Scottish Government

Children's Panel Training Organisers - Scotland: Annual Report 2002/2003

DETAILS OF EACH CPTU

UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN

CURRENT STAFFING

Staff Grade

Joy Gillies Training Organiser

Carole Morrison Assistant Training Organiser

Jane Piercy Executive Administrator

Hazel MacFarlane Administrative Assistant (20 hours)

TRAINING PROVISION

Induction training - pre-service

The pre-service course covers 6 and a half days. Sessions 1 and 3 are single days and sessions 2 and 4 are two-day sessions held residentially for some areas. Session 5 is a half day or long evening. Five local authorities recruited trainee panel members during the year. Pre-service session 1 was held locally for the Western Isles panel members. The remainder joined the session either in Inverness (Highland and Moray) or Aberdeen (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire). Pre-service sessions 2 and 4 were held in Inverness (Highland, Moray and the Western Isles) and Aberdeen (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire). Pre-service session 3 was held in each of the 5 local authority areas. The simulated hearings (session 5) were held in each local authority area using, where possible, the children's hearings rooms.

Numbers starting and finishing pre-service (2003)

Induction training - new member (session 1)

This was a full day course for those who completed their pre-service training in 2002. It was initially offered 3 times: Inverness (Highland and Moray), Aberdeen (Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire) and Nairn (all three island panels). One additional catch-up session was offered in Inverness.

Induction training - new member (session 2)

This was a two-day course held residentially for some areas. It was offered 4 times: Aberdeen (Aberdeen City), Inverurie (Aberdeenshire, Orkney and Shetland) and Inverness (Highland, Moray and the Western Isles). One catch-up session was held in Inverness.

In-service training

All 7 local authorities received one dedicated session of in-service training and one held jointly with other local authorities. Aberdeen joined with Aberdeenshire, and Highland with Moray. Representatives of the 3 island authorities attended the biennial inter-island seminar which, in 2003, was hosted by Shetland Islands Council. The in-service training sessions vary in length.

Refresher training

Dedicated sessions of refresher training for panel members being re-appointed to serve for a further term were held for Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Highland. The other 4 small local authorities replace an in-service training session with refresher training approximately every 3 years. During 2002/03 refresher training was held for panel members in Orkney and Shetland.

Training for panel members who assist with training

Level 1 facilitator training was held for panel members in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. The first residential weekend for experienced panel members from all mainland local authorities was held in Elgin.

Extra sessions of training

Additional sessions of training were provided on request, subject to time being available. These included equal opportunities, CPAC training sessions on monitoring, the role and report of the safeguarder, and an evening session on writing reasons.

UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH

CURRENT STAFFING

Staff Grade

Joan Rose Training Organiser

Alan Taylor Assistant Training Organiser

Sharon Yardley Executive Administrator

TRAINING PROVISION

Induction training - pre-service

The course comprises 6 full days, the first 2 days as a residential weekend, the remaining 4 days on Saturdays at fortnightly intervals, plus 5 local evening sessions. The CPTU is responsible for organisation and delivery of the day sessions and the first 4 evenings. The panel chairs normally attend the evening sessions, and contribute together with the group leader, and organise the final evening which should include mechanisms for support and an opportunity for the CPAC to contribute. The Unit offered catch-up sessions for trainees unable to attend a particular session, either at the Unit or by joining the Glasgow Unit's Hamilton course. (The Edinburgh assistant training organiser represented the Glasgow Unit on 5 of the 6 days of the Hamilton course). In 2003 the Unit ran one joint course for the 5 authorities. The breakdown is as follows:

Induction training - new member (session 1)

This consists of two full day courses. The first is review and revision; the second is a day on distressed children which extends knowledge of the impact of abuse on children and also looks at moving to alternative permanent care and contact issues. Panel members who were unable to attend in the year of appointment were invited to attend the following year.

Induction training - new member (session 2)

Residential weekend takes place at end of January. The option of joining a Glasgow course was offered to panel members who were unable to attend the joint weekend. This was taken up by one panel member.

In-service training

Each local authority is offered an annual joint in-service session and a dedicated session. The subject of the joint session is agreed with all authorities; the dedicated sessions are provided in accordance with local requirements. The joint in-service on racial awareness, in November 2002, was run again in May 2003, providing a further opportunity for panel members who had been unable to attend the earlier session. Details of dedicated sessions and additional sessions are contained in the attached chart.

Refresher training

Residential weekend is offered to all local authorities - this is not compulsory training. West Lothian did not take up any places.

Training for panel members who assist with training

Facilitator training consists of 3 evening sessions, followed by a presentation day.

Extra sessions of training

These are provided, on request, by the Unit.

UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW

CURRENT STAFFING

Staff Grade

Barbara Reid Training Organiser

Maggie Brown Assistant Training Organiser

Joan Frondigoun Assistant Training Organiser

Lynn Dick Executive Administrator

Jennifer Macfarlane Administrative Assistant

TRAINING PROVISION

Induction training - pre-service

This involves 6 full days of mixed authority training, delivered by the CPTU and 5 evening sessions provided within each local authority. Five courses is the minimum offered by the Unit - 3 separate courses on Saturday; a Wednesday full day course and a Thursday full day twilight course.

In 2003 - 6 courses were run with 309 recruited and 266 completing - the breakdown is as follows:

Induction training - new member (session 1)

This is a full day course - back in pre-service groupings - and is offered on 2 occasions initially and then catch up is offered - each panel member has a minimum of 4 opportunities to complete.

Induction training - new member (session 2)

This is a full 2-day course on consecutive days. Panel members work in small groups in mixed authority groupings. Again, panel members have a minimum of 4 opportunities to complete.

In-service training

Each local authority is entitled to a discreet in-service training programme and one shared with other authorities. These can vary from a residential weekend to a half-day course.

Refresher training

This is a 2-day residential course open to all local authorities. Due to lack of resources not all authorities can allow members to be residential delegates.

Training for panel members who assist with training

Facilitator training - one day course provided to all authorities when numbers allow.

New Tutor Course - this involved an initial assessment day, and those who are successful undertake the two-day residential course. The final session is a practical work and assessment day and written feedback is provided. Experienced tutor course - a 1 night residential course.

Training on demand

This is offered to all authorities during the year - these short sessions are offered on various days and times to allow ease of access for panel members.

UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS

CURRENT STAFFING

Staff Grade

Carole Comben Children's Panel Training Organiser

Judith Bell Assistant Children's Panel Training Organiser

Morag Taylor Executive Administrator

TRAINING PROVISION

Induction training - pre-service

Two programmes of pre-service training were provided: one for Angus, Dundee and Perth & Kinross (ADP) trainees based in Dundee and the other for Fife, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling (FCFS) based in Kincardine. In 2003, 49 trainees were recruited to the ADP programme and 41 completed; 37 were recruited and 34 completed to the FCFS programme. The ADP programme comprised 7 full Saturdays, 2 evenings and one half day Sunday and the FCFS programme six Saturdays, 4 evenings and one half day Sunday.

Induction training - new member (session 1)

This was a full day course for those who completed their pre-service training in 2002. As for pre-service training, one was held in Dundee and the other in Kincardine.

Induction training - new member (session 2)

This was a full 2-day residential course offered 3 times. For the combined ADP areas it was held on 2 occasions in February 2003 for those panel members appointed in 2002. In Fife it was held in September 2002 for those members appointed in 2001 and for the combined authorities of CFS, it was held in September 2002 (also for those appointed in 2001).

In-service training

The Angus, Dundee and Perth & Kinross authorities choose to combine to receive 2 joint training sessions per year as do Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling. Fife receives 2 in-service training sessions a year.

In addition, dedicated evening sessions were provided to each of the authorities (none requested by Perth & Kinross). A joint training evening event - children's panel members together with staff from education and social services - was held in Fife (one evening repeated on three occasions in different geographical locations).

Refresher training

Training sessions offered to those panel members re-appointed to serve for a further term - one in Dundee for ADP (Friday evening and all day Saturday - residential) and one in Kincardine for FCFS (a full day).

Training for panel members who assist with training

Advanced level facilitator training was held for panel members in September and October 2002. A residential Friday evening/Saturday session was held in Dunblane for all the advanced facilitators in the 7 authority areas.

Extra sessions of training

These are extra sessions provided on request by the Unit.

In addition, the Unit was responsible for the organisation of the National School for Children's Panel Members held in Dunblane from Friday evening to Sunday lunchtime 1- 3 November 2002.

APPENDICES

Appendix 2 in the Report records the training calendar within each of the CPTUs in 2002/03

Appendix 3 records the anticipated calendar of training events in 2003/04

ISSUES FOR 2003-2004

Training arrangements /preparation of materials to take forward the roll-out of CPAC and Safeguarder training in April 2004

Continuing progress and development on Fast Track training

Development of Training on legislation for Anti-social behaviour

Discussions on development of contractual arrangements between the CPTU service and the Scottish Executive

Independent overview of allocation of responsibilities and workloads

Promotion of closer links between units

CONCLUSION

The training of children's panel members throughout Scotland is widely considered to be a highly valuable and effective service. It is commendable that the staff employed within the CPTUs have responded so successfully to meet the training needs necessary in order to address the ever changing environment that presents within child care in Scotland. Thanks should be made to all those staff within the CPTUs and the Scottish Executive who gathered the information which appears in this Annual Report for 2002/3.

Scottish Executive
30 January 2004