and safeguard the assets of vulnerable adults in line with Safeguarding Adult Procedures
Safeguarding Adults Awareness – Refresher
Safeguarding Adults Level 3
Safeguarding means protecting people’s health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. It also means making sure people are supported to get proper access to health. Safeguarding adults at risk is fundamental to high-quality health and social care services. This Safeguarding Adults Level 3 training course enables professionals to be fully competent in safeguarding adults.
Safeguarding Adults – Safer Recruitment
This training aims to ensure that adults in your setting are safeguarded from harm and that your recruitment process is sufficiently robust to prevent the employment of people who may pose an unacceptable risk to vulnerable adults.
Sexuality & Learning Disability
The course will look in detail at how adults with learning disabilities can be best supported in all aspects of their sexuality and sexual identity. The day will include discussion, group work and other learning activities. The course raises awareness of issues of personal relationships and sexuality and will allow delegates to explore and share their concerns
Safeguarding for Managers Level 3
This course aims to examine the role of the Safeguarding Manager under Section 42 of the Care Act 2014. It will consider the statutory obligation of local authorities and decision making which reflects and respects making safeguarding personal. It will also consider the importance of SMART outcomes to ensure that the focus and rigour of safeguarding work is maintained.
Risk Assessment
This course gives participants an understanding of risk assessment and risk management as appropriate to their work settings.
Stroke Awareness
The National Stroke Strategy when discussing raising awareness to improve quality of services states that members of the public and health and care staff are able to recognise and identify the main symptoms of stroke and know it needs to be treated as an emergency. This awareness course contributes to this aim in addition to exploring what can be done to improve the quality of life for people who have survived a stroke. It aims to provide participants working with people affected by stroke with a better understanding about stroke and how it affects their lives.
Safeguarding and Cultural Sensitivity
This course is for social workers and other frontline practitioners who wish to gauge a better understanding of how culture, identity, religion interact within south-asian communities and how this can affect engagement with statutory assessments. It outlines challenges that front line workers may face and provides solutions to effective engagement with this diaspora on both safeguarding agendas and assessment
Recording in Adult Safeguarding Meetings
Recording Meeting Outputs
This Recording Meeting Outputs Training session has been designed to provide participants with the practical skills to take notes during meetings and prepare meeting output documents which meet the needs of the meeting attendees and the chair.
Report Writing for Adult Safeguarding
This course aimed at health and social care professionals will help delegates to:-
Understand the importance of written communication
Remind them of their responsibilities with regards to producing, keeping and disposing of written records
Confirm and Enhance their skills and knowledge
Give them the tools to improve records you produce from now on
Reablement
Protecting against Systemic Neglect & Abuse
Reablement for People living with Dementia
The aim of this course is to enable participants to understand what dementia is, its symptoms and its progress and to apply the principles of reablement to the care of people living with dementia. The course considers the stages of the onset of the disease and examines strategies for supporting someone living with dementia within reablement
Profound & Multiple Disability
Recruitment & Selection using Service Users
Professional Curiosity
This course gives participants the opportunity to explore the various facets of professional curiosity, including the reasons behind non compliance, guarding against the rule of optimism, ensuring a person’s maximum involvement in their own assessment and what gets in the way of professional curiosity.
Preparing for the LPS (Liberty Protection Safeguards)
Replacing the current Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019 is expected to come into force from April 2023. The new system (expected to be referred to as the Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS)) will cover care in a wider range of settings. NHS bodies, Local Authorities and Care Providers will all need to understand their new responsibilities and start preparing to implement the new system.
Practising with Professional Authority: Confidence & Assertiveness
In a relaxed and informal atmosphere, participants will explore the makings of professional authority and how to respectfully demonstrate it in day to day practice. It will consider the essence of professionalism and reflective practice in continuing professional development in health, social care and social work settings. It will also consider the contribution it makes to strengths based working and outcomes for customers and effective, evidence based decision making as well as its role in the resilience and efficacy of workers in a whole systems approach. It will examine confidence in decision making and respectful assertiveness, including saying no and using emotional intelligence to address the potential for conflict
Microaggressions in the Workplace in relation to ED&I
Prevention and Wellbeing
Prevention and Wellbeing form two of the major aspects of the Care Act 2014. The Act emphasises protecting and promoting a person’s independence, however defined by them, ensuring the person is fully involved and harnessing both the person’s inner strengths and the strengths within their family, network and community to meet needs and outcomes. Early intervention and resolution form an important part of this, with an emphasis on creative thinking and solutions and the avoidance of relying on care packages and long term support.
The Wellbeing principle, the core principle of the Care Act, identifies nine core aspects which practitioners must consider in all interventions with a person. Two key Judicial Review cases with wellbeing as central aspects will be discussed with key learning points drawn from them. This course will cover what the Care Act Guidance states in respect of both subjects, will unpick the nine aspects of wellbeing, highlight the three components of the Prevention duty, namely prevent, reduce, delay and encourage practitioners to stretch their thinking in coming up with multiple examples of resources/options for each heading.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness
Positive Approaches to Risk
This course aims to examine positive approaches to risk and choices in asset care and support. It is rooted in the strength based focus of the Care Act which encourages workers to consider helping people to identify their assets (strengths, talents, gifts, connections and relationships) to mobilise them rather than to meet needs through the provision of traditional social care services such as residential or day care. The day provides the opportunity to explore the issues and their roles in a safe place so that they can reflect on what, culturally needs to change to embed asset based approaches in their practice. It draws on models of good practice from around the country explored through TLAP (Think Local, Act Personal and SCIE) and is an opportunity to reflect on, and embed local policy and procedure.
Parkinson’s in Dementia
Parkinson’s Awareness
Parkinson’s disease is a complex and debilitating neurological condition that requires care that is tailored to the individual and a good understanding of the illness. This course will outline key clinical conditions, observations and care interventions for Parkinson’s DIsease.
Person Centered Care
This course aims to explore what is meant by person centred planning, its implementation and evaluation and responses to the challenges the approach poses for practice
OCD & Hoarding
This course looks at the definitions and diagnoses of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and the differences between Obsession and Compulsion, statistics, and the effect this can have on an individual, family and carers. This would lead on to variations of OCD and the approaches/treatments available as well as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for staff.
Delegates would be introduced to the incidence of hoarding and the impact upon the individual, family and carers. Strategies will be employed so that delegates ensure the rights of the individual are maintained e.g. Duty of Care versus Philosophy of Care. The course would be paced at the level of attendees, allowing ample opportunity for questions. Continuous assessment will ensure participation of all and that expectations are being met.
Mental Health Awareness
Mental health problems are an increasing public health concern, not just in the UK but they are prevalent around the world. But despite this, many people there is less awareness than there should be about mental health and mental illness and there needs to be an improved understanding of how people can manage or recover from mental ill health and how suicide risk can be reduced.
This Mental Health Awareness course aims to increase awareness and understanding, particularly amongst professionals who may regularly come into contact with people with mental ill health. The course also aims to raise awareness of how the equality act applied to mental health and about the importance of self care for mental wellbeing.
Nutrition & Hydration
Managing Verbal Conflict
Mental Capacity Act (MCA) & Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)
This course has been designed to increase the theoretical knowledge of health and social care professionals on the up to date legal framework, code of practice and human rights that covers the patients’ capacity to make decisions, protection of their cognitive decision making process, and understanding the principles of proper care towards these vulnerable patients and clients.
Inter-agency Communication
A programme for candidates to understand the importance of interagency communication, to understand the law around interagency communication, and to appreciate what can happen interagency communication breaks down
Time Management for NQSWs
Huntingdons Awareness
Managing Behaviour which may challenge
Managing Aggressive and/or severe self-injurious behaviour
Introduction to New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) & Substance Misuse
This course will equip individuals working with people experiencing drug misuse issues, with an increased knowledge of current trends of drug and alcohol use and the most commonly used drugs and their physical and psychological effects. There will be a significant focus on New Psychoactive Substances, formerly known as Legal Highs, in terms of their effects, legality etc.
Lasting Power of Attorney
Sweeping changes to the law and practice of the Court of Protection in 2007 radically overhauled this growing topic. Aside from looking at the law and procedure of powers of attorney you will also consider the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 more broadly. The course will look at the role of the Court of Protection and an overview of the forms required to appoint a deputy
Managing Pressure & Maintaining Resilience at Work
People attending this course will gain a fuller understanding of stress, how it can manifest itself and the actions we can take to counteract it.
Intimate Care
Time Management
This course will show participants how to better prioritise their work, create detailed time planners, overcome procrastination and take control.
Investigating Safeguarding Cases
Manual Handling
This course informs participants about the legislation and their responsibilities regarding the handling of people/children/inanimate objects. Those attending will also be made aware of how poor handling techniques can lead to injury and what measures are required to prevent an injury occurring.
Investigative Interviewing
The aim of this course is for the participants to be able to plan, prepare and conduct an interview with a victim and or witness, complying with the requirements and competences compatible with carrying out an interview and investigation.
Holding Difficult Conversations
To empower staff with the skills and knowledge to be able to have various types of difficult or challenging conversations with service users. These conversations are based on the needs and circumstances of the clients, whether they are at risk and crisis, whether they need to connect with things that can help them to progress their lives or whether they need help with support planning and budgets.
Personal Safety for Lone Workers
This Personal Safety for Lone Workers Training course aims to reduce the risks of lone working and help develop safer and more confident practice when working with clients in both community and workplace settings.
Low Arousal approaches to Managing Aggression
This course aims to help individuals in the workplace to develop techniques in using low arousal approaches to manage aggressive incidents in care settings. It explores the function and origin of aggressive behaviours and the role of the worker or the context in causing stress for both service users and staff
Managing for the First Time
This course aims to provide new managers and those aspiring to management, with skills and techniques to enable them to competent and successful managers
Introduction to Sexuality & Learning Difficulties
The course will look in detail at how adults with learning disabilities can be best supported in all aspects of their sexuality and sexual identity. The day will include discussion, group work and other learning activities. The course raises awareness of issues of personal relationships and sexuality and will allow delegates to explore and share their concerns
Investigating Complaints Adult Social Care
Deprivation of Liberty for Managing Authorities
Compassionate Leadership
Getting the best out of people as a leader doesnt just involve the traditional skills of issuing orders and expecting others to follow. In the current workplace, its increasingly important for those from the top of the organisation to the bottom, to be able to work together, show respect and offer kindness.
This is known as Compassionate Leadership, described as Leaders focussing on relationships through careful listening to, understanding, empathising with and supporting other people, enabling them to feel valued, respected and cared for, so they can reach their potential and perform at their best.
Co-Ordinating an Adult Safeguarding Enquiry
Exploitation of Vulnerable Adults: Interventions and Motivations
This programme aims to give practitioners the opportunity to examine and explore the nature of the exploitation of adults at risk of harm. It will consider the nature of that exploitation and how it can manifest in our communities and care settings in order to help practitioners to intervene in order to minimise either the risk, or experience of, abuse.
Communication Strategies for People with Learning Disabilities
This training course is aimed at frontline workers who may wish to understand more about, good communication with people with a learning disability.
They will look at different strategies and take the opportunity to discuss any issues and think about how they can apply the strategies in the workplace.
Dementia – Meaningful Activities
This one day course is designed to enable staff to provide frequent, person-centred activities for the benefit of people living with dementia, helping to build on an individual’s strengths and overcome challenges.
Complex Case Management
The aim of the course is to enhance and develop skills in working with complex cases. During the session we will consider a range of theories that support understanding of the types of behaviour that may be displayed in complex situations including hostility, aggression, disguised compliance and how to work effectively to minimise these.
A range of tools will be shared from solution focused, restorative practice and motivational interviewing techniques to deal with resistance and support change work in complex cases.
The course will provide models for ensuring involvement in case conferences and be very evidenced based in its approach.
Dealing with Difficult Conversations
Do you find yourself having to hold a difficult conversation with a colleague or client? How confident are you that you are well prepared for something that may turn out to be either awkward or over emotional? This course provides the tools for a delegate to feel more assured and be able to ask those ‘must ask’ questions without feeling awkward or even not asking them at all. The training is designed to make attendees feel good and positive about what they can already do, then provide a framework upon which they can develop their expertise.
Effective Communication for NQSWs
Chairing Multi Agency Meetings for NQWS’s
Child to Parent Violence
This course will enable practitioners to gain an insight into the use of child on Parent Domestic Abuse and be proficient with the principles of risk and appropriate response to all age ranges of Child on Parent.
Delegates will gain an insight into the process of interview and finding an appropriate narrative in which to extract information, write and complete safety plans in association with the assessor’s own level of contact and responsibility.
They will also learn how to understand how and when to consider referral to specialist domestic violence services and MARAC based on high risk assessment results.
Delegates will receive copies of the Teen Dash for pre reading prior to the event alongside case studies to familiarise themselves with.
Executive Capacity
Court of Protection
This Court of Protection Training course provides an overview of the workings and approach of the Court of Protection to family disputes, capacity issues, best interests and safeguarding.
Cultural religious beliefs within adult safeguarding- LD, sexuality, mental capacity, faith
This course is designed for those who work in a health and social care environment. It is designed to provide the essential knowledge and understanding of responsibilities to staff at all levels with regards to Safeguarding. This course focuses on navigating, sometimes delicate su
Best Interests Assessors Legal Update
A 1 day BIA Legal update course
Capabilities Statement for Social Work with Autistic Adults
Depression, Anxiety and Personality Disorder
The aim of the course is to introduce the main issues which arise when working with or caring for someone who is experiencing common mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety and also those diagnosed with a personality disorder. The course will look at the nature of the most commonly diagnosed conditions and also explore the complexity of Personality Disorders, including Borderline Personality Disorder and Anti-Social Behaviour disorders amongst others.
Communication with less verbal autistic children & adults
Communication with More Verbal autistic children and adults
Best Interests Decision Making
Chairing Safeguarding Adults Strategy Meetings
Cannulation and Venepuncture
CQC Standards
The course covers:
1. The fundamental standards - Expectations
• Person-centred care
• Dignity and respect
• Consent
• Safety
• Safeguarding from abuse
• Food and drink
• Premises and equipment
• Complaints
• Good governance
• Staffing
• Fit and proper staff
• Duty of candour
• Display of ratings
2. The KLOEs
• Safe
• Effective
• Caring
• Responsive
• Well-Led
3. Six new evidence categories
• People's experience of health and care services
• Feedback from staff and leaders
• Feedback from partners
• Observation
• Processes
• Outcomes?
4. Implementation & Evidencing
Dysphagia
This course provides participants with a good understanding of swallowing problems.
Financial & Material Abuse Stage 2
Domestic Abuse
The purpose of this training is to develop awareness and understanding of Domestic Abuse and to support all individual dealing with domestic abuse issues in their daily work
Food Safety
Expert Witness Training
Dementia Advanced
Dementia & People with Learning Difficulties
his one day course has been developed to try and help anyone trying to support a person with learning disabilities who develops dementia. It adopts a person centred approach and provides a framework within which participants think about what they are doing and why.
End of Life Care – Loss
Caring for Carers
Effective Communication for Social Workers
This programme recognises the fact that effective communication is central to all work in the health and social care sectors. Professionals within the sectors require good communication and interpersonal skills to perform their roles effectively, work cooperatively with colleagues and build supportive relationships with people using services. It is, therefore, important for all those embarking on a career in the health or social care sectors to gain knowledge, understanding and the skills associated with communication, so that they are able to develop effective interpersonal skills.
Consent
Food Hygiene & Hydration
o comply with Government legislation and raise awareness of issues concerning service users in order to improve the quality of care provided & lower the risk of service users becoming ill due to:
– Foodborne illnesses such as food poisoning
– Dehydration, due to lack of fluids.
Incidents of malnutrition, dehydration and food-borne illnesses in the care sector, particularly among elderly & frail residents, are increasing. There is a need, therefore, for raised awareness of the importance of good food hygiene amongst staff working in this sector. This course can be used as APL towards an NVQ.
Enabling Risk
Continence Awareness/Stoma Care
The aim of this course is to underpin knowledge of the urinary and faecal systems. Of continence aids, urinary catheters and the care of equipment. To understand pre-pubic catheters, the uses of urostomys, ileostomys and colostomys. And an awareness of abnormalities.
Dealing with difficult People
Deprivation of Liberty Awareness
This course creates a basic awareness and understanding of issues regarding the Mental Capacity Act and procedures concerning Deprivation of Liberty
Counselling Skills
The course will explore what we mean by counselling skills and the qualities of a good listener. It will also look at the purpose of questions and giving and receiving feedback and barriers to communication.
Enteric Feeding
Enteral tube feeding has become a widely used health care technology both in the hospital and community settings, and its increasing use is associated with a range of different routes and systems for delivery of nutrition. But the fact that more patients are being fed Via this method , is not matched by education and training for those providing care
This course is designed to enable staff to develop an understanding of Enteral Feeding;
End of Life/ Palliative Care half day
This course is designed to support staff working in community settings caring for palliative patients and those requiring end of life care. It will cover holistic assessment of physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs and consider the balance between potential benefit and burden of treatment. Symptom management to optimize quality of life and the need for clear, honest communication will be shared.
End of Life Care – Advanced Care Planning
The Care Act 2014 aims to put people at the centre of their care and support and maximise their involvement. Helping people achieve the outcomes that matter in their lives is seen as essential to promoting wellbeing in the transition towards end of life. Advance Care Planning is critical to these outcomes.
Dementia Champions
Building on the Department of Health’s National Dementia Strategy and subsequent documents, this course aims to prepare people who already have a basic knowledge of Dementia Care how to be a local Dementia Champion.
Catheter Care
This course will provide participants with a complete understanding of Catheter/Stoma Care.
Breaking Bad News
This workshop will provide the delegate with the awareness of the issues involved when sharing information about highly emotive and challenging situations. They will develop understanding of the impact, on both the giver and receiver, of sharing bad news whilst understanding of the needs of patients and relatives.
Chairing Case Conferences
Challenging Aspects within Mental Health
Autism in Practice – Assessing, Care Planning and Safeguarding with Autistic Adults
This course is taken together Autism in Practice: Working with Autistic Adults + Autism in Practice: Assessing & Care Planning with Autistic Adults fully meet Care Act Assessment Reg. 5 and Autism Act Statutory Guidance requirements for specialist training.
includes coverage of DHSC Capabilities framework for supporting autistic people and BASW capabilities statement plus applied MCA, Care Act and Safeguarding knowledge
SRFT – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (1.5 day course)
Autism, Best Interests and Deprivation of Liberty
Assessing, Care Planning & Safeguarding Autistic Adults & Children
This course is taken together Autism in Practice: Working with Autistic Adults + Autism in Practice: Assessing & Care Planning with Autistic Adults fully meet Care Act Assessment Reg. 5 and Autism Act Statutory Guidance requirements for specialist training.
Includes coverage of DHSC Capabilities framework for supporting autistic people and BASW capabilities statement plus applied MCA, Care Act and Safeguarding knowledge
Attitudes and Values in Social Work Practice
Autism Awareness
This course provides an overview of Autism Spectrum Disorder. It will allow participants to understand the presentation of both subsequent client needs and behaviour whilst maintaining good practice for supporting them
Older People with Learning Disability
This course aims to consider the needs of those members of the learning disabled population who are ageing. It examines the context for caring for older people with a learning disability, their needs and the specific challenges they face; the double jeopardy of being old and learning disabled; the particular vulnerability factors of this population to mental health problems in old age and the issues of supporting ageing carers.
Adult Sexual Exploitation & Adult Criminal Exploitation
This programme aims to give practitioners the opportunity to examine and explore the nature of the exploitation of adults at risk of harm. It will consider the nature of that exploitation and how it can manifest in our communities and care settings in order to help practitioners to intervene in order to minimise either the risk, or experience of, abuse.
Appropriate Adult and PACE 1984 (updated 2019)
The role of the Appropriate Adult was created in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984 (updated 2019), with the intention of safeguarding the rights and welfare of young people and vulnerable adults in custody. When someone is arrested by the police and taken to a police station they have three basic rights;
• The right to free and independent legal advice
• The right to have someone informed of their arrest
• The right to consult the Codes Of Practice (concerning police powers and procedures)
Having identified a young person or a vulnerable adult, the custody officer has a duty to request the attendance of a responsible adult, ( known as an ‘Appropriate Adult’) .This role is different to that of a solicitor. An Appropriate Adult can be a family member, friend or a volunteer or social / health care professional.
The training will provide the knowledge base required to fulfil the above role in an appropriate manner. It will instruct and update professionally qualified staff from health and social services (who work with adults with mental health problems or learning disabilities that make them vulnerable), on the subject of PACE and Appropriate Adult work
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a behavioural disorder that includes symptoms such as inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.
Symptoms tend to be noticed at an early age but most cases are diagnosed when children are between 6 and 12 years old.
The symptoms of ADHD usually improve with age, but many adults who were diagnosed with the condition at a young age continue to experience problems.
This course gives a better understanding of ADHD and support strategies for children and young people.
Advocacy
Adaptive Leadership
Adaptive leadership is a set of tools and strategies you can use as a leader to overcome obstacles and change in an environment that is moving at a fast pace. It is based on the model devised by Ron Heifetz from Harvard University. Adaptive leadership is about observing the business and team and being able to adjust your style to meet the needs of the environment. It is a style that supports a time of change and using methods other than the one size fits all approach. Adaptive leadership helps to negotiate change and demonstrate innovation to cope with change and upheaval.
Advanced Statement Writing & Court Skills
Our Advanced Statement Writing and Court Skills aims to deliver a good working knowledge about the inner-workings of a courtroom setting and prepare you to appear in a courtroom environment.
You will identify issues (and include facts which support these issues), the source and weight of evidence while insulating written evidence against cross-examination. The course will explore the layout and formalities which take place within court as well as the use of exhibits/appendices/photos/plans/maps and using contemporaneous notes as the basis for statements/reports. You’ll learn how to deliver your statements clearly, getting your message across to your peers.
The course will give you an opportunity to develop an objective, critical eye in relation to written evidence and the procedures and process of giving evidence, as well as preparing you to give your own evidence. It will inform you about the roles of the various people in court/tribunal and instill you with the confidence to take the oath or affirmation with certainty. In non-intimidating, realistic role-play, you will gain experience in being cross-examined: learning valuable skills about the techniques lawyers use in cross-examination and how to handle them; how to give clear, honest, impartial testimonies receiving detailed feedback in order to properly prepare you for the real thing.
Achieving Best Outcomes Safeguarding Meetings
Well informed, and properly tested decision making is essential in effective safeguarding of adults. The Safeguarding Adults Strategy meeting provides a valuable opportunity for this, and is a key part of the Safeguarding process.
This course aims to equip those chairing Strategy Meetings with clarity on their role, and advice and guidance on best practice, so that the most effective safeguarding outcomes are realised.
LPS – Assessment, Determination and Consultation
This course will explore the processes for identification, referral, assessment, determination of the qualifying criteria, and who must be consulted, as part of the new LPS framework.
LPS – Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA)
This course will explore the role of IMCA’s within the LPS framework. We will look at when IMCA’s need to be instructed, what they will do and how they will do it, how professionals work with IMCA’s and what responsibilities and powers they hold within the LPS framework.
De-Escalation – A Proactive Approach to Conflict 2-day Course
This two-day conflict awareness training session helps participants to develop their insight into the reasons why we may encounter conflict in the workplace. In this session we share simple and effective strategies for creating and maintaining safe working practices and environments.
Emotional Intelligence for Managers
Emotional intelligence, hope, mindfulness, and compassion help a person reverse the damage of chronic stress and build great leadership relationships. The Positive and Negative Emotional Attractors inspire sustained, desired change and learning at many levels.
Emotionally Intelligent leaders have great positive impact on their employees. High competency in communicating, influencing, motivating others, and managing emotions in the workplace thrust leaders to become mentors as well. Therefore, exceptional leadership calls for high emotional intelligence leaders that have sound judgment and reasoning.
This course will focus on imparting emotional excellence skills to enable you to succeed as a distinctive leader. Delegates will gain insights and skills on how to be an emotionally intelligent leader. They will develop intrapersonal skills of self-awareness and self-regulation.
They will also gain mastery of interpersonal skills of empathy and relational skills. Delegates will be exposed to the latest scientific breakthroughs in management science on the mastery of healthy emotions in a leader. They will learn the importance of managing body, mind and spirit so as to lead
others in a holistic manner. Delegates will return to their organisations with skills to be excellent leaders.
Self Neglect & The Mental Capacity Act 2005
Self-neglect is a failure of someone to take care of him or her self that can cause serious physical, mental or emotional harm but it is not always easy for professionals to spot. Proper assessments are important and any actions taken need to be within the Mental Capacity Act, 2005.
LPS Authorisation
This course will explore the authorisation process for the LPS framework. We will look in-depth at authorisation conditions, duration, review requirements, specific safeguards, authorisation records, roles and responsibilities, and other authorisation’ particularities as the code of practice expands these.
LPS – Pre-authorisation
This course will explore the pre-authorisation review stage of the LPS framework. This course will explore both paths; the ‘light touch/on the papers’ approach, and the involvement of an AMCP in certain situations. The process for identifying and evidencing if the qualifying criteria are met will also be covered.
Effective Case Recording
Domestic Abuse including Coercion and Control
Domestic abuse is an incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening and violent behaviour, in the majority of cases by a partner or ex-partner, but may also be a family member. The aim of this Domestic Abuse including Coercion and Control Training is; to help raise awareness and increase recognition of domestic abuse and coercive control; understand the associated risk and protective factors; develop an understanding of why people may be abusive in relationships and how to manage this risk. This event will include training on the DASH-RIC (Domestic Abuse and Honour Based Violence Risk Checklist) using a case study to practice the use of the tool.
Helpful resources will be shared with delegates, including safety planning, guidance on completion of the DASH-RIC and how to refer into their local MARAC. Resources on support for survivors and those who perpetrate domestic abuse will also be shared.
Mental Capacity Act (MCA) Assessing Capacity & Best Interests
This Mental Capacity Act Training course provides an overview of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the process of Best Interest decision making under the Act.
An Introduction to the Care Act (2014)
This programme is a full comprehensive day covering the key principles and duties of the Care Act 2014, in relation to assessment, eligibility and care and support planning.
The training is tailored accordingly to accommodate a mixed group of staff, including social workers, social care officers/support workers, occupational therapists and students. The training is supported by a comprehensive workbook comprising all slides, many with additional notes, plus case studies and a list of suggested Strengths Based Questions.
The course will cover the person with care and support needs and carers equally throughout the day.
The programme begins by looking at the background of the Care Act - a consolidation Act and covers the key philosophy and spirit of the Act including the emphasis on maximising choice and control harnessing the existing strengths within a person’s life and focusing throughout on what is important to that person. It continues with coverage of the core principles of wellbeing, the strengths based approach and personal outcomes, the key duties of Prevention, Information and Advice and Advocacy and Assessment, an emphasis on Think Family and how involvement can be maximised. Exercises include two quizzes, one on assessment, the other on eligibility and a case study to test out a range of strengths based questions and to reinforce the importance of identifying the person/carer’s personal outcomes. The eligibility section covers the 3 stage test for eligibility, focusing on significant impact. It includes unpicking some of the eligibility outcomes, working through specific and recent Ombudsmen cases and considering what questions need to be addressed. This section concludes with the importance of accurate recording, professional opinion and providing evidence.
The remainder of the afternoon session will cover the essential components of the Care and Support Plan and include a quiz, refining the personal outcomes, clarifying what the Indicative Personal Budget is and the suggested conversation around it, understanding support options and the range of ways a Personal Budget can be taken, including how Direct Payments can be used, the three key principles (transparency, sufficiency and timeliness), Public Law Principles and adopting creative solutions through completing the case study from the morning session
Autism – Intermediate Level
This 2 day programme has been designed for teams of workers supporting people on the Autism Spectrum with complex support needs. It aims to help participants gain a greater understanding of the Autism Spectrum and the need for team consistency and resilience to support people effectively.
In a relaxed and informal atmosphere, the following will be covered:
The key characteristics of the autism spectrum including the DSM IV and DSM V overviews
The emergence of theories of causation as the incidence of Autism either increase or our awareness of its presentation grows
Ways of helping including consideration of capacity, capability and risk management
Person centred responses based on observation and appreciation of the person being supported
The need for team consistency to support the wellbeing of people living with autism
Ways of supporting team resilience through effective team communication
Care Planning
Medication Administration
The Medicines Management workshop is aimed at all support workers involved in the administration of medication, including those looking after adults/children with disabilities. The course facilitates an overview of the accountabilities and responsibilities of the social care worker within this context and provides a comprehensive theoretical underpinning to safe medicine administration.
Court Familiarization and Evidence Giving (Court Skills)
This a two-day Court Familiarization and Evidence Giving Training course designed to provide social workers with insight into the legal system together with the skills and confidence to give effective and compelling evidence in court.
Unconscious Bias
Bias is something that affects everyone, and shapes our experience of both the world and the people around us. Making a positive change starts with an acknowledgement that it does exist and the potential business impact of not taking action to rectify it.
During this session we will explore how both conscious and unconscious bias’ can affect our decisions regarding recruitment, selection, leadership, motivation and more.
Working in a Changing Environment
The aim of this workshop is to provide individuals with a range of tools to support them in a changing work environment such as during a Restructure and Reorganisation.
Working with difficult to engage clients
This course has been designed to provide participants with a deeper appreciation of why people are difficult to engage with and the factors which may cause a reluctance to engage. It will provide the practical tools necessary for increasing engagement and overcoming the barriers that clients may face.
Compassion fatigue, Moral Injury and Supporting Resilience
The aim of this course is to increase awareness of Compassion fatigue and Moral Injury and how these affect practitioners in social care settings.
This course focuses on the impact of working in high intensity, emotionally impactful working environments on practitioners.
It considers trauma informed practice in relation to practitioners and how they can maintain resilience within chaotic work settings
The day provides a foundation for taking active measures in maintaining resilience and self- care whilst considering the impact of the pandemic alongside working in settings that are demanding and quick changing
Developing Professional Curiosity in Practice (Adults)
This one day course gives participants the opportunity to explore the various facets of professional curiosity, including the reasons behind non compliance, guarding against the rule of optimism, ensuring a person’s maximum involvement in their own assessment and what gets in the way of professional curiosity.
It then explores six areas, namely:
Wellbeing, outcomes, wishes, preferences, values and beliefs
Communication skills
Legal literacy
Achieving best practice in supported decision making
Evidence and decision making
Positive risk taking
Supervision and looking after you
A highly interactive course, it uses a number of case studies and small group exercises and draws on findings of a recent national safeguarding adults review analysis.
Advanced Care Planning Managers
Stress and Resilience
A half day programme for participants to understand how and why we think, feel and react to stress and to understand and practice mindful responses to increase our resilience.
The course will enable individuals to apply Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence (EI) techniques to reduce stress in everyday lives. It will also enable candidates to understand others better and communicate to change patterns of behaviour and overcome self-limitations.
Suicide & Self Harm
Deliberate Self-Harm is now a major problem in the UK, where it currently accounts for about 10% of health service admissions. At the same time there is a government-led focus on reducing the suicide rate (in men under 50 suicide is the largest killer) in the UK by a fifth. How do we differentiate between active suicidal behaviour and DSH? How can we think and intervene helpfully in a range of such situations? This one day course will focus on the whole spectrum of DSH/Suicidal behaviour, to increase confidence in working with this challenging client group.
Substance Misuse
This course will equip individuals working with people experiencing drug misuse issues, with an increased knowledge of current trends of drug and alcohol use and the most commonly used drugs and their physical and psychological effects. There will be a significant focus on New Psychoactive Substances, formerly known as Legal Highs, in terms of their effects, legality etc.
Strength Based Approaches
The strengths or asset based approach, which is mandated in the Care Act, is about focusing on what a person can do, rather than what they cannot do, it is a move away from considering needs to explore and maximise the person’s skills, relationships and resources. Engaging with the person at the centre, the practitioner’s role is to support the person to make the best decisions for them. It involves mapping what is available in the community, tapping into universal services to find what is right for the person and being as creative as possible to find solutions that best meet the person’s outcomes and enhance their wellbeing.
The Care Act also highlights the importance of an individual defining their own personal outcomes related to what is important to them. These are distinct from eligibility outcomes defined under the Act.
This one day Strength Based Approaches Training course looks at how the subject of supporting a person to define and record their outcomes during an assessment is done and how to adopt the strengths based approach by changing the questions asked. Examples and case studies from other authorities will be presented, using a range of materials. The course will explore the 3 conversations approach developed by Partners4Change and will provide an extensive list of potential questions for practitioners to consider and to adapt to their own practice.
Supervision for Social Workers
In a relaxed and informal atmosphere, participants will explore the role of supervision in social care and social work settings. It will examine the need for reflective and reflexive practice in social work and the skills of the supervisor in promoting this form of learning and development. It will also consider the disciplinary process if, for example, there has been a breach in the duty of care or there are professional capability issues and the role supervision has in this.
Support Planning
The emphasis in the Care Act is that care and support planning should put a person in control of their care and that the person must be as actively involved, with support, as required, and influential as is possible. The person should know how their budget was calculated and feel confident that the personal budget is correct and sufficient to meet their care and support needs. Support planning is about considering options and solutions, strengths which have been identified and what is available in the person’s community.
The plan needs to include the person’s outcomes, their assessed needs and assets, the input of any carers, how any outstanding needs will be met, the person’s own financial contribution, as applicable, and whether a direct payment will be taken
Section 117 Awareness
Many individuals with mental illnesses have never had their aftercare provision reviewed. This aftercare is for needs arising from their mental illness alone and only for those detained under Section 3 and 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983. As funding bites in current times, local authorities and health organisations are becoming keener on reviewing this issue to establish whether the aftercare is still needed.
This half day programme aims to give participants an insight into section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 and the recommendations for social care legislation made by the Law Commission in March 2011. It looks at the purpose of s 117 and the issues for discharging individuals from the section as well as the relationship with Continuing Health Care funding.
Informed Decision Making & Risk Management
This programme gives delegates the opportunity to explore some of the key Care Act themes and principles in greater depth, for example addressing the question What does giving people choice really mean and require of you? It considers the shared duties and themes of the Care Act and the Mental Capacity Act and explores the need to understand how a person makes decisions in their life and what we need to do to support that person in decision making. A number of quizzes test knowledge of key Care Act duties. The day is split into 6 parts, wellbeing and outcomes, maximising choice and achieving best practice in supported decision making, duties, effective assessment, eligibility determination and care and support planning, positive risk taking, evidence and decision making and reviews.
Mindfulness – Bitesize
A short session for participants to understand how and why we think, feel and react to stress and to understand and practise mindful responses to stress. Mindfulness will help develop present moment awareness to see life differently, change unhelpful patterns and experience more choice.
The course will enable candidates to apply Mindfulness personally and professionally to reduce stress in everyday lives
Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking
Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking
Course Outline
The International Labour Organisation suggests there are more than 40 million people in modern slavery across the world, with nearly 25 million in forced labour; in addition to forced labour, modern slavery encompasses human trafficking, slavery, and servitude. In human trafficking cases, exploitation can take many forms, including sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery, servitude and forced criminality. This is a serious concern when related to children who are being exploited as part of County lines.
This course will provide an overview of the “Modern Slavery Statutory Guidance for England and Wales” Jan 2021 and include how to identify and recognise indicators of modern slavery, exploitation, and abuse.
The training has been developed to support Local Authorities who have a statutory duty to identify and refer cases of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery as part of the National Referral Mechanism.
First responders and other organisations need to understand the signs of modern-day slavery and be able to recognise indicators of abuse and exploitation which can include physical, psychological, situational, and environmental. This is particularly evident when considering child sexual exploitation, child criminal exploitation and County lines.
It can be challenging to identify potential victims of modern slavery who may be reluctant to come forward or may not recognise themselves as having been trafficked or enslaved. There are likely to be barriers that prevent victims from disclosing or engaging with services. It is a disturbing truth that perpetrators and organised criminal gangs use coercive, controlling, and abusive means to dominate and abuse both adults and children.
Safeguarding Adults – Investigation
This two day programme is aimed at those workers who may be involved in interviewing adults at risk those alleged to have caused harm as part of the Safeguarding Statutory duty to make enquiries in line with Local Authorities and Safeguarding Board’s policy and procedures.
To develop skills in conducting safeguarding interviews (including planning and preparation, recording processes, anti-discriminatory practice) and to work within the principles safeguarding at all times and of the MCA when appropriate. This will specifically focus on the front end of safeguarding enquiries to ensure that workers can work sensitively and can recognise the significance of making safeguarding personal. This includes the importance of ensuring that the person at risk of harm’s wishes views and feelings are considered right from the beginning of the process.
Safeguarding Adults – Awareness
In this course, Delegates will be encouraged to explore their own feelings and responses to abuse whilst gaining an understanding of the definition of abuse, its forms and indicators, and their role in safeguarding adults. The course includes an Introduction to The Care Act 2014 and updates, local policies, and any other relevant Safeguarding legislation.
Professional Boundaries
Professional boundaries are the limits that help us to develop effective relationships in the workplace. They are established through a set of behaviours and are given meaning through personal attitude and experience. If these boundaries are not clearly defined, owned and maintained, there is likely to be confusion and damage to the relationship with either, or both, parties being put at risk
In this session we will relate and apply all that is taught back into your real environment and ensure that the value of the boundary is both recognised and maintained.
Safeguarding Adults – Chairing Meetings
This course is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to be able to effectively chair multi agency meetings involved in the protection of vulnerable adults
Pre Retirement
The purpose of this course is to allow participants to express their hopes and concerns regarding the retirement process and to experience the positive benefits of retirement with particular emphasis on the adapting phase of the process.
Mental Health Act
Mental Health Act
Course Overview
The main aim of this course is to develop and enhance knowledge and understanding of non specialist practitioners in relation to Mental Health Act powers and responsibilities. Understanding the main legislation relevant to Mental Health Law, together with the functions and powers contained in key sections of the Mental Health Act are key components. The course also helps participants to understand the role of the Approved Mental Health Practitioner (AMHP).
Making Safeguarding Personal
The key principle of Making Safeguarding Personal is to support and empower each adult to make choices and have control about how they want to live their own life. It is about responding to safeguarding situations in a way that enhances their involvement, choice and control, as well as improving their quality of life, wellbeing and safety.
This course highlights ‘Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP)’ and what this means for practitioners and vulnerable adults alike. The course looks at how adults are involved at the very beginning, the middle and the end of their involvement with the services they are working with. The 6 principles are explored and how they fit within MSP. Also, in this very interactive course legislation under the Care Act, Human Rights Act and other relevant laws are covered and explored within MSP. Including sharing information with other authorities. The course ends with interview skills focused on how to interview to obtain the views, opinions, needs and wants of the adult, and not focused on the agency’s needs.
Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery
The International Labour Organisation suggests there are more than 40 million people in modern slavery across the world, with nearly 25 million in forced labour; in addition to forced labour, modern slavery encompasses human trafficking, slavery, and servitude. In human trafficking cases, exploitation can take many forms, including sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery, servitude and forced criminality. This is a serious concern when related to children who are being exploited as part of County lines.
This course will provide an overview of the “Modern Slavery Statutory Guidance for England and Wales” Jan 2021 and include how to identify and recognise indicators of modern slavery, exploitation, and abuse.
The training has been developed to support Local Authorities who have a statutory duty to identify and refer cases of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery as part of the National Referral Mechanism.
First responders and other organisations need to understand the signs of modern-day slavery and be able to recognise indicators of abuse and exploitation which can include physical, psychological, situational, and environmental. This is particularly evident when considering child sexual exploitation, child criminal exploitation and County lines.
It can be challenging to identify potential victims of modern slavery who may be reluctant to come forward or may not recognise themselves as having been trafficked or enslaved. There are likely to be barriers that prevent victims from disclosing or engaging with services. It is a disturbing truth that perpetrators and organised criminal gangs use coercive, controlling, and abusive means to dominate and abuse both adults and children.
End of Life Care
The aim of this course is to provide a good understanding of how to care for the dying, The learning will ensure participants:
– Have a clear understanding of End of life care
– Are able to demonstrate effective communication
– Understand and state the principles of delivering bad news
– Explain palliative care and person centred planning
Mental Capacity Act MCA & Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) Awareness
This course has been designed to increase the theoretical knowledge of health and social care professionals on the up to date legal framework, code of practice and human rights that covers the patients’ capacity to make decisions, protection of their cognitive decision making process, and understanding the principles of proper care towards these vulnerable patients and clients.
Drug & Alcohol Awareness
The misuse of alcohol and drugs is a significant problem that affects not only individuals and families, but also the workplace. This course will help employers and organizations across different sectors to develop good practice in all aspects of alcohol and drug related issues.
Managing Conflict
Conflict in the workplace can be the source of much disruption and affect not just the productivity of the organisation but the wellbeing of those who work in it. This course aims to equip participants with the skills to deal with situations of conflict, whenever they arise and to be able to prevent escalation, as well as dealing with unacceptable verbal or non verbal aggression
Learning Disability Awareness
Learning Disability problems affect around 1.5 million people across the UK. but having a better understanding and awareness of different learning disabilities and how they affect individuals is an important part of working within this area.
Managing Change
This course will outline a model for managing change within a complex health setting, enable participants to understand the likely reactions to change and employ strategies to ensure effective implementation of change especially in the handling of others.
Mindfulness
This course will enable participants to apply Mindfulness personally and professionally to reduce stress in everyday life, to understand how and why we think, feel and react to stress and to understand and practise mindful responses to stress. Mindfulness will help develop present moment awareness to see life differently, change unhelpful patterns and experience more choice.
Equality & Diversity
This course focuses on the key legislation and codes of practice relating to diversity, equality and inclusion.
De-escalation – A Proactive Approach to Conflict
This one-day conflict awareness and verbal response training session helps participants to develop their insight into the reasons why we may encounter conflict in the workplace. In this De-escalation - A Proactive Approach to Conflict Training course we share simple and effective strategies for creating and maintaining safe working practices and environments.
Dementia Awareness
This Dementia Awareness Training course is an introduction to dementia. It will look at what dementia is and the effect it has on the brain and the person. Delegates will also have the knowledge of what it may feel like for people living with dementia and have a better understanding of how to provide person centred care to them. It will focus on the importance of knowing as much of the person’s life history in order to provide an effective standard of care.
Palliative & End of Life Care
This course is designed to support staff working in community settings caring for palliative patients and those requiring end of life care. It will cover holistic assessment of physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs and consider the balance between potential benefit and burden of treatment. Symptom management to optimize quality of life and the need for clear, honest communication will be shared.
Dealing with Distressed People
This course will look at working with distressed and difficult clients by developing awareness of the issues involved when sharing information in a highly emotive and challenging setting. Delegates will develop an understanding of the impact, on both the giver and receiver, of support and information and explore tried and tested ways of communicating with distressed people and identify the most appropriate strategies.
Digital Capabilities Training
The aim of this workshop is to support employees to understand the digital capabilities statement. Also to enable staff to recognise the ethical implications of digital technologies for social work practice both inside and outside the workplace
Customer Care on the Telephone
With the sharp increase in customer expectations, organisations and teams are now in a position where they have to deliver a quality of service that is higher than ever before.
Many customer care programmes focus exclusively on practical skills without firstly uncovering and looking at ways to address customer needs, wants, expectations, insecurities and emotions.
In this programme we start ‘from the ground up’ providing participants with the tools to be able to more effectively establish, meet and evaluate the achievement of outstanding customer service in particular using the telephone.
Continuing Healthcare
Continuing Care is care provided over an extended period to an adult to meet a person’s physical and mental health needs due to disability, accident or illness. An individual who needs continuing care may require services from NHS bodies and/or Local Authorities. Where it has been assessed that the individual’s primary need is a health need, which can be provided in any setting, a complete package of on-going care is arranged and funded solely by the NHS.
The eligibility for NHS Continuing Health Care is based on an individual’s assessed health needs and is not disease specific. Where a person has some needs requiring a health intervention and others requiring a social care solution, a split package of care can be arranged.
The aim of this one day course is to increase knowledge of the various components of the CHC assessment process from the completion of the CHC checklist, the Health Needs Assessment and the Decision Support Tool to enable all practitioners involved to confidently arrive at a joint decision.
Court Skills for Adult Social Workers
Delegates attending this Court Skills for Adult Social Workers Training course are called upon to prepare statements and reports for use in court proceedings involving vulnerable adults and to, potentially, attend court to give oral evidence based upon those reports. The course will provide the necessary skills to enable delegates to produce concise, accurate and compelling written evidence and give guidance as to how to present that evidence to best effect in the courtroom. The second day of the course enables delegates to practise giving oral evidence in a formal setting and to be cross examined by our experienced barrister-trainer.
Conflict Management
Conflict is an intrinsic and inevitable part of our status as human beings. We will all encounter it in some form or other in both our personal and private life. When we are confronted by it there are usually two typical responses; we either tackle it head on or we avoid it completely. Both methods ultimately result in difficult times that can be painful, costly and uncomfortable where the outcome usually presents a ‘winner’ and a ‘loser’.
There is another way to approach these conflicts a way in which we can reach a win/win and collaborate to a successful conclusion for both people. This session will focus on bringing about an end to your conflict situations, cost-effectively and with as little discomfort as possible.
Depression Awareness
A programme for candidates to develop an awareness of what depression is, what causes it and to understand the impact of stress and the importance of a good foundation.
They will develop an understanding of what resilience is and how to develop it to reduce the impact of depression
Chairing Adult Multi Agency Safeguarding Meetings
The aim of this course is to equip delegates with the knowledge and skills to be able to effectively chair multi agency meetings involved in the protection of vulnerable adults
It will provide delegates with the opportunity of chairing a multiagency meeting through the medium of role play in order to improve their personal skills and to receive constructive feedback from delegates.
It will consider the particular, specific requirement involved in chairing strategy meetings in the context of Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults.
Care Act Compliant Carers Assessments
The aim of this Care Act Compliant Carers Assessments Training course is to enable staff to identify carers and to confidently undertake an assessment and support planning of carers needs
Care Act Refresher
This 1.5 training day Care Act Refresher Training for practitioners will cover a refresher on the key aspects and principles of the Care Act, including involving the person as much as possible during the process which highlights a number of key duties. It will look at the link between the Act and how this is translated into effective practice and explores a range of aspects in relation to good assessment and good care and support planning.
The course will consider what different types of information can be used in evidence, the factors to take into account when formulating a professional opinion and examine defensible decision making. Linked to this will be a session on what constitutes ethical and effective recording.
The training will finish with looking at handling difficult conversations and promoting self-resilience.
The sessions are highly participative with delegates working in small groups on a range of case studies, exercises and quizzes.
The programme for managers will have the same overall programme but will focus on how they can ensure their respective team members meet the objectives and consistently achieve legal compliance and high standards of practice.
Bouncing Back! How to be Resilient in the Workplace
Stress affects significant numbers of the working population in a UK workplace which is becoming increasingly demanding.
This Resilience Training course, will help individuals to understand how and why we think, feel and react to stress and to understand and practise mindful responses to increase resilience.
The course will enable participants to apply Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence techniques to reduce stress in their everyday lives. It will also help to understand and communicate with others better to change patterns of behaviour and overcome self-limitations
Assessment & Eligibilty Criteria
The Care Act reinforced many of the overarching principles of assessment and highlighted the importance of an individual being supported to be as fully involved in the process as they are able to be. Aspects such as supported self-assessment and the new legal duty around advocacy reinforce this principle. The strengths or asset based approach, mandated in the Act, is about focusing on what a person can do, rather than what they cannot do, it is a move away from considering needs initially to exploring the person’s skills, relationships and resources.
The Care Act also highlights the importance of an individual defining their own personal outcomes related to what is important to them. These are distinct from eligibility outcomes defined under the Act.
The important principle of wellbeing was introduced alongside new duties of Prevention and Information.
The Act strengthens the rights and recognition of carers.
The eligibility criteria, which from 2003 until the introduction of the Care Act had been set out under the Fair Access to Care Services (FACS) guidance, was replaced by a national eligibility threshold (one for customers and a separate one for carers) comprising three requirements including whether, as a consequence of the person’s needs and outcomes, there is a significant impact on their wellbeing.
Achieving Best Evidence (ABE)
Achieving Best Evidence (ABE) is the national protocol for interviewing children and vulnerable adults as part of a criminal investigation.
This Achieving Best Evidence (ABE) Training course equips practitioners with the necessary skills to develop strategies for planning and executing interviews in a format suited towards the criminal justice system.
The course consists of 3 days of theory and 2 days of interview practice using actors who play the roles of children/vulnerable adults
The delegates are assessed in their interviewing skills during the practical day sessions and delegates are scored with a pass or a fail and the assessor completed a feedback form on their interviews.
This course has been updated in line with new Ministry of Justice ABE Guidance 2022
Age Assessments
This Age Assessments training course is designed for social workers faced with the difficult and controversial task of conducting age assessments of children and young adults. The course is intended to provide clear, comprehensive “user-friendly” guidance to practitioners working in the area. The assessment process is broken down into several strategic but logical stages, each stage being accompanied by a helpful “checklist” of considerations and options.
The course utilises guidance given by the Association of Directors of Children’s Services with input from the Age Assessment Strategic Oversight Group. Within the course, consideration is also given to the Hillingdon and Croydon guidelines as well as an update as to recent legal decisions and policy developments.
Achieving Best Evidence Refresher
Updated in line with the new Ministry of Justice ABE Guidance 2022
Designed for those social work practitioners who have completed the full Achieving Best Evidence course but have not conducted an interview in the last year or more and need updating both in the law and on court case directions, also to revisit and renew their skills learnt at the initial course.
Additionally, for those who would like to practise the ABE interview in a safe setting, if they feel a refresher course would be beneficial. The candidates will be assessed on one interview and be given feedback by both the tutor and their peers on the 2-day course
Social Work and Social Media
The aim of this workshop is to examine and discuss guidance on the use of social media and explore best practice considering professional boundaries. It includes an analysis of professional boundaries in social work using real life case examples to generate thoughtful discussion and encourage safe practice
Infection Control
The aim of this training is to introduce the importance of controlling infections within the workplace through discussions, group activities, practical demonstrations and short film clips. Delegates will look at the impact infections can have on staff and those they care for. They will
also learn about the various ways infections can be spread and the practical precautions they can take to help avoid this.
Strengths Based Approaches
The strengths or asset based approach, which is mandated in the Care Act, is about focusing on what a person can do, rather than what they cannot do, it is a move away from considering needs to explore and maximise the person’s skills, relationships and resources. Engaging with the person at the centre, the practitioner’s role is to support the person to make the best decisions for them. It involves mapping what is available in the community, tapping into universal services to find what is right for the person and being as creative as possible to find solutions that best meet the person’s outcomes and enhance their wellbeing.
The Care Act also highlights the importance of an individual defining their own personal outcomes related to what is important to them. These are distinct from eligibility outcomes defined under the Act.
This one day Strengths Based Approaches Training course looks at how the subject of supporting a person to define and record their outcomes during an assessment is done and how to adopt the strengths based approach by changing the questions asked. Examples and case studies from other authorities will be presented, using a range of materials. The course will explore the 3 conversations approach developed by Partners4Change and will provide an extensive list of potential questions for practitioners to consider and to adapt to their own practice.
Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour-Based Violence Risk Identification Checklist
The Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour Based Violence (DASH 2009) Risk Identification, Assessment and Management Model was implemented across all police services in the UK from March 2009.The DASH is for all professionals working with victims of domestic abuse, stalking and harassment and honour-based violence. It is the tool used to refer high risk cases of Domestic Abuse to the Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC). After completing this DASH Training course delegates will be fully trained in how to effectively apply this tool, make a referral to the MARAC and signpost survivors for support. This half day session will explore the use of the DASH through a case study and give delegates the opportunity to undertake skills practice in how to apply the DASH.
