Please note: Due to the current situation in relation to COVID-19, ESCB has made a decision, where possible, to run courses virtually for the rest of 2020. At this time, it is planned to run all courses face-to-face in 2021, but this is subject to change.
Reducing Parental Conflict
In Essex we believe that family stability is the key to delivering the best outcomes for children and young people, and that good parental relationships (whether you are living together or not) are at the heart of that stability.
Arguments and conflict between parents occur for a number of reasons and when they are managed and resolved there are few, if any, lasting effects on the relationship or on children. However, where arguments and conflict are frequent, intense and poorly resolved, children can be affected in many different ways; they may feel responsible, become withdrawn, sad or angry and it can potentially impact on their ability to form and maintain healthy relationships of their own.
Courses
Cost to participants: Free (please note cancellation policy).
There are three ½ day (3.5 hours) modules available with the aim of the courses to provide support for those working with children and families in Essex to identify parental conflict. Dependent on your role, delegates can choose from the following;
- Module 2- Recognising and Supporting Parents in Parental Conflict: Applying knowledge, skills and techniques
- Module 3- Working with Parents in Conflict: How do I support, refer or intervene
- Module 4- Reducing Parental Conflict: The Role of Supervisors and Managers: How can I support my frontline practitioners
There is also a train the trainer module available, the expectation would be that you commit to delivering the various modules within your own organisation. Please see below for further information and if you would like to discuss further please email Gaynor.Sproul@essex.gov.uk
Recognising and Supporting Parents in Parental Conflict: Applying knowledge, skills and techniques (Module 2)
By the end of this half-day, skills-based workshop, participants will be able to:
- Recognise relationship distress at an early stage and when it is potentially damaging
- Support couples experiencing parental conflict and be empowered to act, report or refer should domestic abuse be disclosed/identified
- Revisit the stressors that may lead to parental conflict
- Recognise the role of fathers / male carers in a child’s life and understand the importance of including co-parents in all forms of co-parenting couples
- Build confidence and skills by using effective listening and questioning techniques to identify and discuss parental conflict triggers
- Understand your role and responsibilities in discussing parental conflict with parents, to help frontline practitioners assist parents to understand the impact of parental conflict on their children
Working with Parents in Conflict: How do I support, refer or intervene (Module 3)
By the end of this half-day, skills-based workshop, participants will be able to:
- Identify the level of conflict encountered and describe the most appropriate support to offer
- Respond appropriately when parental conflict is identified
- Practice how to approach conversations that may arise around distressed relationships
- Know about the available local and national resources available to support parents whose relationship is in conflict
- Help parents to engage with these services, by being able to describe what they do and what the evidence shows us about long term outcomes for children
- Identify when to talk with your manager about possible domestic abuse and/or child safeguarding situations
Reducing Parental Conflict: The Role of Supervisors and Managers: How can I support my frontline practitioners (Module 4)
By the end of this half-day, skills-based workshop, participants will be able to:
- Support members of staff through the handling of parental conflict situations
- Recognise the importance of maintaining a focus on reducing parental conflict
- Apply the evidence-base to day to day interactions with parents
- Utilise the tools from the toolkit to support frontline practitioners to work with parents in conflict
- Use questioning to probe for further details where necessary
- Handle supervisory discussions involving parental conflict cases
- Advise staff members on the appropriate course of action appropriate to the situation
Reducing Parental Conflict Train the Trainer
We are also offering a two day ‘Reducing Parental Conflict Train the Trainer’ programme. This will equip participants with the content and resources to deliver any of the modules to their own services/organisations/teams.
If you are applying to attend the train the trainer course you do not need to apply to attend the other modules as you will be given access to the modules via e-learning. It is expected that you will complete the e-learning prior to attending the full two days.
By the end of this highly participative workshop format, participants will be able to:
- Understand the importance of the structural design of the programme, utilising the elements of the programme and the corresponding materials
- Deliver the programmes effectively, as designed, to diverse attendees
- Position the materials and exercises relevantly to their audiences
- Implement evidence base practice throughout
- Execute the practical exercises in each module using the support materials as designed
- Facilitate discussions and questions from audience members
- Apply existing L&D techniques for audience involvement including the 5 Ps model
- Evaluate the feedback received via comment and participant questionnaires
- Promote the availability of e-learning and further programmes
Cancellation
ESCB Charging and Cancellation policy has been updated, please read before you book your course.
Please note that late notice cancellations and non-attendance at courses will incur a charge, you will need to complete payment information upon booking the course, this information will only be used if you cancel your place with less than 15 working days’ notice or do not attend on the day.
