Professional Curiosity in a multi-agency context - Free Training

Tuesday 30th April 2024

Tuesday 4th June 2024

Tuesday 10th September 2024

Wednesday 15th January 2025

09.30 till 16.30

MS Teams

Course Outline:

A lack of Professional Curiosity across public and third sector organisations is often highlighted in Serious Case Reviews as a key factor in professionals not having safeguarded vulnerable children and adults as effectively as they could have. This multi-agency training event brings together colleagues from across the area to work together in increasing their collective ability to be professionally curious. This course takes a strengths-based systemic approach, that is underpinned by the concept that professionals working together and communicating effectively within a culture of supportive peer challenge can achieve a holistic response to children and their families that maximises the positives and proactively reduces and manages risk.

This course will encourage delegates to consider how they can critically reflect and analyse situations to understand what is happening in a family rather than making assumptions and taking situations at face value. The course covers factors that support and promote professional curiosity in practice as well as identifying obstacles to professional curiosity and practical strategies to ensure that curiosity is maintained and utilised in all areas of practice. Areas included using genograms, ecomaps and a think family approach, maximising effective multi-agency working by creating opportunities to co-work, communicate and challenge and raising awareness of professional grooming, boundaries and transference that can hamper professional curiosity. The overarching framework for this approach is the Signs of Safety Model adopted by Thurrock which promotes professional curiosity as a core value, a tool and an approach to safeguarding children.

This course briefly explores using professional curiosity to engage families reluctant to work with professionals, which is covered in more detail in the ‘Successfully engaging families who are reluctant to work with services’ course.

Learning Methods:

This training is delivered using an online interactive classroom approach and all delegates will be expected to take part to ensure an effective adult learning experience. Using whiteboards and breakout rooms, a combination of learning methods will be used throughout the day, including trainer presentation and group work in the form of case studies and reflection dilemmas to support application to practice. Local templates and expectations will be embedded in the programme where required and appropriate.

Learning Outcomes:

This course will provide participants with the following learning outcomes:

• To understand what professional curiosity looks like and why it matters.
• To understand what promotes or hinders professional curiosity.
• To use professional curiosity to have empathy for families struggling to engage and support them to do so.
• To be able to utilise a range of tools that increase curiosity when working with families including:
• The signs of safety framework
• 3-generation genograms/eco-maps
• Systemic approaches to understanding risk
• How to triangulate information to identify risks and strengths
• To feel empowered to challenge other services constructively and in a way that is effective in increasing collective professional curiosity

Delegate Requirements

All delegates will need access to a laptop/desktop for the whole session, a functioning microphone and camera, and a strong stable internet connection to allow effective participation. Delegates will need a quiet place to work, largely free of interruptions so they can unmute to contribute.

Delegates will need to be present for the entire session unless by arrangement, this is to maximise their own learning and not detract from the experience of others. Where courses include a request for skills practice (i.e., Court Skills or Motivational Interviewing) taking part in the practice element of the course is mandatory.

Where possible delegates should be using the Microsoft Teams Desktop App and have ensured it is fully updated. Laptops/Desktops should have an up-to-date Browser such as Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge other browsers are not fully supported.

The pre-course materials will be sent to you prior to the training and it is advised that these are downloaded prior to the course and they will need them accessible on the day.

Please note – for health and safety reasons it is not appropriate to access these courses from a mobile phone. Whilst tablets can be used; delegates will find a laptop/desktop is easier as functionality on tablets are still limited.

Programme Outline

The programme for the session can be found by clicking here

To book onto this training, please click here

By submitting the application, you agree to the terms and conditions of the below declaration:-

1. I confirm that I have read the attendance criteria and learning outcomes and believe that I will significantly benefit from this learning and that I meet the criteria.
2. I will take all necessary steps to ensure that the learning outcomes are reinforced in the workplace.
3. My Line Manager has agreed to me undertaking this training.
4. I agree to complete initial feedback at the end of this training session and will complete the follow up feedback six weeks later.  I am aware that failure to complete either of these feedbacks will result in notification to my manager and I will not receive my certificate of attendance, which may affect my compliance to meet any statutory requirements.
5. I understand that places will be allocated by Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Partnership.
6. I understand that my details may be securely and confidentially retained by Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Partnership for statistical and information purposes only.
7. For non-chargeable courses, I agree to reimburse Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Partnership for late cancellation or non-attendance, without 5 working days notice.

DATA PROTECTION

In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation 2018, the information provided on this form will be held for the purposes of training and development.  This information will be stored securely in electronic format and any original hard copies disposed of as confidential waste.  The information will be processed by members of the LSCP Business Team and will be kept in accordance with retention policies.  It may be shared with other LSCP members for the purposes of audit and scrutiny.