Training and support

Resources

The Virtual School have purchased licenses for a training resource from CATCH to support both educational professionals and those caring for our looked after children and previously looked after children. CATCH is ‘an online community of information and support for adopters, special guardians, foster carers and the professionals that work with them’.

Additionally, the Virtual School are able to provide access to online short courses to support the ongoing CPD of professionals working to with looked after children and previously looked after children. These are provided by AC Education and include a wide variety of topics including:

  • Post Pandemic Recovery
  • Supporting Pupils with Mental Health Difficulties
  • Emotion Coaching
  • Understanding Trauma and the Impact on Young People
  • County Lines
  • Safeguarding and Child Protection Skills
  • Introduction to Safeguarding
  • Peer on Peer Abuse
  • The Role of the Designated Teacher
  • Adoption, Post Permanence and the School’s Role
  • SEND and The Code of Practice
  • Transitions in Education
  • Communicating with Children and Young People
  • Equality and Diversity
  • Pornography and the Potential Impact on Young People
  • Online Safety and Cyberbullying
  • Secondary Trauma and Workplace Stress
  • Drug Awareness
  • Managing Challenging Behaviour
  • Supporting Asylum Seeking and Refugee Children
  • Bullying
  • Children and Domestic Violence
  • Children and Parental Mental Health
  • Children and Parental Substance Misuse
  • Supporting Pupils with Unmet Attachment Needs 
  • Impulsive Behaviour
  • Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
  • Child Sexual Exploitation
  • Self-Harming Behaviours
  • Harmful Sexual Behaviours
  • Working with a Child who has been Sexually Abused
  • Bereavement
  • ADHD
  • Conduct Disorders
  • Autism
  • Radicalisation
  • Female Genital Mutilation
  • Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
  • Promoting the Achievement of Looked After Children in
  • Education (For Carers)
  • Promoting the Achievement of Adopted Children in
  • Education (For Parents)
  • Introduction to Mindfulness
  • Suicide Prevention

 

 

    To access any of these resources, please contact the Virtual School Head - Katy.Enser@milton-keynes.gov.uk.

     

    Training

    Foster Carers

    The Virtual School will be delivering ‘Promoting Educational Achievement’ for Foster Carers on the following dates:

    10:00-12:30, Thursday 12th October 2023

    10:00-12:30, Friday 19th January 2024

    These will be held at the Civic Office and can be booked via the MK Professional Development Portal 

     

    Education Settings

    The Virtual School are able to provide bespoke training in ‘Trauma and Attachment’ to education settings. These can be one off sessions delivered to small teams or full INSET sessions. Additionally, we are able to commission long-term trauma-informed practice training from AC Education. Please contact the Virtual School Head to discuss your setting’s requirements in more detail – Katy.Enser@milton-keynes.gov.uk.

    Designated Teachers are able to access training and support through the ‘New to Role of Designated Teacher’ sessions and DT forums. These are scheduled for the following dates:

    16:00-17:00, Thursday 21st September 2023 – New to Role of Designated Teacher Training

    15:45-17:00, Thursday 19th October 2023 – Designated Teacher Forum

    15:45-17:00, Thursday 14th December 2023 – Designated Teacher Training

    15:45-17:00, Thursday 8th February 2024 – Designated Teacher Forum

    15:45-17:00, Thursday 21st March 2024 – Designated Teacher Training

    15:45-17:00, Thursday 2nd May 2024 – Designated Teacher Training

    15:45-17:00, Thursday 27th June 2024 – Designated Teacher Forum

     

    Invitations for these events will be sent directly to Designated Teachers.

     

    Training for school governors who have responsibility for looked after children and previously looked after children is available via Milton Keynes City Council Governor Traded Services, and can be booked via the Milton Keynes Professional Development Portal. 

    2023/24 Governor Training – date to be confirmed’

     

    Social Workers

    The Virtual School are keen to support social care colleagues in supporting the education of looked after and previously looked after children. There are a variety of resources available regarding common topics such as attendance, suspensions and exclusions, access arrangements and more. Please see SharePoint or contact your Virtual School representative directly for support.