Bereavement training for professionals Working with bereaved children and young people (PGCert) Course programme September 2018 An accredited pathway for those following the Child Bereavement UK training provided by Bath Spa University. Charity registered in England and Wales No.1040419 and Scotland SCO42910
We ve trained more than 100,000 professionals since the charity launched in 1994 Child Bereavement UK supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, or when a child is facing bereavement. Every year we train more than 9,000 professionals, helping them to better understand and meet the needs of grieving families. Our vision is for all families to have the support they need to rebuild their lives, when a child grieves or when a child dies. Our mission is to ensure the accessibility of high quality child bereavement support and information to all families and professionals by increasing our reach and plugging the gaps that exist in bereavement support and training across the country and embedding standards in the sector. Our training Child Bereavement UK has extensive experience in providing training around issues of grief and bereavement. All our training is based on learning from bereaved families, helping professionals to better understand the needs of grieving families and children, and how appropriate support from the outset can have positive and sustained benefits for their future wellbeing. This learning is underpinned by relevant theory and evidence-based practice. We also encourage professionals to reflect on their own feelings and experiences to support them in this emotionally demanding work. www.childbereavementuk.org/training 01494 568 909
Working with bereaved children and young people (PGCert) The main aim of this course is to enable students to develop safe, effective and reflective practice in working with bereaved children and young people, within the context of the family, according to each child or young person s individual needs. Learning outcomes The course will facilitate students to: Critically assess models of child development and their application in the context of bereavement support. Demonstrate the ability to assess the emotional support needs of bereaved children and young people. Reflect critically on working safely and creatively with bereaved children and young people, and evaluate their own practice and that of others. Reflect upon and evaluate the significance of family and cultural context in supporting bereaved children and young people. Articulate the significance of endings in relation to working with bereaved children and young people. Course dates Unit 1 28 and 29 September 2018 Unit 2 9 and 10 November 2018 Unit 3 14 and 15 December 2018 Unit 4 1 and 2 February 2019 Unit 5 15 and 16 March 2019 Unit 6 10 and 11 May 2019 Please note that it is a requirement that students attend all scheduled course dates. Location The course will take place in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.
Application process Prospective students will be expected to complete an application form, a short piece of written work, and to participate in a selection interview by telephone. Timings are as follows: By 29 June - Submission of written application to include a 1,000 word assignment. Weeks commencing 23 and 30 July - Telephone interviews will take place over these weeks. 6 August - Applicants to receive decisions by email. Who can apply This course is open to those who wish to develop their knowledge and skills to work effectively with bereaved children and young people. Prospective students will generally be expected to have been educated to degree level, however exceptions may be made for those practitioners who have not been educated to this level, based on evidence in their application form that they have extensive clinical experience and can demonstrate an appropriate level of writing skills in the application assignment. Successful candidates will be combining formal study with a high degree of autonomous, work-based learning in their own time. You will be studying for this course at master s level and therefore you need to consider your ability to work at this level of study (see assignment section). As with all our training, we encourage applicants to consider their own experience of loss and how that might affect their participation in the course. Course fees and payments The full course fee is 2,350. This is a non-residential course and students will need to arrange any necessary accommodation. A 350 deposit is required upon application. Once an offer of a place has been made, any withdrawal prior to the commencement of the course will incur an administration fee of 150. Full payment is due by 31 August 2018, if you would like to talk to us about paying by instalments, please contact training@childbereavementuk.org.
Programme units Each of the six units of the course aims to develop students on personal, theoretical and skills levels. Unit 1: Understanding childhood loss, grief and bereavement Students will: understand a range of bereavement models and theories of grief. understand and be able to synthesise a range of theoretical models of child development and their application to child bereavement work. understand the significance of their own childhood experiences to their involvement in bereavement work. understand the specific needs of bereaved children with developmental delay or autistic spectrum conditions. understand their personal views and responses around issues of death and dying. Unit 2: Assessment of children, young people and families in bereavement Students will: know how to apply the theories and philosophies that underpin an effective working relationship with children, young people and families. understand the impact of different circumstances of bereavement. understand the significance of risk and resilience in bereavement work. be able to develop an assessment and formulation framework to guide their work. understand the significance of self-awareness in the assessment of self as a practitioner. Unit 3: Working safely with bereaved children, young people and families Students will: understand the key legislation relating to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. understand the safeguarding implications of the setting in which bereavement work takes place. understand the ethical frameworks, policies and safe practices pertinent to bereavement work. understand the importance of supervision and reflective practice. understand the importance of boundaries in working with bereaved families.
Programme units Unit 4: Creative practice and interventions with bereaved children, young people and families Students will: understand the importance of safely establishing a framework for individual, family and group interventions. understand how to communicate appropriately with children about death and dying. know and be able to demonstrate how to use creative ways of working to support bereaved children, young people and families. understand the relationship between theoretical models of loss and grief. be able to design a creative intervention for use with a bereaved child or young person. Unit 5: Understanding the significance of context and culture in bereavement Students will: understand the importance of working within the context of each family s structure, system and culture. be able to reflect on own frame of reference with respect to family culture and context. Unit 6: Understanding the significance of endings and evaluations in bereavement Students will: understand the importance of placing ending in support work within the context of other endings in a bereaved child s life. understand the importance of monitoring and evaluating the impact of bereavement work.
Assignments and studying for a postgraduate certificate (60 credits at master s level) In addition to the application assignment, there are seven further assignments that students must successfully complete to pass the course. Across these assignments and the six units attended, we will be looking for students to demonstrate their ability to: engage in personal and professional reflection and evaluation; engage in critical discussion and debate; critique theoretical frameworks; use theoretical frameworks to support understandings of own practice; engage in the sharing of practice; explore own professional perspectives and be critically aware of wider contexts and current problems/new insights through reference to research and literature; draw on literature to develop reflections and use theoretical frameworks to support understandings of own practice; structure written work and presentations clearly and fluently, with ideas linked cohesively throughout; and reference all sources appropriately using the university approved Harvard system. Application assignment: Grief theory 1,000 words with references (References are not to be included in the word count) Compare and contrast two grief models/theories and critically appraise your own experiences of loss in light of these models and theories. If your application is successful this assignment will contribute towards your qualification. A fantastic course. I feel I have learned so much, met wonderful people and been trained by the best! Hospice Sibling Support Worker
Assignments and studying for a postgraduate certificate (60 credits at master s level) Learning journal Throughout the course, students will be required to keep a learning journal. Assignments for each module will be as follows: Unit 1: Understanding childhood loss, grief and bereavement Short essay: 1,000 words Unit 2: Assessment of children, young people and families in bereavement Short essay: 1,000 words with references Unit 3: Working safely with bereaved children, young people and families Book review: 1,000 words with references Unit 4: Creative practice and interventions with bereaved children, young people and families Demonstration and 1,000 word report with references Unit 5: Understanding the significance of context and culture in bereavement Critique of a research article: 1,000 words with references Unit 6: Understanding the significance of endings and evaluations in bereavement Learning journal reflection: 1,000 words At the end of the course Case study: 7,000 words with references Further details of coursework and assignments will be provided in the student handbook. The comprehensiveness of this course has been super and surpassed my expectations. The quality of the resources and expertise of the facilitators has been wonderful. Neonatal Bereavement Team Lead
Practice-based learning As part of the programme, and by the start of the third unit at the latest, you must be working with bereaved children and young people under regular supervision. You are required to identify a suitable supervisor and the course leaders will guide you in exploring available options to help you source appropriate supervision should you not have such provision already in place. Because this programme is preparing you for bereavement support, rather than counselling, we do not stipulate specific qualifications for supervisors, but as part of the course we look at what you, as the student, should be seeking in your supervision. To complete the course, and in particular the written case study assignment, you need to have worked with bereaved children and young people and have been undertaking supervised practice whilst on the course as follows: Practice based learning 1. Students must work directly with bereaved children and young people for a minimum of 24 hours as part of the course. Work commencing prior to the course cannot be counted in these hours. 2. This work must have commenced by the start of the third unit. 3. This must include working with three different children/young people from different families. Supporting one child/young person for 24 hours, or a family of three children for 8 hours does not fulfil the course requirements. 4. This work must take place over a 6-month period. 5. Supervision must be accessed during this period of practice, with a minimum requirement of 90 minutes of supervision per month. Evidence to support having met the above requirements must be documented and verified by the student s supervisor, whose contact details you will be asked to provide to the course administrator.
Course leaders The course leaders from Child Bereavement UK are experienced in working in the field of child bereavement and can: guide you in developing the knowledge and skills required to support bereaved children and young people. facilitate the link between the theoretical perspectives covered in the course and the practice environment. support you to develop evidence-based practice in your work with bereaved children and young people. provide you with guidance in sourcing suitable supervision for your practice with bereaved children and young people. Your Bath Spa University link tutor will be able to: provide you with personal academic advice on your studies and progress towards completion of your course through the tutoring system. explain the implications of assessment results and associated feedback on your academic performance. Your tutors Ann Chalmers MBACP Chief Executive Dr. Ann Rowland C.Psychol Director of Bereavement Support & Education Dr. Katie Koehler C. Psychol Deputy Director of Bereavement Support & Education Rebecca Midwinter Award Leader and Senior Lecturer, MA Counselling & Psychotherapy Practice Dr. Michael Sims Lecturer, MA Counselling & Psychotherapy Practice Emma Duncan Associate Lecturer, MA Counselling & Psychotherapy Practice
Terms and conditions Once an offer of a place has been made, any withdrawal prior to the commencement of the course will incur an administration fee of 150. All fees must be paid before 31 August 2018 *. Once the course has commenced, there will be no reimbursement of fees, including for non-attendance. In the unlikely event that Child Bereavement UK cancels the course, fees paid will be refundable in full, but we will not be responsible for indirect or consequential losses. Child Bereavement UK will not offer refunds for events out of its control. Should unforeseen circumstances prevent a session taking place, Child Bereavement UK will reschedule it for another date. Child Bereavement UK reserves the right to change the venue, but alternative venues will be in the local area and appropriate for the purposes of the training. *Unless an agreement has been made for payment by instalments. Local accommodation Please note that you will need to organise your own overnight accommodation if required. Whilst we can provide contact details (below) of local establishments, unfortunately we are unable to make recommendations, as individual expectations and needs vary. The Crown at Radnage 01494 482301 www.crownradnage.co.uk Premier Inn, High Wycombe Central 0871 527 9326 www.premierinn.com I have really enjoyed everything about it and learned a lot, especially about myself. The depth of learning and sharing has been invaluable to me. Family Support Worker
Accredited by: Child Bereavement UK Clare Charity Centre Wycombe Road Saunderton Bucks HP14 4BF Training: 01494 568 909 training@childbereavementuk.org National helpline: 0800 02 888 40 childbereavementuk @cbukhelp childbereavementuk childbereavementuk 01494 568 909 www.childbereavementuk.org/training Registered in England and Wales: 1040419 and Scotland: SCO42910