Skip to content

Training and resources

Workforce development plan

Continuing to strengthen our workforce to protect children from harm is core to the delivery of our safeguarding duties. The Workforce Development Plan is our approach to multi-agency learning and development.

We are developing the whole workforce in three key skills:

  • Developing strengths-based practice
  • The roll out of training for restorative approaches including supervision
  • The development of appreciate inquiry

Read more about the rationale behind our workforce development plan


Workforce plan priorities

We want to make sure that everyone involved with DCPF has the skills and resources that they need to deliver a first-rate safeguarding service. These are our top workforce priorities for 2019-22:

Life Chances

  • Partnership approach to skills development, peer mentoring, on-line learning and good practice
  • Strengthened, focused and integrated leadership across health, education and social care for children in care and care leavers leading to more targeted workforce development initiatives
  • Different conversations training focused on developing choice and control for families of disabled children
  • Graduated response tool training to support children with SEND

Health and Wellbeing

  • Autism and communication training to all schools
  • Psychological therapies training for staff

Feel Safe

  • Multi-agency safeguarding training
  • Neglect toolkit and graded care profile training
  • Exploitation toolkit

Protected from Harm

  • Developing strength’s based practice
  • Multi-agency training on Domestic Violence and Abuse
  • Roll out of training for restorative approaches including supervision
  • Development of appreciative inquiry

Read more details about our workforce priorities


Progress against the Workforce Plan 2018-19

Multi-agency induction

Main aim: Develop a core offer which establishes a firm foundation for multi-agency working.

Progress made:

  • Multi-agency induction was explored, but design uncovered other opportunities.
  • The role of the Early Help Locality Partnership’s, Early Help Forums and Triage processes has taken forward many of the principles outlined here.
  • This remains under review considering the Children and Young Peoples Plan launch September 2019.
  • Engagement with the workforce in the cascade of the priorities and the annual refresh for Summer 2020 will highlight where multi-agency induction may still be of benefit.

Supervision

Main aim: Group 3 staff (who regularly work with vulnerable children or their parents) should have formal and regular child protection supervision from the outset of their employment which enables them to be clear about their roles and responsibilities and the objectives they need to meet.

Progress made:

  • A working group was set up to discover new working methods for our supervision strategy. The group proposed some solutions which could be introduced as part of the strategy, including: practitioner forums; easy access points into services; conferences.
  • Recent staff questionnaires have shown that the use of supervision to support practice continues to need further support.
  • A Practice Model will be introduced which includes Restorative Practice and uses motivational interviewing as one of a range of tools (December 2019).
  • Restorative Supervision will be rolled out to managers ahead of the practice model.
  • Appreciative Inquiry will be introduced as part of a wider skill set.

Strengths based working

Main aim: Use the inherent strengths of individuals, families, communities, groups and organisations to aid recovery, change, empowerment and resilience.

Progress made:

  • A strengths-based conference model will continue to be used for Initial Child Protection Conferences, Core Groups and Review Child Protection Conferences.
  • Further training and Continuing Professional Development will be developed by the Social Work Academy if analysis shows it is required.
  • The roll-out of new conference model and next steps in terms of embedding the strengths-based model in Devon is expected Winter 2019

Domestic and Sexual Violence and Abuse strategy

Main aim: Ensure frontline staff are able to identify and respond appropriately and effectively to individuals who are experiencing violence, those who are perpetrating violence and children who are witnessing violence.

Progress made:

  • Core offer training has been reviewed and updated with Child Sexual Abuse and Domestic Violence sub-group.  Joint delivery with the Adult Safeguarding Board is being explored
  • Trauma Informed Practice Training – The Frontline Briefing about trauma-informed approaches with young people provides a summary of relevant research about traumatic experiences, how we can support young people who have experienced trauma and how we can develop as practitioners to do this work
  • Review of progress against the strategy is underway autumn 2019 with recommendations for future workforce development for 2020 to be set out

Read more about our progress against the Workforce Plan 2018-19 priorities


Partnership governance and decision making

The workforce development of the partnership is overseen by a multi-agency partnership workforce development group.  This reports to the Practice Development Group and then onward to the Partnership Executive.  Informed by a constant cycle of review and recommendation, the Practice Development Group then commission training and workforce skills development from the multi-agency workforce development group.

Read more about the partnership’s governance and decision making


Multi-agency training core offer

We will continue to deliver a core interagency training programme which is informed by evidence and learning regarding child protection and which responds to DCFP safeguarding arrangements and Working Together to Safeguard Children (July 2018). Our current training offer provides a foundation for universal understanding through introductory safeguarding and child protection training.

Read more about our multi-agency training core offer

Single agency training

Single agency training will compliment the multi-agency core offer. Single agency training for social care, education, police and health services can be found here:

Access to resources

Remember, all staff have free access to Research in Practice. You can find full training and resources details here.

 

If you are concerned that a child is being abused please call

0345 155 1071

or email mash@devon.gov.uk.

If it’s an emergency call 999


Top
×

beta.devon.gov.uk

Welcome to beta.devon, a development environment for all of our web sites and an example of how our information and services are presented.

PLEASE BE AWARE - this is a test website. It may contain inaccuracies or be misleading. www.devon.gov.uk remains the official website for county council information and services.

Your suggestions will help us make this site better, so if you have any comments please leave us feedback.

N.B. This site uses 'cookies' and Google Analytics. Closing this page sets a cookie so you don't see it again. There's more information on cookies at AboutCookies.org.?

Beta