7486 Courses delivered Online

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

In this practical workshop session we will explore ways of including people 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. Online Course now available via Teachable Platform – Understanding Movement Differences Learn at your own pace… lots of text and video support Course Category Autism and Communication Inclusion Parents and Carers Behaviour and Relationships Description In this practical workshop session we will explore ways of including people 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. Family 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 labelled ‘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 ‘Very respectful of people on the spectrum.’ ‘Really gave me an idea of how people feel.’ ‘Ways of reaching a person not a condition.’CLAIRE Learning Objectives Increased confidence regarding including autistic people 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 autistic people Who Is It For? Social Care workers Personal Assistants Early years and school based practitioners Heads and deputies Guidance staff Learning support teams SENCOs Primary and secondary teachers Parents Brothers and sisters 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 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

This is a practical ‘non medical’ day for front line practitioners working with children and young people with serious attachment issues arising from loss, trauma and abuse. We look at what Psychology may help us in our understanding of children who have faced issues with love and attachment. Splitting, handling projected feelings, constancy and permanence are explored. Online Course now available via Teachable Platform – Understanding Attachment Learn at your own pace… lots of text and video support Course Category Meeting emotional needs Behaviour and Relationships Inclusion Teaching and Learning Description This is a practical ‘non medical’ day for front line practitioners working with children and young people with serious attachment issues arising from loss, trauma and abuse. Drawing from the international research and literature 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 the language of attachment and outline very practical classroom strategies. We look at what Psychology may help us in our understanding of children who have faced issues with love and attachment. We explore the feelings of being on a desolate island of relational poverty or to imagine swimming with sharks. We explore the themes of violence, anxiety and experience of being a victim as young people grow older. We look at telling lies and explore how we can respectfully understand this. We reveal the new and innovative compass of vulnerability – the cognitive errors to which some are much more vulnerable. We look at triggers, self regulation and unpack a range of strategies.  Transference and counter transference are examined along with splitting, handling projected feelings, constancy and permanence. We explore what young people with these difficulties really need from us. We also spend time looking at the emotional impact on practitioners working with children with such needs and what helps at an personal and team level. We can all do something – we do not have to wait for expert therapists to arrive!  Testimonials Very moving presentation I will always try and think behind the behaviour now It had a huge impact on all levels We all seem to need it Belonging and feelings are so important Very user friendly Excellent! Learning Objectives Increased confidence regarding developing inclusive practice for children with serious attachment needs in mainstream schools Simple understandable explanation of attachment understood Access to a wider range of practical strategies to impact on social and behavioural needs Deeper understanding of core values surrounding inclusion of emotionally disabled children Opportunity to reflect on professional attitudes and behaviour towards parents and pupils with complex emotional needs New skills, scripts and processes to make inclusion successful 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 : How can we start to develop an understanding of children with attachment needs? What is the true impact of loss, trauma and abuse? What else can we do to go about including high profile children or young people with challenging emotional needs? What useful psychological constructs can we use to guide us? This course also explores practical strategies and language for key adults rebuilding 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.

In this practical workshop session we will explore ways of including young people of all ages who experience anxiety some of whom may well be 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 as promoting innovative approaches to inclusion through the design of best practice. Course Category Autism and Communication Inclusion Parents and Carers Behaviour and Relationships Meeting emotional needs Description In this practical workshop session we will explore ways of including anxious children in mainstream schools and settings. The session will be values based and practical and will aim to allow the sharing of experiences and good practice as well as promoting innovative approaches to inclusion through the design of best practice. Family perspectives and experiences will also be explored. This is not a ‘medical model’ day on anxiety.  Testimonials ‘Really gave me an idea of how people feel and helped me think how to plan to meet their needs.’ ‘Really useful insights’  Learning Objectives Increased confidence and understanding regarding including anxious children Access to a wider range of practical strategies to impact on anxiety Deeper understanding of core values surrounding inclusion New skills and processes to strengthen the inclusion of anxious children Insights and understanding of sensory sensitivities Understanding increased in area of movement differences Who Is It For? Personal Assistants Teachers Heads and deputies Guidance staff Learning support teams SENCOs Primary and secondary teachers Parents Brothers and sisters Local authority support services Community workers and carers Course Content The course answers the questions : What is anxiety? How do we go about including anxious children? Can we understand more deeply what is going on underneath concerning behaviours? Key themes include: Movement differences Supports and Accommodations for Sensory Sensitivities Developing Friendships and Peer Support Learning to Listen

Never before have so many children been labelled with ADHD – not just labelled but also given powerful amphetamines as a ‘treatment’. ADHD is described as impacting on school-aged children and resulting in restlessness, impulsive actions, and lack of focus impairing their ability to learn properly. Course Category Behaviour and Relationships Meeting emotional needs Autism and Communication Description Never before have so many children been labelled with ADHD – not just labelled but also given powerful amphetamines as a ‘treatment’. ADHD is described as impacting on school-aged children and resulting in restlessness, impulsive actions, and lack of focus impairing their ability to learn properly. It is the most commonly studied and diagnosed psychiatric disorder in children, affecting about 3 to 5 percent of children globally and diagnosed in about 2 to 16 percent of school-aged children. 30 to 50 percent of those individuals diagnosed in childhood continue to have symptoms into adulthood. Adolescents and adults with ADHD tend to develop coping mechanisms to compensate for some or all of their impairments. ADHD is diagnosed two to four times more frequently in boys than in girls. ADHD management usually involves some combination of medications, Applied behaviour analysis (ABA, the new term for Behaviour modification), lifestyle changes, and counselling. ADHD and its diagnosis and treatment have been considered controversial since the 1970s. The controversies have involved clinicians, teachers, policy-makers, parents and the media. Topics include ADHD’s causes, and the use of stimulant medications in its treatment. So join us on a reflective, creative day where we look deeper at this whole area – seeing what we can learn from other areas that may help us in our understanding and inclusion of children and young people with this label Learning Objectives Increased confidence and understanding regarding ADHD labelled pupils and their inclusion in mainstream schools Access to a wider range of practical strategies to impact on movement and behaviour issues New skills and processes to strengthen the inclusion of young people with ADHD labels in all settings Opportunity to reflect and understand more deeply what might be happening in situations for someone labelled ADHD Who Is It For ? Any professional, carer or parent concerned with the education and inclusion of children labelled ADHD Course Content We will explore what is known about: Movement differences and accommodations for these – starting, stopping, switching, continuing, combining and so on… Anxiety and its link to activity levels Emotional roots to activity – the Circle of Courage will guide us

All person centred planning tools and processes are driven by a commitment to achieve inclusive outcomes for the person whose plan it is, and the young people involved are always present throughout their planning session. The focus of all person centred approaches is the whole person irrespective of the label they carry. Two people, a process facilitator and a graphic facilitator, typically facilitate plans. Course Category Person Centred Planning Inclusion Strategic Work Visioning and Problem Solving Description Person centred planning is a way of expressing a set of inclusive values through a unique range of tools and techniques. The most commonly used person centred tools – MAPS and PATH – create a hands-on demonstration of these values in action. All person centred planning tools and processes are driven by a commitment to achieve inclusive outcomes for the person whose plan it is, and the young people involved are always present throughout their planning session. The focus of all person centred approaches is the whole person irrespective of the label they carry. Two people, a process facilitator and a graphic facilitator, typically facilitate plans. The role of the support service staff in this work is as a facilitator not as an expert participant, problem solver, assessor or provider of consultation. MAPS and PATH are especially effective tools in planning transitions and annual review processes for young people with additional support needs and for through-care planning for young people who are looked after or accommodated. Over time person centred working will reveal areas of unmet need in current provision and thereby inform the ongoing strategic planning within any particular region. Testimonials “Thanks again for a superb day which from my perspective as Principal Educational Psychologist has been a real boost and uplifted my spirits about helping move the Educational Psychology Service forward as well as gaining greater insight and understanding of individual Educational Psychologists. Several EPs have said that they are planning to use MAPS and PATHS in their work and I will be joining them.”DR MICHAEL HYMANS, PRINCIPAL EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST, LONDON BOROUGH OF Learning Objectives To Explore the values underpinning person centred working To show how person centred planning naturally captures young people’s strengths and capacities A demonstration of how person centred planning encourages meaningful consultation and participation with young people (particularly for those who cannot make their views known in typical ways To show how Person Centred Planning leads to the building of stronger parent/school partnerships To indicate how person centred planning can promote multi-agency teamwork and shared responsibilities To increase understanding the how of process and graphic facilitation in person centred work. Who Is It For ? Teachers and School Staff Education Services Social Care Staff Health Professionals Transition Coordinators Family Support Workers Link Workers Course Content An introduction to the person centred planning tools PATH live demonstration in action followed by real time coaching of facilitation skills. We would stress that this is an introductory day and that participants will be expected to make plans for their own follow up and further practice of the tools covered in the course of the day.

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

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

In this practical and engaging workshop there is input on team building, problem solving as a team, improving communication and handling conflict. This is participatory day of paper, pens, graphics, music and activity. There are no PowerPoint slides or even a projector and screen! Course Category Team Building and Leadership Early Years Inclusion Description Want a really creative, effective, inclusive team? In this practical and engaging workshop there is input on team building, problem solving as a team, improving communication and handling conflict. This is participatory day of paper, pens, graphics, music and activity. There are no PowerPoint slides or even a projector and screen! We keep the focus on interpersonal processes for getting the best out of the team. Making teams both creative and inclusive is fully explored and processes for maximising this examined. Effective leadership and management, which can transform teamwork through collaboration and consensus-building processes is covered. We refocus the team on its capacities and gifts as well as give insights into what to do when individuals are off track. The Native American medicine wheel guides us through four quadrants of leadership, vision, community and management.Harrison Owen in his work on ‘Open Space Technology’ depicts the ancient Medicine Wheel (Owen, 2003). This is derived from centuries of tradition among First Nation Americans and has informed many cultures in different ways. We have found this an extremely powerful metaphor for understanding the process of team and organisational change and renewal. The wheel of change begins in the north with a leading idea, for us – there is a better way of creating a team for inclusion. Travelling clockwise to the east we develop a shared vision of what this could look like in our setting, school or community. Then moving south we ask who needs to come with us on the journey. We wish to take as many community members along with us as we can. In an Early Years setting , this would mean enrolling the support of manager, the wider staff group, parents and ultimately children. Finally, at the west, we manage and implement the idea. We take action and turn the inclusive team into reality. The cycle of this medicine wheel is an excellent way to view change processes for any team, organisation or community. When we contemplate change, the risk is always that we will jump prematurely from the big ideas (leadership) to practice (management) and ignore the other two important phases of creating vision and engaging the wider community. When the going gets tough and the inclusion of a child or young person is beginning to seem extremely difficult if not impossible many will conclude that the child should no longer be present. We would like to challenge this. Why do we move so quickly to assuming the child is in the wrong place? Surely the real question should not be ‘do they belong here?’ – but rather – ‘what team support is needed here for this to work?’ Or even more fundamental, ‘who needs a team around them at this time?’ Who needs the team? Who is struggling with the inclusion most? Is it the young person, their practitioner or teacher, their headteacher, setting manager, their parent or even a member of the local support services? Whatever the answer a team may need to be built, rallied or reformed. The nature of and number of that team will depend upon the situation. Diversity of membership will most surely be important to strengthen the quality of the support and of the ideas generated. Use radical rethinking when creating a new team or when revitalising an existing one. Creating effective teams for inclusion requires a courageous capacity for understanding and nurturing change both within the team and with those who the team work with. Testimonials ‘What a fun, enjoyable day its been. Motivating and made me laugh not fall asleep!’?? ‘This was everything a team building day was supposed to be. I have learned a lot about the people I work with and my role within the organisation’ ‘I had reservations about attending yet another team building day but this was executed by two great facilitators and they worked with us so we truly understood what we were thinking and feeling.’ ‘Innovative and refreshing’ Learning Objectives Empowerment of team players Deepened insights into team processes Practical strategies for team building learned Processes for enhancing creativity of team members explored Celebration and recognition of existing strengths and talents   Who Is It For ? Any team Course Content This course answers the following questions: How can we re-energise our team? How can we make our team more inclusive? What tools can we use to work creatively in our team? We work around the ancient medicine wheel as it guides us through the four processes of leadership, vision, community and management. We place leading ideas in front of your team including ‘no kvetching’ and shared promises. We create a shared vision of how your team would love to be. We explore who the team is. When are they at their best? What happens when someone is off track? What do they really need? How do we take the community with us at a time of change? Finally we look at the management role of the team. Getting things done together. We use problem solving together as our focus for this. Finally your team will be asked to reflect. What has the training meant to them? If you liked this you may like: SUPPORT AND SUPERVISION FOR LEADERS

Local authorities are being encouraged to seek the views of young people in relation to the services they receive. Schools and the whole range of support services (e.g. behaviour support, youth offending teams, social services, CAMHS etc.) are being expected to routinely ask young people for their views. This goes beyond involving young people in plans that concern them e.g care plans, individual education plans, pastoral support plans etc. Online Course now available via Teachable Platform – Ask the Children Learn at your own pace… lots of text and video support Course Category Peer Support Description Local authorities are being encouraged to seek the views of young people in relation to the services they receive. Schools and the whole range of support services (e.g. behaviour support, youth offending teams, social services, CAMHS etc.) are being expected to routinely ask young people for their views. This goes beyond involving young people in plans that concern them e.g care plans, individual education plans, pastoral support plans etc. This training will focus on how young people can be effectively engaged in giving their views and will present a model for use in evaluating services to young people based on the concept of resilience. This model enables young people to be clear about what has helped and hindered them in being able to overcome difficulties. It also provides a framework for evaluating the extent to which services are reducing risk and increasing protective factors to enable young people to develop the resilience. Testimonials ‘Yet again inspiring and opening more doors than I can go through’? ‘This opened a lot of avenues for thought and reflection. It will help me to help colleagues to see where they can improve practice to create a more inclusive environment within the whole school.’ ‘Some great ideas and restored my self belief! Fantastic’ Learning Objectives Strategies for engaging young people Knowledge and Understanding of resilience In relation to system and environmental factors Strategies for reducing risk and increasing protective factors In relation to Individual young people and services Evaluation framework for services to young people Who Is It For ? Youth offending teams Social services CAMHS Primary and secondary teachers Heads and Deputies SENCOs Learning Support and Guidance staff Advanced Skills Teachers Parents Local Authority Support Services Community Development workers Early Years and School based Practitioners Social work staff Health Services Course Content The course answers the questions : How can we truly involve pupils? Practically how do we go about listening to pupils views? What if we do not like what they tell us? How can we involve our most disaffected young people? Key themes Tools for engaging young people and gaining their views The concept of resilience System and environmental risk and protective factors that impact on young people’s resilience Reducing risk and Increasing protective factors Resilience planning for Individuals and services Evaluating services to young people If you liked this course you may well like: CIRCLES OF FRIENDS