This free event is intended as an awareness raising session on how to equip frontline workers with the knowledge to successfully deal with the challenges in their work arising from resistant, hostile or uncooperative families. The awareness raising day is ideally suited to those within organisations responsible for be looking for ways of embedding some clear practice guidelines in their future training delivery.
Morning Session
Sue Woolmore | Independent Trainer/Consultant
Working with Resistant Families
This taster session will provide delegates with an ‘abridged' version of a unique, experiential method of face to face training, which is ideal for a multi agency group. This training method is visual and creates a reflective space allowing participants to:
- recognise their own experience of working with resistant families, by acknowledging and reinforcing the insight this has already instilled in them
- reflect on the characteristics and behaviours of families and professionals, who are engaged in a ‘resistant' relationship
- explore strategies for maintaining a child centred approach to practice, whilst addressing resistance from families
- reinforce the role of reflective supervision for frontline practitioners
- acknowledge the personal impact child protection practice has on professionals, exploring sources of support to build resilience
Through facilitated discussion, this reflective space will also provide an introduction to a ‘systems' approach to reviewing casework.
Feedback from previous participants on this course includes:
"Group work with Sue was excellent and visual. Interesting and visually powerful method of learning and practice reflection"
"Sue Woolmore's workshop was incredibly powerful. I will carry the impact of that workshop with me."
"Sue Woolmore's workshop was powerfully moving and emphasised how important the front line manager is to assist social workers to do their job"
Afternoon Session
Ruth Pearson | University of Sheffield
Working with Hostile or Uncooperative Families
This taster session has been devised to complement the experiential session delivered by Sue and is based on workshops delivered for single or multi-agency practitioners. The session is interactive and includes formal input and presentation; group discussion; skills-sharing and skill development. The session will:
- Set the scene, based on research and past Serious Case Reviews (local issues can be specifically addressed)
- Build on the nature of family behaviours, their origins and links with assessment of risk to children
- Guide the practical development skills of engagement using techniques drawn from concepts of authoritative practice and assertiveness enabling participants to challenge respectfully - what do I say? What do I do? When is it safe?
- Assist further awareness of the impact of ‘feeling' on the ‘thinking and doing' and how this assists or hinders practice
- Integrate consideration of issues of staff support and staff safety in response to families
Feedback from previous participants on this course
An inspiring day which gave some practical ideas of how to manage resistant parents.
Such a positive use of my time, I will use things from today for a very long time"
I will take away a commitment to ensure concentration on the child and not to be diverted by uncooperative parents, a consistent approach to supporting team members and safety measures with hostile parents
Really well presented-liked the exercise with agencies and families
Please include your name, job title & telephone number.
