Course Overview:

The course aims to update, refresh and remind experienced Social Workers working with children and families, of their statutory responsibilities. These skills are necessary within the roles of advanced practitioners/ senior social workers, or for those managing and supervising less experienced social workers. Delegates are able to identify the signs for early intervention, undertake competent and confident investigations and assessments, enable the correct risk assessment to be completed to adequately meet the needs of and protect all children.

Delegates cover the relevant legislation relating to children, explore the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and the impact of Human Rights Act 1998. There is a focus on the Mental Capacity Act 2005 for children aged 16, who may be deprived of their liberty in response to their complex needs.

Delegates will assess the current level of success that is achieved within their local authorities and teams, to ensure that they are able to make the best use of the relaunched Public Law Outline. Time is dedicated to reviewing the requirements for frontloading, the pre-proceedings outline and the different stages within the family court process, plus all the appropriate options for permanence.

Day one covers the theory. Then on the morning of day 2, delegates will explore how to produce well structured, court compliant statements and assessments — in their own right, or to fulfil their role of supervising and guiding NQSWs.

Further topics include:

• A useful reminder as to what constitutes best practice in note taking and record keeping.
• Guidance as to the court’s requirements for both section 7 and section 37 reports.
• How best to draft SWETs and care plans.
• In the afternoon there will be a refresher session in relation to courtroom skills, when consideration will be given to both face-to-face and virtual hearings. The day will conclude with a mock court hearing where some delegates will experience crossexamination.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• Evaluate a child’s needs for early intervention and support.
• Understand how early intervention can be used to maximise improved outcomes for children.
• Explain how child in need can be used to maximise improved outcomes for children.
• Verify how child protection procedures can be used to maximise improved outcomes for children.
• Evaluate frontloading.
• Evaluate the pre-proceedings process.
• Evaluate the different stages of case management within court proceedings.
• Explore the relaunch of the Public Law outline November 2022.
• Define the threshold criteria.
• Evaluate relevant evidence to meet the ‘threshold criteria’.
• Specify the different types of harm.
• Outline the applications and orders available to social workers to assist in adequately safeguarding children.
• Improve best practice in note taking and record keeping.
• Evaluate a social work assessment report that truly reflects a child’s needs and associated risks.
• Evaluate a social work statement that truly reflects a child’s needs and associated risks, with reference to the SWET.
• Enhance a conclusion or recommendation by linking it to factual evidence in the case via persuasive analysis.
• Outline how witness familiarisation assists with presenting a case to a judge with confidence.