Securing Children’s Futures:
Good Practice in Permanence Planning and Family Placement

This course is aimed at social workers and managers in children and families teams and other specialist settings, and family placement workers from across the statutory, voluntary and independent sector.  Applicants from agencies will require the support of their employer to enable attendance, and to provide support for the student and validation of their work.

The course is at post graduate certificate level (level 11) and will be awarded 60 credits which could be taken forward to further study for a diploma or MSc. Applications to the course are welcomed from social workers and managers in children and families work, and family placement. No prior accredited learning is required for admission to the course. The course is validated by the University of Strathclyde.

The course will be run twice. The first commencement will be in March 2009 and the second in September 2009. It will involve attendance at four taught modules of three consecutive days per module during the period March to September, 2009. Half day tutorial support will also be offered between modules. Assessment will be on the basis of four written assignments and will also be informed by observations of practice in the workplace.

Course modules

Module 1 Setting the context
Module 1 will introduce students to the historic, legal, and policy context of work with children and families and the role of family based substitute care.  It will critically explore frameworks that are currently in use for assessing children’s needs and parenting capacity.  Professional practice and experience will be incorporated in the exploration of issues around foster care, particularly dilemmas regarding inadequate provision.  Outcomes for children in public care (including educational and health issues) in the light of up-to-date research will be explored and the first steps in permanence planning will consider thresholds for decision making in permanent substitute care.

Module 2 Decision making
Module 2 will take forward key aspects of permanence planning such as promoting and safeguarding a child’s identity; considering the complex areas of contact in permanent placement; and the immediate and long term impact of decision making on the temporary and permanent placement of siblings.

It will also consider issues of personal and professional value systems, and the legal framework, including the individual practitioner’s role in gathering, analysing, evaluating, presenting and giving evidence.

Module 3 Working with the child
Module 3 will concentrate on the child in terms of essential psychological and developmental theories that inform assessment and planning. These include attachment theory; brain development and the impact of trauma; and resilience theory. The practitioner’s role in understanding and supporting the child is central to this module; the content will incorporate the theory and practice involved in working directly with children. 

Module 4 Working with carers
Module 4 will introduce students to developments in the assessment of adult substitute carers (including related carers) based on recent research on outcomes, with a focus on their practical application. Areas incorporated include the impact of infertility; linking and matching; report writing, inter-country adoption, and the role of the adoption and fostering panels. The module will continue bringing together themes and processes that impact on all parties in substitute care over the life cycle. These will include an exploration of issues involved in disruption, and search and reunion.  Adoption UK will be a contributor to this module. 

Dates and venues

• March 2009 in Aberdeen City
  Module 1 – Setting the context
  25, 26, & 27 March, 2009
  Module 2 – Decision making
  11, 12, & 13 May, 2009
  Module 3 – Working with the child
  17, 18, & 19 June, 2009
  Module 4 – Working with carers
  2, 3, & 4 September, 2009 ,
• September 2009 in Edinburgh City
  Module 1 – Setting the context
  15, 16, & 17 September, 2009
  Module 2 – Decision making         
  11, 12, & 13 November, 2009
  Module 3 – Working with the child
  20, 21, & 22 January, 2010
  Module 4 – Working with carers    
  17, 18, & 19 March, 2010
  

Cost

£1600 + VAT: Total: £1880.00

Course Leader

Pat Hutchison

More information

For further information please contact Pat Hutchison or Brenda Reilly
Tel:  0131 220 4749 
Email pat.hutchison@baaf.org.uk or brenda.reilly@baaf.org.uk