With reported anxiety, high stress levels and low confidence regarding courtroom skills, as well as anecdotal accounts of an increase in the variety of child protection professionals being called to provide evidence to the courts (Reeves et al 2017; Brown et al 2015; Holt and Kelly 2012; Family Justice Review 2011; Seymour, C 2006), courtroom training has never been more important to child protection workers. We can help you prepare for this using ‘myCourtroom: Rosie’s family go to court’.
“I think it [myCourtroom] will prompt a lot of discussion including some of the dilemmas, how you should evidence what you are saying, what happens when you are giving evidence and how you should prepare yourself.”
myCourtroom Training Delegate
Check out our interactive courtroom – What does it look like? Who will be there? Who sits where? What might be asked? Allay the fears of the unknown so the focus is on the case instead of worrying about the environment. A virtual walk-through of an interactive courtroom.
Report Writing Skills on Video: Watch the video and learn about report writing: how to get your message across, avoid all the pitfalls, best practice, expert advice and how to plan and write reports effectively. A video resource to allow you to replay and practice until you are confident.
Prepare prepare prepare: What’s involved in being a witness? We can help you plan ahead: Logistics of the day; questionning techniques and how to respond; courtroom etiquette. We will look at legal case studies (adoption, neglect) and consider a neglect case study based on UK Serious Case Review.
The child’s wishes and feelings: Explore how to undertake wishes and feelings work with children involved with family courts. Consider the structure of your session, explore new direct work techniques, reflect on pressures and dilemmas children face from talking with professionals and think through how you would manage a disclosure of abuse or neglect from a child.
Find out about the different hearings: Scene 7 focuses on a Case Management Hearing, including preliminary evidence and cross examination of the Local Authority Social Worker. Scene 8 focuses on the Final Hearing.
Book your place: See our website for details on: Discounted group sessions at your organisation; Trainer packages so you can deliver to your staff; Half day training for individual CPD for £125; Masterclass for your University students. Access the resources for 12 months for your own CPR or upgrade to trainer package. For more details and to book, read more…
Conference: Confident Direct Work with Children and young people. Dr Tracee Green will be running a workshop: ‘Rosie myCourtroom‘; wishes and feelings in practice. The morning will include keynote speakers on direct work with young people. For more details and to book, read more…
Research: We undertook an evaluation of myCourtroom from April 2016 to May 2017, published in Social Work Education: The International Journal. Findings were very positive with delegates rating all elements of myCourtroom learning highly. Please do email us for more information.
Karen Paine
The Centre for Child Protection
School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research
Cornwallis North East
University of Kent
Canterbury
CT2 7NF
ccp@kent.ac.uk
www.kent.ac.uk/sspssr/ccp