Latest News from Workforce Development
Darlington's Exploitation Review
We need your help!
Have your say – help improve the exploitation response in Darlington
Sarah Pritchard, Consultant Social Worker & Trainer for Barnardos has been commissioned by Darlington Children's Services to complete an external review of Darlington’s internal and multi-agency procedures where there are concerns a child is vulnerable to exploitation.
The review will look at the themes in practice that are working well, what areas need improving with recommendations of what needs to happen next. To maximise understanding and ensure that the recommendations are realistic & useful, Sarah really needs to hear from you - your opinion really matters.
Sarah is looking at confidence levels in knowledge and practice application in working with child exploitation, She's interested in the workability of current processes and any ideas you have for the next steps. The review is time limited, so she would appreciate any precious time that you can spare.
To take part in the review please click on the following link: Survey [external website]
Step up to Social Work
Step Up to Social Work is coming up this year. Applications open Monday 17 February 2025 and we are looking forward to supporting another cohort! Please click on the following link for more information about the programme: Step up to Social Work [external website] for more information about the Step Up program. Authorities from across the region are supporting, but all recruitment is via North East Jobs– please see advert here: North East Jobs [external website]
KoothTalks Free Mental Health Webinar
This FREE, 30 minute session is designed for healthcare & local service professionals on the role of Kooth & Qwell in the care pathway for people with an eating difficulty. It will take place on 24 & 26 February 2025 from 4.00-4.30pm. The session is repeated so you only need to attend one. They are also offering this topic for parents, carers & families on 25 & 27 February 2025 from 6.00-6.30pm.
The session will cover:
- hearing from Kooth's Head of Clinical Governance, Dr Hannah about her experience supporting people with eating difficulties
- the difference between eating difficulties & eating 'disorders'
- signs that someone may be experiencing difficulties with eating
- what to do if you are concerned
- data insights & case studies.
Once signed up, you’ll receive the joining link and further information the day before the session:
- Professionals please click on the following link to book: Kooth Events [external website]
- Families please click on the following link to book: Kooth Events [external website]
Learning & Skills Darlington
With the new term approaching, please see below all the new courses Learning & Skills are running this term:
Courses for the Family
Family First Aid – Tuesdays from 12.45-2.45pm at Hopetown (5 weeks) – FREE Wagon Woods ticket per family on completion / Thursdays from 9.15-11.15am at Red Hall (5 weeks)
This course is for adults who would like to improve their first aid skills and create a safe environment in the home. It will focus on first aid procedures, ways to create a safe home, resuscitation skills, how to handle an emergency situation and more.
Creative Crafts – Tuesdays from 10.00-12.00pm at Salvation Army, DL1 3EW (5 weeks)
Design and create fun crafts that you can showcase to your family and friends and display around the home!
Cooking on a Budget – Tuesdays from 12.30-2.30pm at The Edge, Baptist Church (4 weeks) - FREE Air fryer on Completion
This course is for anybody aged 19+ who wants to learn how to create simple and affordable meals. The course will cover food costing comparisons, supermarket tricks and plenty of recipes, like homemade pizzas, quiche, and soup. This course is taught in-person so you can get hands on with the cooking for the most effective learning.
Storybook Buddies – Tuesdays from 10.00-11.00am at Darlington Library (5 weeks)
These sessions are for parents and carers with children aged 2-5 years old who wish to spend quality time learning through play together. Within the Darlington Children’s Library, you will take part in activities such as crafts, pretend play, jigsaws, and games all linked to our book theme of the week. While taking part in these activities you will support your child’s language development and learn how this links to early reading skills. This course is tutored in-person so you can ask questions and get feedback freely.
Parenting Together – Fridays from 12.45-2.45pm at McNay Street (3 weeks)
This course is for adults with children up to the age of 11 years old or learners looking to boost their CV for a career in schools. You will learn how to identify effective parenting strategies, promote self-esteem, use positive communication skills and much more.
Fancy a Career Change?
Do you struggle with interviews? Interested in a new career? Our Employment Academy is perfect for you! Learn how to bring the best you to interviews, raise your confidence, discover more about the workplace you will be applying for and end the week with a guaranteed interview!
- Arriva – Week commencing 3 March 2025 - Monday to Friday from 10.00-3.00pm at the Coleridge Centre (DL1 5AJ)
- Aldi – Week commencing 6 March 2025 – Thursday to Wednesday (excluding weekends) from 10.00-3.00pm at Coleridge Centre (DL1 5AJ)
- Adult Social Care – Week commencing 17 March 2025 - Monday to Friday from 10.00-3.00pm at Coleridge Centre (DL1 5AJ)
Moving Forward Virtual Check in
- Friday 6 March 2026 from 10.00-12.00pm via MS Teams
- Click on link for more information: Training Directory
Child Development 0-5 for Professionals
- Monday 10 March 2025 from 1.00-2.30pm via MS Teams
- Click on link for more information: Training Directory
Professor Thorpe 'Power of Conversation'
- Thursday 13 March 2025 from 10.00-11.30am via MS Teams
- Click on link for more information: Training Directory
Moving Social Work
- Thursday 13 March 2025 from 2.00-4.30pm at Stockton
- Friday 14 March 10.00-12.30pm at Stockton
- Click on link for more information: Training Directory
Team Teach
- Thursday 20 March 2025 & Friday 21 March 2025 from 9.30-4.30pm at Tandem
- Click on link for more information: Training Directory
Infection Prevention & Control
- Thursday 20 March 2025 from 10.00-12.30pm in the Stephenson Suite, Dolphin Centre
- Click on link for more information: Training Directory
Complaint Handling (Children)
- Tuesday 25 March 2025 from 1.00-3.00pm in Room 406, Town Hall
- Click on link for more information: Training Directory
EXIP Briefing - Autism in Older Adults
- Monday 31 March 2025 from 1.30-2.30pm in Room 406, Town Hall
- Click on link for more information: Training Directory
Experts in Practice
Experts in Practice is an innovative and unique programme that supports the development and progression of staff. It enables us to create bespoke, research driven and needs led training and development programmes and resources for Darlington.
In partnership with the NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) and Sunderland University, Darlington People Group train and support staff to become Social Care Research Ambassadors (SCRA), or as we call them here in Darlington, ‘Experts in Practice’. Our programme is different to any other SCRA programme in the country and has been cited as national good practice, with the NIHR promoting our ‘Experts in Practice’ approach to other Local Authorities across the country.
- What is ‘Experts in Practice’? – in Darlington we recognise that we have some extremely skilled and capable staff members who with guidance and support, help us to create and deliver their expert knowledge and skills to others. Many of these staff members have particular areas of practice interest, that with a little training, fine tuning and quality assuring are turned into an amazing and informative training programmes for others. ‘Experts in Practice’ is about recognising, enhancing and delivering that expertise to others through the development of internal training resources.
- Why ‘Experts in Practice’? – whilst providing bespoke, research led programmes of training and resources, Experts in Practice supports a number of key identified areas of need, including; recruitment and retention of staff, progression, staff feeling supported and valued, job satisfaction and ownership (including a sense of responsibility) and budget savings.
- What do Experts in Practice produce? – our Experts in Practice develop research led training programmes and resources for the workforce, e.g. Experts In Practice - Self Neglect [external website]
- Who can be an ‘Expert in Practice’? – a real positive in terms of who can be an ‘Expert in Practice’ is that, essentially any member of staff could potentially take up the role. Interest, expertise, and knowledge in a particular area of need, along with the support of internal leadership and management regarding the development and delivery of that specific area are key to staff becoming an ‘Expert in Practice’.
Unconscious Bias – Practice Briefing
We all have unconscious bias, it is a part of human nature. But its impact can be damaging and it can prevent workplaces really progressing on their inclusion journey. Here you will learn about the different types of unconscious bias, the challenges it can bring to the workplace and importantly, how to prevent it from happening. Please click on the following link: Briefing [pdf document]
Disclosure & Barring Service Disclosure Workshops
DBS Enhanced Checks Workshop – North East Safeguarding Networks
Appropriate for those in North East Safeguarding Networks who need to give advice and make decisions about DBS checks (such as Managers, HR Teams, Recruitment Teams, Compliance Managers). The workshop will cover:
- The Enhanced DBS Application Process
- Stage 4 of the Enhanced DBS Check process and how this impacts on disclosure information
- What to do if you experience delays
Date: Tuesday 18 March 2025 from 2.00-3.00pm
To book a place please click on the following link: Events [external website]
DBS Harmful Behaviour Outside of Work Workshop – North East Safeguarding Networks
Appropriate for those in North East Safeguarding Networks who deal with/ manage staff safeguarding concerns, welfare issues, disciplinary matters and would be responsible for making referrals to DBS (such as Team Managers, Safeguarding Leads, HR staff etc). The workshop will cover:
- What we mean by ‘harmful behaviour’
- Safeguarding, Abuse and Neglect
- Relevant Conduct and Risk of Harm
- Harmful behaviour and the transferability of risk
- How to make a barring referral to DBS
Date: Tuesday 1 April 2025 from 10.00-11.00am
To book a place please click on the following link: Events [external website]
DBS Update Service Masterclass – North East Safeguarding Networks
Appropriate for those in North East Safeguarding Networks who make decisions about DBS checks and have responsibility for the management/ maintenance of staff records (such as Team Managers, HR Teams, Compliance Managers). The Masterclass will cover:
- What the Update Service is (and is not)
- Which DBS certificates can be registered with the service
- Benefits of the service to both applicants and recruiting organisations
- Status checking & interpreting the results
- Update Service and Home-Based positions
- Using the Update Service when recruitment and suitability decisions are made off site
Date: Wednesday 16 April 2025 from 11.00-12.00pm
To book a place please click on the following link: Events [external website]
Creative Life Story Work
New courses are available:
- The Impact of Domestic Abuse - Thursday 6 March 2025
- Attachment - Thursday 10 April 2025
- Communicating with Traumatised Children - Thursday 8 May 2025
- Trauma - Thursday 15 May 2025
- Recover - Monday 23 June 2025
- All About Me Direct Work - Monday 7 July 2025
Courses are free to those who have an account. For more information click on the following link: Creative Life Story Work [external website]
Skills for Care Online Practice Sessions
During January & February 2025, Skills for Care are hosting a series of online community of practice sessions to increase digital confidence & technology skills for Occupational Therapists, Social Workers, & Principal Occupational Therapists & Principal Social Workers who work in Adult Social Care.
The topics that will be covered are:
What does Artificial Intelligence (AI) mean to me?
We’ll explore what artificial intelligence (AI) is, the opportunities which it offers & the ethical considerations around its use. We’ll share real life case studies where AI is already in use in social care.
Digital Leadership
Find out what we mean by 'digital leadership' and why it’s important. We’ll discuss the role of digital champions in the workplace & the role of dedicated TEC teams, as well as continuous professional development & workplace wellbeing.
The Internet of Things
From smart fridges to smart phones, radar sensors to robot vacuum cleaners, our houses are filled with technologies called the internet of things (IoT). The applications for IoT in social care are numerous. In this practical session we’ll look at case studies of how this technology is being used & how to have conversations with the people you support about whether this technology is right for them.
For more information & dates please click on the following link: Skills for Care [external website]
DBC Staff - please inform Workforce Development if you book a place.
Suicide Prevention Training
Funding from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Suicide Prevention Grant Fund has been awarded to PAPYRUS which has enabled them to provide fully funded Suicide Prevention training in the North East until March 2025.
There are four courses available which can be booked through the following link: Papyrus UK [external website]:
- SPARK – Suicide Prevention Awareness, Resource, Knowledge - an introduction to PAPYRUS & suicide prevention - 30 minute presentation
- SPOT – Suicide Prevention Overview Tutorial - what EVERYONE needs to know - 90 minute training
- SPEAK – Suicide Prevention Explore, Ask, Keep-Safe - an introduction to suicide prevention skills - half day training
- ASIST – Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training - a skills building workshop that prepares caregivers to provide suicide first aid interventions - 2 day training
Lunchtime Learning
The North East Children & Families Principal Social Worker Network have continued to plan & deliver a series of bespoke Lunchtime Learning Sessions which are open to all Children’s Services practitioners across the region. Below you will find an overview of the sessions. All sessions are held between 12pm-1pm on the identified dates and you can attend as many as you like! Please add the Teams Link to your calendar to join.
|
Authority |
Date |
Session |
Link |
|
Northumberland |
Thursday 26 March 2025 |
Being Culturally Competent - click on the following link for more info: Being Culturally Competent flyer [pdf document] |
|
|
South Tyneside |
Thursday 10 April 2025 |
Sharing Sensitive Information as part of Life Story Work - click on the following link for more info: Sharing Sensitive Information flyer [pdf document] |
|
|
Redcar & Cleveland |
Thursday 17 July 2025 |
The Power of Language - click on the following link for more info: Power of language flyer [pdf document] |
DBC Staff - Please inform Workforce Development if you attend so we can keep your training record up to date.
Boost
The North East & Cumbria Learning & Improvement Community for Health & Social Care
The Boost learning academy offers flexible training & development. It offers a wide range of courses, seminars and events all designed to help deliver the best possible care. The learning academy is open to everyone working or volunteering in the North East & North Cumbria health & care system including all of social care.
It offers a wide range of learning opportunities from leadership & improvement courses to prevention & addressing inequalities programmes using a making every contact count approach. Learning opportunities cover a variety of topics relating to population health including alcohol, tobacco, mental health, poverty, inequalities & more. Plus, there's the opportunity to connect & learn together with like-minded people from across the region
People can join the learning academy & get on track to growing their skills & knowledge by clicking on the following link: Boost [external link]
Safer Prescribing Survey
NHS North East & Cumbria are looking at the issue of the safer prescribing of valproate & topiramate. These medicines can help with Epilepsy, Bipolar Disorder & Migraines (topiramate only) but there are some risks and they would like to hear from patients, carers & organisations about what would help them make the decision about taking the medicine & how they manage the risk. The survey will help them understand people's experiences of decision making around taking these medicines. Closing date for the survey is 28 February 2025. You can access the survey via the following links:
Full Survey(not easy read)
Easy Read Survey (for people who find reading harder)
If you have any questions about filling in the survey or need information in a different format please contact Jo Whaley on 0191 2172806 or email: [email protected]
Supporting the Transition to Adulthood Free Online Conference
National Children’s Bureau is hosting an online conference on Wednesday 26 March 2025 from 1.30-4.45pm creating a space for managers & leaders across the Children’s and Adults’ sectors to share ideas & experiences of effective collaboration & innovation.
You will hear from:
- Andy Smith and Melanie Williams, the 2024-25 Presidents of ADCS and ADASS on why transitions is a sector priority and how we can drive the change needed.
- Dez Holmes, the Strategic Director of Practice & Programmes at the National Children’s Bureau and Director of Research in Practice on transitions as an issue of systems change.
- Experts by experience who will share what helps young people to make a smooth and positive journey into adulthood.
You can find further details and booking instructions via this link: Supporting the Transition to Adulthood [external website]
For additional information or any queries, please contact the Research in Practice team directly via email: [email protected]
DBC Staff - Please advise Workforce Development if you sign up.
Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Training
CAMHS run a rolling programme of training including the following awareness raising sessions:
- Anxiety, Worries, Fears & Phobias
- Anxious About School
- Attachment Difficulties
- Attentional Difficulties
- Childhood Trauma & Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE)
- Deliberate Self Harm
- Eating Difficulties
- Emotional Wellbeing & Communication
- Low Mood & Depression
- Social & Communication Difficulties
For more information click on the following link: Training Directory
The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability & Autism
The training is named after Oliver McGowan. Oliver was a young man whose death shone a light on the need for health & social care staff to have better skills, knowledge & understanding of the needs for autistic people and people with a learning disability. For more information please click on the following link: Oliver McGowan Training [external website]
Darlington XTRA
- Subscribe to Darlington Xtra Spotify: Click on the following link: Subscribe to our Spotify [external website]
- Subscribe to Darlington Xtra YouTube: Click on the following link: Subscribe to our YouTube [external website]
Learning & Skills Darlington
Welcome to Learning & Skills Darlington. They are a local training provider offering a wide range of learning opportunities for all ages. They offer a wide range of learning & training opportunities for all ages, including:
- Adult & Community Learning
- Functional Skills
- English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
- Distance Learning (DL) & Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
- Family Learning
- Intensive Support
- Higher & Further Education
- Apprenticeships
- Study Programmes & Pre-Apprenticeship Programmes
For more information, please click on the following link: Learning & Skills Darlington
Skills for Care Tools, Resources & E-Learning Modules
Skills for Care offer a range of tools, resources & e-learning modules on various care topics including:
- Oral Health
- Equality & Diversity
- Person Centred Approaches in Health & Care
- Modern Slavery
- Infection Prevention & Control
- Culturally Appropriate Care
- Mental Health
- End of Life Care
- Medication
- Pressure Ulcers
- Dementia
- Learning Disability
- Mental Capacity Act
- Supporting People with Challenging or Distressed Behaviour
- Learning Disability & Autism
- Autism
For more information click on the following link: Skills for Care Website [external website]
E Learning Modules Available:
Zero Suicide Alliance on-line training
- For further information click on the following link: Training Directory
Council for Disabled Children - SEND Basic Awareness
- For further information click on the following link: Training Directory
The MS Society - MS Awareness Course
- For further information click on the following link: Training Directory
Safeguarding Adults & Children
For details of Safeguarding Adults & Safeguarding Children training, visit the Darlington Safeguarding Partnership Website[external link]
Training Materials & Resources
The Workforce Development Intranet pages contain a range of useful information, training materials & resources available to Darlington Borough Council staff. Search for Workforce Development.