How can we interrupt the isolation of disabled, challenging and other ‘different’ children and adults? This is our lead workshop/training day and is both a values primer and a practical guide to successful strategies for developing inclusive practice in educational and non educational settings for children and young people of all ages. This is practical plus being a ‘hearts and minds’ day. What does inclusion mean? Can we imagine what an inclusive school look like? What do we have to do? The day gives those present opportunities to reflect on their attitudes and practice in relation to the inclusion of children and adults who are different or challenging. The Keys can be presented as a powerful interactive Keynote for large conferences. A great way to launch a conference as the first key is ‘welcome’. Learning Objectives Increased confidence regarding developing inclusive practice in mainstream schools and other settings Access to a wider range of practical strategies to impact on behaviour problems Deeper understanding of core values surrounding inclusion of disabled and challenging children and adults Opportunity to reflect on professional attitudes and behaviour towards parents and pupils New skills and processes to make inclusion successful Course Content The course answers the questions : Why inclusion? What is inclusion? How do we go about including high profile children or young people? What does inclusion have to do with me? Best delivered over the course of a full day, ‘Keys to Inclusion’ introduces participants to 6 guiding Ideas that underpin inclusive practice. The importance of WELCOME Inclusion is about Adults’ learning Taking the Long View Giftedness as a new paradigm for understanding disability and difference The Intentional Building of Relationships – ‘Circle of Friends’ work as an example of this Not doing it alone – the importance of Teams in developing inclusive practice.
Many leaders and managers working on the front line of inclusion lack emotional support from Local Authority staff or anyone else despite the challenging nature of their work. There is a massive need for active listening, containment and opportunities to problem solve and reflect confidentially with someone trusted. Course Category Peer Support Meeting emotional needs Strategic Work Early Years Description We can tailor make and deliver personalised 1:1 or group support and supervision sessions with a particular focus on emotional support. Many leaders and managers working on the front line of inclusion lack emotional support from Local Authority staff or anyone else despite the challenging nature of their work. There is a massive need for active listening, containment and opportunities to problem solve and reflect confidentially with someone trusted. Some leaders may prefer a group setting for mutual support. We can provide this numbers permitting. Book a set of 3/10/20 sessions or why not set up monthly meetings with a psychologist, head teacher or other suitable practitioner to meet your needs. Testimonials Be the first… Learning Objectives Emotional support in a confidential space To listen and offer practical support Joint problem solving around hard issues To build a trusting relationship Who Is It For ? Headteachers Children Centre Managers Heads of Service Directors Early Years Mangers Course Content Active and supportive listening and exploration of named issues Supportive and safe problem solving Consultation processes In groups to use processes such as Circle of Adults If you liked this you may like: STORY TELLING: STRENGTHENING SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE OF COMMUNITIES
New Covid 19 inspired course to deepen participants understanding of stress, trauma and anxiety. We will work with them to strengthen them and build resilience. This work is particularly relevant to school and other teams returning to school post Covid-19 lock down experiences or similar. The training can be delivered virtually on Teams or Zoom or face to face safely. Course Category Team Building Leadership Emotional needs Description In this course we deepen participants understanding of stress, trauma and anxiety and will work with them to strengthen them and build resilience. This work is particularly relevant to school and other teams returning to school post Covid-19 lock down experiences or similar. The training can be delivered virtually on Teams or Zoom or face to face safely. Learning Objectives Participants will: Deepen their understanding of stress, trauma and anxiety Develop creative resources for self-care Experience a reflective space in which they feel heard and validated Share narratives and strategies and develop solidarity Create a shared vision for achieving resilience within teams Who Is It For? Any team that is returning to workplace following Covid-19 lockdown or other traumatic events Any team that wants to build strength and resilience Course Content Overview of session, goals and ground rules Confidential listening: story so far… experiences shared – opportunity for mutual support. All shared in strictest confidence unless serious or dangerous. What we know about staying strong and resilient – taught input with short activities covering: Understanding anxiety and stress and how to manage/process both – what’s there already/what’s needed – building a resilience toolkit. What to do about eating, sleeping and worrying? The nature of change and chaos Building trust in each other – with activity The impact of trauma Empowering cooperative teamwork Importance of nurture and inclusion The long view – the power of individual people in our lives who really care and the impact we each make on young people Share collective ideas and resources for building strength Shared vision for a strong, resilient staff – teams that are abiding, constant, durable, established, fast, firm, lasting, firm but flexible, reliable, secure, sound, steadfast, strong, sturdy, sure and well-founded.
So you appreciated a Keys to Inclusion day? Wondering what next? The Next Set follows on from our lead workshop/training day and is both values driven and a practical guide to successful strategies for further developing inclusive practice in educational settings for children and young people of all ages. Course Category Inclusion Description So you appreciated a Keys to Inclusion day? Wondering what next? The Next Set follows on from our lead workshop/training day and is both values driven and a practical guide to successful strategies for further developing inclusive practice in educational settings for children and young people of all ages. On this day we explore processes and ideas ranging from the individual practitioner’s imagination through to the creating of a community gathering to strengthen inclusion of disabled and disempowered adults and children. This too is a ‘hearts and minds’ day in which you can expect participants to both laugh and cry in equal measure! The day gives those present lots of opportunities to reflect on their attitudes and practice in relation to the inclusion of pupils who are different and most challenging. Testimonials I have learned such a lot. I have learned so much. Keep an Open Mind. Really inspired! I can’t wait to share the day Learning Objectives Increased confidence regarding developing inclusive practice in mainstream schools Access to a wider range of practical strategies to impact on behaviour problems Deeper understanding of core values surrounding inclusion of disabled children Opportunity to reflect on professional attitudes and behaviour towards parents and pupils New skills and processes to make inclusion successful Who Is It For ? Early Years and School based Practitioners Heads and Deputies SENCOs Advanced Skills Teachers Primary and secondary teachers Parents Local Authority Support Services Course Content The course answers the questions : What next after a Keys day? How do we take people with us? What else can we do to go about including high profile children or young people? What does inclusion really have to do with me? Best delivered over the course of a full day, ‘Keys to Inclusion’ introduces participants to 6 guiding Ideas that underpin inclusive practice. The power of imagination Determination and persistence Growing Relationships How to help not hinder Communicating honestly and directly Creating Community Circles If you liked this course you may well like: KEYS TO INCLUSION Or: INCLUSION: IT DOESN’T JUST HAPPEN
In this practical workshop session we will explore ways of including pupils who have been labelled as being on the autism spectrum. The session will be values based and practical and will aim to allow the sharing of experiences and good practice as well promoting innovative approaches to inclusion through the design of best practice. Course Category Autism and Communication Description In this practical workshop session we will explore ways of including pupils who have been labelled as being on the autism spectrum. The session will be values based and practical and will aim to allow the sharing of experiences and good practice as well promoting innovative approaches to inclusion through the design of best practice. Parental perspectives and experiences will also be explored. This is not a ‘medical model’ day on autism. Our motto for the day is ‘People do things for a Reason (and the reason isn’t autism).’ We make full use of first hand accounts of the experience of autism – the autobiographies – to deepen participants’ understanding of what it means to be labeled ‘autistic’ “We are all much more simply human than otherwise, be we happy and successful, contented and detached, miserable and disordered, or whatever.”HARRY STACK SULLIVAN Testimonials ‘A great day – going away buzzing with ideas’?? ‘Thanks for a wonderful day. Useful informative and a real ‘eye opener’. I feel that I am able to understand why some autistic children carry out certain actions’ ‘I have gained a lot of knowledge and understanding and will be able to help support and accommodate children better. Thank you.’ ‘I now know autism is part of us all’ ‘Useful to stand in shoes of autistic people’ ‘I was blessed to be on this day’ ‘I will take all these ideas back to the nursery’ ‘Very respectful of people on the spectrum.’ ‘Ways of reaching a person, not a condition.’ ‘Really gave me an idea of how people feel.’ Learning Objectives Increased confidence regarding autistic pupils and their inclusion in mainstream schools Access to a wider range of practical strategies to impact on communication and behaviour issues Deeper understanding of core values surrounding inclusion New skills and processes to strengthen the inclusion of young Autistic people in all settings Who Is It For ? Early years and school based practitioners Heads and deputies Guidance staff Learning support teams SENCOs Primary and secondary teachers Parents Local authority support services Community workers and carers Course Content The course answers the questions : What is autism? How do we go about including autistic children or young people? What does autism have to do with me? Key themes include: Movement differences Strategies for Facilitating Communication Supports and Accommodations for Sensory Sensitivities Developing Friendships and Peer Support School and Family Partnerships ‘Learning to Listen’ – Positive Behavioural Supports Developing School wide Supports for Teachers and Students
This is a workshop focused on getting the welcome right for children who are starting for the first time at a new school when we know the welcome will be difficult. Perhaps they have been excluded from elsewhere, they are new to this culture, they have complex needs or they are just very different or highly anxious? Course Category Meeting emotional needs Behaviour and Relationships Inclusion Now available as an online course Description This is a practical ‘non-medical’ day or half day workshop or twilight session for front line practitioners working with children and young people that will find starting at a new school or setting difficult. Drawing from international research and literature, reports from inclusive schools and our own experience over many years as educational psychologists of the challenges of children with major social and emotional needs, we will explore together what the best practice can and could look like. We explore: Creating a welcoming team or ‘committee’ of young people Training the team in effective ‘welcoming’ and supporting Building a support circle around a new child and running this circle effectively Auditing what makes for a successful welcome of any new child at the school Facilitating the involvement of young people in successful welcoming activities and preparation Links between this work and building ‘circles of friends’ and peer mediator training Testimonials Belonging and feelings are so important Definitely made me reflect a lot on the go-to behaviour management techniques we use! Excellent! Never thought of it like this before Learning Objectives Increased confidence regarding developing inclusive practice for newcomer children in mainstream schools The challenge of a good ‘welcome’ fully understood Access to a wider range of practical strategies to impact on settling an individual’s social and behavioural needs on joining a new setting Deeper understanding of core values surrounding inclusion of emotionally disabled children Opportunity to reflect on involving children and young people in effectively welcoming and including new students New skills, scripts and processes to make inclusion and relationships in school fulfilling and restorative Who Is It For? Practitioners working in schools and other settings with children and young people of all ages Key workers Teaching Assistants with support roles Heads and deputies SENCOs Advanced skills teachers Primary and secondary classroom teachers Parents Local authority support services Course Content The course explores the questions : What does it take for a child to: Feel safe and secure as they transition into a new school or setting?Feel supported by their new peer group?Understand how a new setting or school operates and to feel confident there?What else can we do to go about including high profile children or young people with challenging emotional needs?How can we best enlist the involvement of children and young people in the early work of inclusion with a new member of the school or setting? This course also explores practical strategies, concepts and language for key adults building relationships with individual pupils. This is a participative day that aims to be explorative and practical. Opportunities to develop empathy with the children of concern will be created. If you liked this course you may well like: FRESH APPROACHES TO BEHAVIOUR AND RELATIONSHIPS
Person centred rehabilitation is designed to create a better life for an individual by the provision of an intense input designed to being about social change. This usually entails a series of visits focused on getting the person out and about to increase confidence, social skills and presence in their local community and to pursue goals and dreams. Usually, the work is carried out under the close clinical supervision of a practicing psychologist. Course Category Inclusion Person Centred Planning Visioning and Problem Solving Peer Support Description Person Centred Rehabilitation Person centred rehabilitation is designed to create a better life for an individual by the provision of an intense input designed to being about social change. This usually entails a series of visits focused on getting the person out and about to increase confidence, social skills and presence in their local community and to pursue goals and dreams. Usually, the work is carried out under the close clinical supervision of a practicing psychologist. PERSON CENTRED PLANNING A Person Centred Planning event would be carried out using the PATH or MAP process – majoring on dreams and goal setting leading to precise action planning. Facilitators would carry out the PATH or other person centred process. A large graphic will be one of the outcomes of the meetings this is a great visual record and a shared memory of the event. This will also inform the priorities for the later follow up inclusion facilitation work. Following the PATH event a ‘scoping report’ is created outlining what Inclusion Facilitation could offer and highlighting what dreams and goals the individual has. INCLUSION FACILITATION The PATH is also provides a good opportunity for the Facilitator to meet the focus person in a comfortable positive environment. Agreed visits from the Inclusion Facilitator are then carried out over a 3 month period. After this intensive input the Inclusion Facilitator will hand over to the existing family, carers and PA team to carry on where he or she has left off. This transition time is planned from the outset. An experienced psychologist needs to be there to support the facilitator at all times and will guide all work done by the inclusion facilitator. Is this just Support work? No! This is proactive engagement – doing whatever is required. This is not passively or reactively providing what is asked for – we are actively pursuing a good life for the individual. The work is built on careful research around a person’s interests and what opportunities exist locally There is community mapping There is work to tackle an individual’s own resistance and reluctance to engage more socially There is a need to engage with people in social settings that the individual attends to build bridges and connections – we are bridge builders You will need to build circles around a person There is a need to create the conditions in which friendships can flourish There is a need for direct psychological supervision and support throughout This work is short term and intense. The facilitator’s main aims will vary depending on the dreams and goals of the focus person. The basic aim of the inclusion facilitator is to better the focus person’s quality of life. Learning Objectives 1 To create a better life for the Individual. 2 Give Individual and family a clear vision of a good life and to support first steps towards this 3 To maximise individuals inclusion and connection with the wider community. 4 To help with friendship, social connection and education 5 To increase confidence, social skills and presence in their local community and to pursue goals and dreams. Who Is It For? Anyone who is involved in the rehabilitation of children or adults who have become disabled through accident or trauma and who is committed to helping them get their life back on track. Course Content Understanding ordinary needs – the dimensions of social inclusion Pursuing the dreams and goals of the individual Improving social skills Community Mapping Being comfortable in social environments Developing conversational skills Having a positive mindset Staying physically active Building relationships Help in meeting new people Create natural circles of support Creating a community circle Having positive body language Employment of support staff Pursuing personal interests If you like this you will almost certainly enjoy: Person Centred Planning using PATH and MAPs
Person Centred Planning: the act of listening to each other creates relationship and strengthening trust and inclusion within the team. If well facilitated In creating a shared vision, groups of people build a sense of commitment together. They develop images of the future they want to create together, along with the values that will be important in getting there and the goals they want to see achieved along the way. Course Category Person Centred Planning Team Building and Leadership Description How to facilitate Person Centred Planning? How is it different from any other kind of meeting or planning? Person Centred working is great – but how exactly is it facilitated? How does it differ from ‘chairing a meeting” What skills and processes enable the group to work together effectively and avoid going off at tangents or dissolving into an unfocussed ‘discussion’ Person Centred Planning: the act of listening to each other creates relationship and strengthening trust and inclusion within the team. If well facilitated In creating a shared vision, groups of people build a sense of commitment together. They develop images of the future they want to create together, along with the values that will be important in getting there and the goals they want to see achieved along the way. Making inclusive action plans using full participation and graphic facilitation Drawing on the planning tools MAPS and PATH (Pearpoint, Forest and OBrien 1997) and other facilitation sources we use both process and graphic facilitation to enable the group to build their picture of what they would love to see happening within their organisation/community in the future and we encourage this to be a positive naming, not just a list of the things they want to avoid. In this training we make this facilitation explicit and attempt to model, teach and enable practice of key skills and processes. Jack Pearpoint, Marsha Forest and John O’Brien developed these innovative PCP approaches in North America and they are being used successfully in many parts of the UK. The planning can focus on an individual, group or organisation and provides a powerful problem solving opportunity, which is flexible and robust enough for many occasions. Tell the story, find the dream, touch the nightmare, and explore who you are, what are the gifts and strengths of the person or group, what are the needs of those present and what is the action plan for the future? Testimonials Learning Objectives Participants understand group and graphic facilitation processes for Person Centred Planning Participants have skills and confidence to facilitate PATH/MAP processes Participants learn graphic as well as process facilitation skills. Strengthens practitioners inclusive practice Provides additional tools for those involved in inclusive work in schools and the wider community Further develop problem solving and planning skills Who Is It For ? Person Centred Planning Facilitators Multi Agency Teams Social workers CAMHS teams Year Managers Primary and secondary staff teams Early Years and School based Practitioners Heads and Deputies SENCOs Advanced Skills Teachers Primary and secondary teachers Local Authority Support Services Voluntary Organisations Course Content The course answers the questions: Need to find new ways to facilitate Planning? How to facilitate Person Centred Planning? How is it different to any other kind of meeting or planning? Person Centred working is great – but how exactly is it facilitated? What are the skills and processes that will make the group work really well and a wonderful graphic to be created? Bored with annual reviews, transition plans and review meetings? Want to find a way of making meetings and planning feel more real and engaging? Need an approach, which engages a young person respectfully together with his or her family and friends? Want the ultimate visual record of the process of a meeting, which will help everyone, keep track? Want to problem solve and plan for the future of a small or large group, service or organisation up to the size of an LA? Inclusive Solutions offer an introductory day to facilitating person centred planning or a 3 – 10 session course which is practical as well as values based. Participants will receive direct individualised coaching and training. We will cover: Group and Graphic Facilitation processes Use of music and dramatic participation methodology The person being at the centre Family members and friends being full partners Planning reflecting the person’s capacities, what is important to the person and specifying the support they require to make a full contribution to their community Planning building a shared commitment to action that will uphold the person’s rights Planning leading to continual listening, learning and action and helping the person get what they want out of life. Essential Lifestyle Planning, PATH MAPS Personal Futures Planning
Click to read more about this training, in which we demonstrate a live problem solving approach which is based on the active participation of family members. Course Category Inclusion Parents and Carers Behaviour and relationships Problem Solving Description In this training we demonstrate a live problem solving approach which is based on the active participation of family members. ‘Family Circles’ is an evolving new approach to problem solving with families and is based on our years of family work and the development and use of the Circle of Adults process. Inspired by our own Parent Solutions work and the Circle of Adults process as well as Family Group Conferencing and other Restorative Interventions we bring you Family Circles. Essentially the approach involves gathering a family together for a process that is facilitated but majors on the family members offering each other their wisdom and ideas. The approach is capacity focused, person centred approach to working with families rather than the dominant deficit oriented and ‘medical model’ of viewing and planning for or doing things to families. This training can be modelled with a group of professionals or better still with a family. In our work with families we develop the importance of naming stories or theories and seeking linkages and synthesis between what is found out and explored about the family situation and its history. We like participants to sit with the uncertainty, to reflect on the question ‘why’ but without judgement of each other. Deeper reflections may span a whole range of perspectives from ‘within person’ considerations, to situational or systemic possibilities. Health or emotional issues can be reflected on alongside organisational or transactional aspects of what is going on for the family. The better the shared understanding the better the strategy or actions which emerge from these meetings. Quality hypotheses with a close fit to reality lead to more effective implementation in the real world. We encourage ‘loose’ thinking, a search for connections, deeper listening, an ‘open mind’, speculation and exploration without moral judgements. From this stance self-reflection as well as reflection on the situation can produce remarkable insights. The quality of theories or new stories generated is directly influenced by family members’ experiences and the models of learning, behaviour and emotion, systems, educational development, change and so on that they have been exposed to. Learning Objectives To provide opportunities for: Shared problem solving in a safe exploratory climate in which the family will find its own solutions. Individuals to reflect on their own actions and strategies An exploration of whole-family processes and their impact Emotional support and shared understandings of issues at a child, parent, family, school and community level. Feed back to each other on issues, ideas and strategies that are agreed to be worth sharing with them. Who Is It For? Anyone interested in working with families in a way that builds and makes use of their capacities rather than focus on their challenges and difficulties. Social Care teams School staff Community organisers Educational Psychologists Course Content True family empowerment Deepening shared stories and understandings Facilitating groups Problem solving process Handling family group communication Allowing direct feedback and challenge between participants in a safe way Building relationships Process: Family members are welcomed: Introductions are carried out, ground rules and aims clarified whilst coffee is drunk. A recap from the last session is carried out: To follow up developments and reflections after the last meeting. One issue is selected for the main focus Issue presentation: The family member who raised the concern is asked questions to tell the ‘story’ of the issue or problem. Additional questions/information from the group about the problem are gathered: Ground rules may need to be observed carefully here. Individual participants need to be kept focused and prevented from leaping to premature conclusions or to making ‘helpful’ suggestions about strategy. Relationship aspects to the problem are explored. Metaphors and analogies are invited. How would a fly on the wall see your relationship? If you were alone together on a desert island, what would it be like? Impact of previous relationships/spillage from one relationship to another are explored. Eg what situation they are reminded of? For instance, does this situation remind you of any of those angry but helpless feelings you had with your other son when he was an adolescent? This provides opportunities to reflect on how emotions rub off on other people. The parent feels really frustrated, and on reflection we can see that so does the child System/Organisation factors (Family system/school and community systems and so on): What aspects help or hinder the problem? For instance, does the pastoral system of the local school provide space, or time and skilled personnel able to counsel this young person and work actively with their parents? Synthesis. At this stage the Graphic facilitator summarises what they have heard. They then go on to describe linkages and patterns in what they have heard. This can be very powerful. The person doing the graphic work has been able to listen throughout the presentation process and will have been struck by strong messages, emotions and images as they have arisen. The story and meaning of what is happening in the situation may become a little clearer at this point. Typical links may be ‘mirrored emotions’ strong themes such as loss and separation issues, or repeated processes such as actions triggering rejection. This step provides an excellent grounding for the next process of deepening understanding. What alternative strategies/interventions are open to be used? Brainstormed and recorded. ’Either/ors’ need to be avoided at this time also. This needs to be a shared session in which the family member who is presenting the concern contributes as much as anyone. Care is needed to ensure that this person is not overloaded with other people’s strategies. The final selection of strategy or strategies from the brainstormed list is the problem presenter’s choice. Strategies might include: a special time for the young person, a meeting with the child’s parents to explore how she is being managed at home and to share tactics, a home-school diary, counselling, or an agreed action plan that all are aware of, agreed sanctions and rewards and so forth. Strategies may productively involve processes of restitution and restoration, when ‘sorry’ is not enough. Making it right, rather than punishments or rewards, may then becomes the focus. First Steps. The problem presenter is finally asked to agree one or two first steps which they can carry out over the next 3-7 days. It can help to assign a ‘coach’ who will check in with them to ensure they have carried out the action they have named. This is a time to be very specific. Steps should be small and achievable. The person is just ‘making a start’. A phone call, or making an agreement with a key other person not present at the meeting would be ideal examples. Final reflections. Sometimes referred to as a ‘round of words’ help with closure for all involved. Reflections are on the process not the problem. In large families this is best done standing in a circle. In smaller groups all can remain sitting. Passing around a ‘listening stick’ or something similar such as a stone or light heighten the significance of the process ending and improve listening. Finally the problem presenter is handed the ‘Graphic’ this is their record of the meeting and can be rolled and presented ceremoniously by the facilitators for maximum effect! If you liked this course you may well like: Parent Solutions
Reasons to attendYou want to advance your clinical project management skills to be more effective in your daily work? This course will provide you strategies and tactical information to overcome the most difficult project circumstances encountered and allow you to be more visible within your company.