Our Courses

Safeguarding

Child Criminal Exploitation

One-day course

Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) is a major crosscutting issue, which involves County Lines, drugs, violence, gangs, child sexual exploitation (CSE), safeguarding, modern slavery and missing persons. The response to tackle this involves many agencies including the police, the National Crime Agency, a range of Government departments, local Government agencies and Voluntary & Community Sector organisations.

This course will give participants an understanding of Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) and how to respond effectively to ensure best practice. The trainer will use a child rights-based approach using the UNCRC

This course aims to be a full guide for practitioners working with young people in and leaving care; youth justice; substance misuse; supported accommodation and housing associations.

Child Poverty Awareness

A half-day course

Growing up in poverty impacts on children’s well-being; their early years development, physical and mental health, educational achievement, and future life chances. Recognising and understanding the effects of poverty on children and families is vital to improving their outcomes.

The aim of this course is to increase participants knowledge and understanding of the relationship between poverty and inequality and how poverty impacts on children’s lives and to enable participants to recognise ways in which their services can impact on children and families who experience poverty.

Child Sexual Abuse Awareness

One-day course

This course will give an understanding of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) and how to respond effectively while ensuring best practice.

The course will define Child Sexual Abuse, the scale of it across the UK, the Wales Safeguarding Procedures and in particular, the National Action Plan Preventing and Responding to Child Sexual Abuse and the Safeguarding Children from Child Sexual Exploitation guidance.

Participants will learn how to build trust and rapport with young people who have experienced Child Sexual Abuse by building their resilience and acknowledging the impact of the traumatic events they have experienced. This includes learning about appropriate terminology when discussing Child Sexual Abuse and the associated trauma for children and young people to understand their experiences and remove blame from victims of abuse. They will gain an understanding of a child centred approach to deal with trauma and supporting of children's rights. Participants will feel more confident engaging with children and young people and can incorporate this in to their practice.

Child Sexual Exploitation

One-day course

Child sexual exploitation (CSE) involves under-18s in exploitative situations, contexts and relationships. Every year in Wales, hundreds of children are being exploited sexually. Children in Wales is offering a one-day course to raise awareness of child sexual exploitation.

This course gives anyone who works with children, young people and families the opportunity to know their statutory responsibilities in dealing with exploited children, how to identify children and young people who are at risk of CSE and spot the signs, definitions and models of CSE and professional responses within the Welsh context.

Digital Safeguarding: Parental controls and social media

Half-day course

This course is designed for staff supporting families where children use online social networking. It aims to give them an understanding of the risks involved and identify the sources of support and information, which may enable them to secure devices and control children’s access to inappropriate materials. The course will equip learners with practical guidance how they can support families to reduce the risk for children going online. The course is accompanied by a detailed and regularly updated directory of materials, advice and resources which leaners will continue to access to following the course.

Digital Safeguarding / Online Safety

A half-day course

Working practices have changed significantly since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic. There has been a huge shift towards online delivery of services. Organisations reacted as quickly as possible to these changes, but we need to ensure that interactions in the online world take place as safely as possible.

This training session is aimed at addressing the gap in understanding around digital safeguarding.

It is imperative that practitioners and the young people we work with are equipped with the tools and skills to effectively, confidently and safely work with children and young people online.

The sessions will increase knowledge and understanding amongst professionals and reduce risks for children and young people when engaging online with service providers. The training will be relevant for practitioners across a wide range of service areas who want to ensure that their online involvement with children and young people is carried out safely.

Disguised Compliance and Uncooperative Adults/Carers

One-day course

This interactive course will look at the issues of stress, anxiety and uncertainty practitioners’ face when supporting children whose parents/carers are not cooperating with the services who are attempting to assess, plan and provide support. The focus will be on understanding why families may not want to engage with particular services, including their previous experiences of interventions. Issues of disguised compliance will be explored using examples from Serious Case Reviews and ‘real life’ indicators of how adult carers interacted with practitioners. The course will apply a child rights approach to any interventions in families, with the importance of keeping the safety and wellbeing of children at the heart of the work.

Group A Raising Awareness of Safeguarding Children and Young People

Half-day course

This interactive training is set specifically in the Welsh context. It will allow participants to consider the issues for their role and organisation.

Through taking part in a range of exercises, participants will gain an understanding of the key elements of working safely and responsibly with children and young people and learn how they can respond effectively where they have concerns.

Group B Intermediate Safeguarding Children and Young People

One-day course

The purpose of the training is to give participants confidence and essential up to date knowledge on how to safeguard the children and young people in their environment.

The course is aimed at anyone working directly or indirectly with children and young people in a wide range of workplace and community settings.

This training is suitable for practitioners who are part of Group B as described in the National Safeguarding Training, Learning and Development Standards, however practitioners from Group A can also attend if more in-depth safeguarding training is required.

Group C Advanced Safeguarding for Senior Practitioners and Designated Persons

Two-day Course

Senior Practitioners and the Designated Persons has a vital role to ensure safeguards are in place and effective actions taken when concerns for a child arise. It is relevant to various settings, i.e. schools, childcare, voluntary & private services providing activities, learning & support to children & families.

This training is suitable for practitioners who are part of Group C and are practicing within a Designated Safeguarding Lead role as described in the National Safeguarding Training, Learning and Development Standards.

Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children and Young People

This course will give participants an understanding of how unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people are identified and how they can be supported to ensure best practice.

The course will define Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children and Young People, Child protection and safeguarding in relation to these children and young people, the Wales Safeguarding Procedures and relevant legislation and guidance.

By the end of the course, participants will feel more confident in engaging with unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people, how to incorporate this into practice and given an understanding of the issues facing unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people and their role about identifying risks, vulnerabilities, reporting and safeguarding. Participants will learn how to build trust and rapport with unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people, building their resilience and acknowledging the impact their experiences may have on their physical and psychological wellbeing. This will include learning about appropriate terminology when discussing unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people.

Knife Crime Awareness: Supporting Young People

A half-day course

On a daily basis, we hear news of young people and knife crime, not just in London but also in Wales too. Young people are becoming scared, injured and sadly fatally wounded. 

This half day course will examine the rise of knife crime, current trends, the law, what staff need to know and what messages they should be giving young people.  It will look at ways of supporting young people, when to refer and organisational action plans.

Child development & supporting positive outcomes

ACE: Building resilience in the face of adverse childhood experiences

Half-day course

The 2015 report by Public Health Wales, the Welsh Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study states “There is a growing body of evidence that our experiences during childhood can affect health throughout the life course. Children who experience stressful and poor-quality childhoods are more likely to adopt health-harming behaviours during adolescence, which can themselves lead to mental health illnesses and diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes later in life.”

“Adverse Childhood Experiences are not just a concern for health. Experiencing Adverse Childhood Experiences means individuals are more likely to perform poorly in school, more likely to be involved in crime and ultimately less likely to be a productive member of society”.

The objective of the course is to examine Adverse Childhood Experiences and to enhance comprehension of their effects on both children and adults in later stages of life. Participants will gain a deeper insight into issues such as substance misuse, mental health challenges, domestic abuse, and violence, as well as their repercussions on children. The concept of a "Good" childhood will be investigated, and knowledge regarding resilience will be expanded. Additionally, the course will focus on developing skills and confidence to foster resilience in children and young people.

ADHD: An understanding for practitioners

One-day course

This course is designed to equip frontline staff who engage with children and young people with a comprehensive understanding of ADHD. Participants will gain insight into the various manifestations of the condition that influence the assessment and diagnosis of affected individuals. Additionally, the course will address the global risks linked to ADHD and emphasise the necessity for coordinated medical and therapeutic interventions to enhance life outcomes. The trainer's objective is to encourage participants to adopt a holistic perspective, enabling them to view the child or young person in their entirety and collaborate effectively with other services.

Attachment Theory

One-day course

Attachment theory focuses on the emotional connections formed between individuals, positing that our initial attachments can significantly influence our lives. This course aims to deepen the understanding of the attachment process and its implications for relationships.

Participants will receive assistance in examining their own attachment styles as they relate to their current parenting practices and interpersonal relationships. This reflection will enhance their understanding of how various elements of these styles may coexist and the implications this has for their interactions with others.

Autism in Maturity

One-day course

This course has been designed by a highly experienced and knowledgeable trainer in the field of autism. Her professional background, combined with her personal experience of having a brother with autism and learning disabilities, guarantees a high standard of training. Her unique insights and empathetic understanding add a significant and authentic dimension to the training provided.

The course adopts an approach centred on the dissemination of knowledge and skills aimed at enhancing participants' comprehension of autism. Real-life examples will be intricately woven throughout the training day, thereby enriching the learning experience. Feedback from previous sessions has highlighted how sharing her brother’s experiences has allowed participants to effectively connect theoretical concepts of autism with the practical realities of supporting individuals as they age.

Key themes will be underscored alongside the defined learning outcomes, with a positive emphasis on their significance. These themes include recognising the individual identity of persons with autism, understanding the complexities of communication, preparing to reduce anxiety—a critical aspect of autism—and the importance of holistic support and collaboration with families and caregivers.

Child Development 0-12 years

One-day course

A comprehensive understanding of child development is crucial for all professionals engaged with children. Familiarity with typical developmental patterns enables practitioners to recognize when a child may be experiencing difficulties and may require additional assistance to make progress across various developmental areas. A solid grasp of developmental principles can enhance child safety, promote overall wellbeing, aid in assessments, and guide the selection of appropriate interventions and support tailored to individual needs.

This course is designed for all practitioners, including family support workers, social workers, and caregivers, who work with children aged 0-12 and seek to deepen their knowledge of developmental expectations at different stages and how they can effectively support children in their roles.

Life Story/Journey Work and Later Life Laters

One-day course

This course is designed for social workers who are involved with children in foster care or adoption. It aims to prepare them to fulfil the statutory requirement of composing a later life letter for an adopted or fostered child. In Wales, it is essential for all children who cannot be cared for by their biological families to gain insight into their family history and their individual experiences.

Participants will discover how later life letters and Life Journey Work can assist children in understanding their past and current circumstances, thereby facilitating their transition into the future. Social workers will learn to utilise these tools to enhance the child's sense of identity, foster self-esteem, and cultivate a feeling of belonging and well-being, which are crucial for promoting positive mental health.

Life Journey Work offers a structured opportunity for children to process their emotions, address difficult topics, and receive vital factual information, narratives, and explanations, all while preserving their memories.

Neurodiversity Awareness in Children and Young People

One-day course

This course is designed to equip frontline staff who engage with children and young people with a comprehensive understanding of neurodiversity. It seeks to foster an appreciation of the various manifestations of neurodiversity that influence the assessment and diagnosis of these individuals, as well as to highlight the global risks associated with neurodiversity. The trainer encourages participants to adopt a holistic perspective, enabling them to view the child or young person in their entirety, thereby enhancing collaboration with other services.

The course targets frontline staff who work with neurodivergent children, young people, and their families, aiming to enhance their skills and knowledge. This enhancement is intended to boost their confidence in identifying, connecting with, supporting, and directing these children, young people, and their families towards resources that can improve overall family outcomes.

Teenage Development: How to engage them and their brains

One-day course

This course explores the developmental stages of adolescence, focusing on physical, psychological, emotional, and social growth. It addresses various challenges faced by teenagers and emphasises how this knowledge can enhance engagement and effective support for young individuals.

The objectives include gaining a deeper insight into intellectual and social-emotional development stages. Participants will learn effective communication strategies for interacting with teenagers, fostering relationships, and establishing trust. The course will also cover negotiation skills and boundary-setting. Additionally, it will address stressors such as peer pressure, sexual relationships, substance abuse, bullying, trauma, and methods to encourage independence and resilience.

This course is designed for practitioners who work with adolescents and seek to understand the neurological underpinnings of teenage behaviour.

Telling Children Difficult Information

One-day course

This course is designed to enhance the ability to engage with children and facilitate the effective communication of challenging information through a sensitive and age-appropriate methodology.

Participants will acquire a variety of tools and strategies to assist children in expressing and regulating their emotions, while also examining how children's experiences influence their capacity to articulate their feelings and needs.

Upon completion of the training, attendees will gain insights into how children's experiences affect their emotional literacy. Additionally, they will cultivate a diverse set of skills to ensure effective communication with children and young people that is suitable for their developmental stage.

Trauma Informed Practice

Understanding Autism and how it can impact on a child and family/carers

Understanding and Supporting Care Experienced Young People

One-day course

The objective of this course is to enhance awareness and foster a deeper understanding of autism, thereby continuously improving the quality of support provided to children on the spectrum and their families or caregivers.

The training will be led by an instructor who possesses extensive knowledge and experience in the field of autism, both professionally and personally. This unique combination of personal insight and empathetic understanding adds a valuable dimension to the training experience. The course is designed to promote inclusive participation, ensuring that the day is not only educational but also engaging.

The course aims to deepen understanding of autism spectrum disorder. Participants will learn to identify the key characteristics of autism and its effects on children. Emphasis will be placed on the significance of communication and preparation in alleviating anxiety. Additionally, the course will explore effective strategies to support children with autism in reaching their full potential. Participants will also gain insight into the concerns of parents and practitioners, while examining proactive support strategies.

This course is particularly suited for practitioners working with children across various settings, as well as for parents and caregivers, to enhance awareness and understanding of autism.

Diversity and Inclusion

Children's Rights and Participation

One-day courses

Children and young people’s participation encompasses all the ways in which children and young people engage in action, practices, and dialogue with adults such as parents, carers, practitioners, community members and those who work in local and wider governments, to create positive outcomes and bring about changes. It’s a crucial aspect of their lives, whether at home, in their community, or in education settings.

Children in Wales is providing training to raise awareness and understanding of Children’s Rights and Participation at different stages of their lives, and will be delivering three courses covering:

Early Years and Children’s Rights (Children Under 7)
Children’s Rights and Participation for Children Under 11
Children’s Rights and Participation for Children and Young People Aged 11-25

No matter what age group you work with, these courses will be beneficial for anyone working with children and young people.

These courses will take participants on a journey of how Babies, Children and Young People’s Rights and Participation grow and develop by exploring the concept of evolving capacities, and recognising babies, children and young people as active agents in their own lives, who are entitled to be listened to, respected, safeguarded, and granted increasing autonomy in the exercise of rights at different ages and stages of development and maturity.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Awareness (EDI)

One-day course

The objectives include defining equality, diversity, and inclusion, as well as outlining relevant equality legislation. It is essential to identify both appropriate and inappropriate behaviours and actions. Additionally, techniques will be developed to address and challenge inappropriate language, behaviours, and actions. There will be an emphasis on recognising unconscious bias and exploring strategies to counteract it. Furthermore, it is important to respect others and their individual needs.

This training is suitable for care managers, personnel involved in residential and day care, home care staff, occupational therapists, as well as those from the independent sector and voluntary organisations.

Identity and Self-esteem for Children Looked After

One-day course

This course aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of identity and self-esteem in Children Looked After, along with effective response strategies to ensure best practices are followed.

The program will outline the experiences of children and young people who have been in care, detailing their diverse paths into the system and their current living situations. Participants will explore the effects of separation from biological parents, the implications of being cared for by others, and the reasons for their placement in care, all of which can significantly influence their physical and psychological health.

This course is designed for professionals working with Children Looked After who wish to enhance their ability to provide effective support.

PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, and Empathy)

One-day course

This course will explore the role of Playfulness in fostering relationships. Recognise that by Accepting a child, you contribute to their self-esteem, as you refrain from judgment regarding their inner self. Additionally, employing Curiosity aids a child in comprehending their behaviours, while the application of Empathy serves as a fundamental element in encouraging children to develop self-love.

Pride and Prejudice: Supporting Young LGBTQ+ People

One-day course

The training will focus on issues related to LGBTQ+ youth, including the coming out process, challenges such as bullying, and matters concerning gender identity and sexuality. Participants will gain insights into how to effectively support young individuals who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or questioning. The training will address critical topics such as safeguarding, self-harm, substance misuse, and Child Sexual Exploitation, employing a rights-based framework.

This course is designed for practitioners, managers, and policymakers across various sectors and organisations who are interested in understanding how their roles can better support LGBTQ+ youth. It will also explore emerging trends in gender identity and sexuality and their implications for professional practice.

Transitions: Supporting Transgender Young People

One-day course

Understanding and identifying what Transgender means can help to create a safe and supportive environment for those children & young people experiencing issues.

The objectives include acquiring an understanding of the meaning of transgender, grasping the transition process, examining the issues impacting transgender children and youths, and developing the knowledge and skills necessary to support them. Additionally, an action plan will be formulated to establish environments that are welcoming to transgender individuals.

This course is aimed at managers responsible for creating transgender-inclusive settings, such as educational institutions and charitable organisations, as well as support staff seeking to enhance their expertise in assisting children and young people who identify as transgender.

Mental Health & Wellbeing

Anxiety in Young People: Understanding and Practical Solutions

One-day course

This training aims to enhance awareness and comprehension of anxiety while providing practical strategies to assist young individuals.

Prior to the pandemic, mental health issues among young people were on the rise, a trend that continued during lockdowns, leading to many young people and adults experiencing various forms of anxiety.

Participants will gain insights into the Polyvagal Theory and the contributions of Dr. Stephen Porges, as well as the research of Dr. Bessel van der Kolk regarding trauma and its impact on PTSD and OCD. The training will also address health considerations, examining how anxiety can elevate cortisol levels, blood sugar, and contribute to diabetes and heart disease. Furthermore, the program will investigate the factors contributing to the increase in anxiety before, during, and after the pandemic.

This training is appropriate for frontline personnel, including Social Workers, Health Professionals, Education and Support Staff, as well as practitioners in Housing and Youth Work.

Supporting Young People's Mental Health and Well-being

One-day course

The incidents of mental health issues among young individuals is rising, alongside an increase in self-harm and eating disorders.

This course is designed to investigate the diverse challenges that young people face regarding mental health and to identify strategies for fostering resilience and enhancing overall well-being.

Participants will explore the various categories of mental health conditions, the associated behaviours, and effective methods for supporting young individuals. The course will also introduce different strategies for building resilience and demonstrate techniques for sustaining well-being.

This course is intended for frontline workers and practitioners who engage with young people and seek to enhance their responses and interactions with this demographic.

Self-harm and Suicide Awareness

One-day course

This training day aims to enhance participants' comfort in discussing suicide and self-harm.

The session will delve into common misconceptions surrounding self-harm and suicide, while establishing a working definition of self-harm. Participants will review various methods of self-harm, consider relevant statistics on both national and international levels, and investigate potential motivations behind self-harming behaviours.

Key risk factors associated with self-harm will be emphasised, alongside an overview of the self-harm cycle. Participants will engage in activities that serve as safe alternatives to self-harm, and other physical exercises that can be shared with service users as healthier coping strategies.

Participants will practice risk assessment and acquire a foundational understanding of harm reduction techniques aimed at ensuring the safety of service users. They will also learn self-care strategies that empower service users to manage their well-being while minimising self-inflicted harm. The training will address protective factors and outline effective planning strategies, including essential do's and don'ts for participants.

The exploration of self-harm as a coping mechanism and suicide as a last resort will be a focal point, with discussions on the distinctions and overlaps between the two.

Participants will identify signs of suicidal ideation and assess varying levels of risk—low, medium, and high—while considering stressors, life events, biological factors, and early childhood trauma. The psychological aspects that may lead individuals to view suicide as a viable option will be examined. Participants will learn to assess risks while incorporating protective factors and will explore safe planning methods to implement in practice.

Eating Disorder Awareness

One-day course

This one-day course will examine eating disorders, including their various types, signs, symptoms, and available treatment options. It will investigate potential contributing factors such as psychological influences, body image perceptions, and the impact of media, including social media and peer pressure. Additionally, the course will address anxiety, coping strategies, and the distinctions among boys, girls, and LGBT youth.

The target audience for this course consists of frontline workers and practitioners who engage with young people and seek to enhance their responses and interactions with this demographic.