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Key Info

1 Day Course

Contact us if you require training which runs to a different timescale

Where and When

Delivered at a venue of your choice throughout the UK or by tutor led remote online delivery, contact us for availability.

Face to Face or Remote Training?

Accredited Course

The course content are accredited by the Open College Network (OCN) Credit4Learning as a Level 3 course.

What are the benefits of accredited training?

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Course Overview

Contact is the time when child in care is in contact with their birth family, either seeing them in person (supervised by a supporter) or by other methods including email and telephone call.

Contact can be an enjoyable and fun experience and an essential part of building relationships between a child and their family, but it can also be a challenging, emotional and confusing experience.

The training course discusses the different methods of contact and the considerations which professionals working with children may have to take when planning for supervised contact visits, during contact itself and the possible impact following contact visits for both the child and the supporter(s) who have been supervising.

This training course explain information which need to be documented and recorded following a contact visit, including occasions of when contact visits do not take place or when they end prematurely for various reasons.

This training course considers each person involved, including the child, family, professionals and others and provides ideas and advice about how to plan, support and deal with the emotional journey of contact. This is a Level 3 accredited course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Below are the main topics covered in this course, expand each one to see the criteria.

1Understand what 'contact' is
  • 1.1Describe the meaning and purpose of contact visits
2Understand the importance of contact visits
  • 2.1Describe the importance of family history and background
  • 2.2Describe the theory of healthy or secure attachment, ambivalent attachment, avoidant attachment and reactive attachment
  • 2.3Describe the impact of separation and loss for looked after children and young people
  • 2.4Explain the connection between attachment, separation, loyalty and identity
3Understand legislation and regulations relating to contact visits
  • 3.1Analyse the requirements of the Children Act 1989 in the provision of contact visits
  • 3.2Describe the requirements of providing contact as identified in the Children's Homes Regulations (2015)
4Understand types of contact
  • 4.1Explain and evaluate the benefits and risks of informal contact, formal contact and supervised contact
  • 4.2Explain the role of the contact visit supervisor
  • 4.3Define the meaning of the term 'capacity to change'
  • 4.4Describe the four key areas of consideration when assessing capacity to change
5Understand ways to prepare for contact visits
  • 5.1Describe considerations to be made before contact visits, during contact visits and after contact visits
6Understand the impact of contact visits
  • 6.1Explain and evaluate the emotional impact which contact can have on children and young people, family members and professionals/supporters
7Understand ways of supervising contact visits (including documents and recording requirements)
  • 7.1Define professional limitations for supervising contact visits
  • 7.2Confirm documentation and recording requirements following contact visits including raising any cause for concern

Accreditation

The course content are accredited by the Open College Network (OCN) Credit4Learning as a Level 3 course.

Certification

Each learner completing this course will receive an accredited Level 3 certificate of learning.

Additional Information

Training course duration

1 Day (please contact us if you require training which runs to a different timescale).

Availability of this training course

This Planning and Supervising Contact Visits training course is available as in-house training at a venue of your own choice throughout the UK. Alternatively, also available remotely via a tutor led course over Zoom or MS Teams.

Audience for this course

This Planning and Supervising Contact Visits training course is designed for professionals working with children and young people including support teams, education professionals and foster carers.

QCF Units

This Planning and Supervising Contact Visits training course is designed to meet the standards outlined in the new Children's Homes (England) Regulations which were introduced on 1st April 2015 and can contribute to outcomes of QCF units including the National Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce.

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Why Choose Ringway Training? Read some of our clients past comments
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"Great value for money at a competitive price, and my staff team really enjoyed the day. I will be using Mark and Ringway Training for my future needs and it proves that you can get great quality at a reasonable price! Thank you! "

Dominic Owenson – The Chamber of Training Services

"This course is more informative than previous safeguarding training which I have attended and is essential to anybody who works with children and young people. (Safeguarding Children and Young People Level 3) "

Rachel, Holme Farm, Middlesborough

"The trainer delivered the course very well and kept everyone interested and involved throughout. (Dementia Training for MCCH in London). "

Esther Dafiaga - MCCH - London

"This course was incredibly informative and extremely well presented. Everyone who works with vulnerable young people and adults should attend. (Drug, Substance and Alcohol Abuse Level 3) "

Alison, Future Living Hertford

"Mark made sure I was included in the training session and had the chance to take part in activities and talking about my experiences. The course was interesting, fun and thought provoking. "

Joyce Ashley – Home Start Trafford