Core Programme                        Level 1/2

Working Together - A 3 day Introduction to Child Protection

Purpose

This course aims to provide participants with a practice framework for working with families of children & young people.  Building on single agency awareness raising to developing key skills and knowledge around the care and protection of children and young people.  Participants will also be given the opportunity to expore values and attitudes that can impact on practice.

Target Audience

The course is aimed at practitioners, team leaders and managers from all agencies involved in the care and protection of children and young people.  Also relevant to practitioners, team leaders, managers involved in the provision of services to adults who are parents/carers of children/young people where there may be concerns that the needs of children/young people are not being met.  i.e. adult mental health workers, drug and alcohol workers, those who work with adults with learning disabilities and those who work in other community settings with adults who have contact with children/young people.

Pre-requisite knowledge

Participants should have an understanding of their own agencies child protection policies and procedures and have previously attended an awareness level course on child protection.

Key Aims and Learning Outcomes

Participants will  -

• Have reflected on personal attitudes and practice and how that impacts on outcomes for children & young people.
• Be more knowledgeable about the relevant legislation and how and when to use it in your own practice to ensure appropriate, proportionate and timely  intervention.
• Have a greater understanding of child development and the diversity of factors impacting on parenting capacity. 
• Have more confidence in communicating with children/young people and in your ability to provide them with support or access to support.
• Have more confidence in your ability to assess risk to inform your decision making.
• Understand that inter-agency working together is crucial to the outcomes for the individual child/young person.

Source Scottish Gov't child protection and learning framework