Training for kinship carers (connected / family & friends carers)

This course is now available via our E-learning site

• Understand the attachment process
• • Describe the attachment process and the impact on brain development
  • Explain the effects of positive and negative attachment relationships on child development
• Know how to promote positive attachment relationships
  • Identify the skills that are required to promote positive attachment relationships
  • Explain how working as part of a team promotes positive attachments
• Know about the impact of trauma, separation and loss on child development
  • Identify key areas of child development that are affected by experience of traumatic events
  • Explain the impact of separation and loss on children and young people
• Understand how intervention can assist children and young people who have been traumatised through early life experiences
  • Describe a range of appropriate areas of intervention that would assist a child or young person who has been traumatised through early life experiences
  • Explain how working as part of a team promotes recovery for traumatised children and young people.

This is now an online-only course accessible at your convenience via Brighter Futures for Children E-Learning.

Equality and diversity is central to our work with children, young people and their families. The equality and diversity course helps learners understand how it affects every aspect of professional life. The course will also support you to object to prejudice and discrimination successfully, and promote self-confidence.

On successful completion the equality and diversity course, participants will be able to:

• Understand matters in equality and diversity
  • Identify key facts about equality
  • Explain how diversity affects every aspect of professional life
  • Know how to find information about equality and diversity in the workplace.
• Understand the different types of prejudice and discrimination which can affect children and young people
  • Identify the different types of prejudice and discrimination which can affect children and young people
  • Explain why it is important to work in a way which respects and protects each child’s ethnic, religious, cultural background and language.
• Know how issues of equality and diversity are addressed professionally
  • Identify key concepts in promoting self-confidence
  • Explain when to confront matters of equality and diversity
  • Identify effective processes in promoting equality and respect for diversity
  • Explain how you support and encourage children and young people to develop skills to deal with discrimination, enhance self-worth and make a positive contribution
  • Explain how legislation and codes of practice relating to equality, diversity and discrimination apply to your work role.

Covering fire safety awareness, evacuation procedures with the practical use of various types of fire extinguishers.

Named ‘Keeping data safe’. You may access this course via Brighter Futures for Children E-Learning

This is now an online course which you can access via our E-learning training

This course covers:

• What is health and safety and why it is necessary?
• Understanding the importance of risk assessments
• Understanding health and safety legislation
• The role of the Health and Safety Executive and Care Quality Commission
• Health and safety responsibilities.

Please contact your SSW or training co-ordinator for the next available dates.

The course is designed for carers with a responsibility for the care of children and babies to equip carers with the knowledge and skills to manage a range of paediatric first aid conditions and incidents.

This course combines six hours of practical training with six hours of eLearning at home. The web-based, interactive and user-friendly eLearning module must be completed prior to the practical day. Learners can access the module as many times as needed on a computer/laptop/tablet or phone. The face-to-face training day is practical and trainer-led to maximise recall and provide learners with hands-on skills, knowledge and confidence to act when paediatric emergencies arise.

The course will cover:

• Roles & responsibilities of the first aider
• Assessing an emergency situation & prioritising action
• Unresponsive casualty (not breathing) – infant & child
• Unresponsive casualty (breathing) – infant & child
• Choking – infant & child
• Head injuries
• Seizures
• Burns, bleeds & shock
• Anaphylaxis
• Asthma
• Croup
• Bites & stings
• Suspected fracture
• Neck or back injuries
• Head injuries
• Burns & scalds
• Diabetes
• Meningitis
• Minor injuries
• Fevers
• Poisons
• Electric shock
• Drowning
• Extreme temperatures

Course overview:

• Recognise signs and indicators that a child or young person may be being abused and:
  • explain why children and young people need protecting
  • identify what child abuse is
  • explain how protective adults can recognise that a child is at risk from or suffering abuse.
• Be familiar with the Safeguarding and Child Protection Process and:
  • identify which services are involved in safeguarding and child protection
  • describe how these services work together to safeguard children
  • explain why professional judgement is essential in safeguarding children.
• Understand your own role in working together to safeguard children and:
  • describe the specific responsibilities of your own service or organisation
  • explain what to do if you or a colleague suspects a child is being abused
  • identify the policies and procedures that set out how to carry out your responsibilities
  • explain what to do if concerns shared according to policies and procedures do not produce a satisfactory response.
• Understand how to work with other agencies and:
  • explain the importance of clear and accurate communication and time lines
  • describe your own role in developing and supporting the protective team around the child or young person
  • identify the correct route to share concerns about unsafe practice of others.

This course is currently unavailable, but we’ll update you as soon as it returns. If you have any queries about managing disclosures, speak to your SSW.

• Understand medication, including the different types and classification
• Understand procedures for the supply, storage and disposal of medication
• Understand the process of administering medication.

Contextual Safeguarding is an approach to understanding and responding to children’s experiences of harm beyond their family and home. This approach considers the intersectionality of relationships children have in their schools, peer groups, online and in their community and how people, areas and physical spaces impact on their safety.

Learn how to keep children safe online whether at home or out and about.

This course is now available via our E-learning site.

TSDS 3 & 5 & 6 

Course Outline: 

Our online safety training is developed to help you learn about this topic, including new and emerging online harms, sex, and relationships online and online bullying. This training will help you keep children and young people safe online and gain the skills and confidence you need to keep children safe online and respond appropriately to any concerns. 

The family and friends (connected carer) support group has been running for 20 years with the aim of supporting kinship arrangements, including connected person foster carers, special guardians, and carers with child arrangement orders.

The group meets once a month on a Thursday at 9.30-11am (term-time only), at the Well Church, Dawlish Road, Whitley, Reading RG2 7SD.

During school holidays we arrange arrange picnics or brunch in local cafes and the children in your care are welcome to join us. Children have previously said that they like to meet up with others their age who have had similar experiences.

The group holds discussion-based meetings where people can talk about things that are worrying them and share ideas and solutions to challenges. We also hold topic-based workshops covering subjects chosen by the group members that relate to their lives. We regularly discuss contact and family time, the impact of trauma, attachment, drugs, internet safety and looking after ourselves.

We know that coming to a group can be daunting so if you want to come but feel unsure, please let us know and we can meet you beforehand.

There is always a supply of refreshments and the group is friendly and welcoming. Those that regularly attend are likely to have been where you are and will understand what you and your family have gone through.

The group dates for 2025 are (all Thursdays):

2026 dates will be provided next January

Parenting Special Children deliver a range of courses for families living in Berkshire who have children and young people with special needs.

Recent courses include attachment-focused care giving for adopters, foster carers and connected carers.

You can find upcoming training on the Parenting Special Children Eventbrite page.

Compass Recovery College is a mental health and wellbeing organisation based in Reading, commissioned by Reading Borough Council.

It provides free workshops and social groups for anyone in the Reading area aged 18 and above who may be affected directly or indirectly by mental health or wellbeing challenges.

Everyone is welcome and everyone is a participant. So whether you are struggling yourself, or perhaps you are a carer, family member or professional who would like to know more about mental health and wellbeing, Compass Recovery College can help. Click the button below to go to the website.

Check Kinship Compass for free workshops and events for kinship/connected carers.