Training and support
We are among the best places in the country to practice social work and have a dedicated training and development offering to support our social workers throughout their career. In our recent inspection in June, Ofsted commented upon the efficacy of our training offer and how enthusiastically it is received by our practitioners. In summary these include:
- An excellent induction. New staff will meet our senior leaders, learn about our Making the Difference Practice Framework, our Practice Standards and the relationship between our performance and our learning and audit activity, our focus on the voice of the child and their daily lived experience, and the importance of supervision, reflective practice and wellbeing.
- Opportunities for continued professional development which is supported with time and space away from practice.
- Access to research communities, including Research in Practice.
- Children and Learning Academy that provides a framework to deliver our learning and development programme for new starters and newly qualified staff to senior leaders.
- New on-line resource library
- Quarterly Practice Weeks led by the Principal Social Worker.
- You’ll join our monthly Making the Difference Practice Development Forum which is staff led and where latest learning is shared, and staff achievements are celebrated.
- Enrolment in the Practice Educator CPD Club.
- Enrolment in the Senior Social Worker Practice Development Group.
- Celebratory Events such as World Social Work Day, ASYE celebrations, faith events and so on.
We also have an extensive training offer which is unrivalled regionally and is viewed positively by practitioners and by Ofsted.
We have multiple training pathways. These include:
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Systemic Practice training. This offer includes training from initial awareness raising, accredited training, including the initial and Intermediate Postgraduate Certificates in Systemic Practice, through to full qualification as a Family Systemic Psychotherapist. Our accredited training is provided by the Institute of Family Therapy London. Our initial systemic training is delivered by our Principal Social Worker and has received the following feedback:
"I thought the training was brilliant. Perfectly pitched, accessible and relatable to the team. Thank you so much. For me it was honestly one of the most accessible and clear trainings on systemic approach I have ever attended... So nice to be part of a system that is embracing this approach".
Find out more about our Systemic Practice approach. - Motivational Interviewing. The training is currently provided by the Tavistock and Portman.
- Safe and Together training pathway provided by the Safe and Together Institute.
- Trauma Informed Practice.
- Restorative Practice.
- Group Reflective Supervision including multi-agency reflecting teams.
- Practice Weeks including our annual Love our Children Week.
- Pathways programme for managers and leaders and a corporate leadership and management offer.
- Bespoke training and learning events.
