The Legal Context of Child Care Work (1 or 2 day Course)

This course is designed to ensure that staff possess a working knowledge and basic competence in understanding and using the Children Act and other important childcare legislation in their everyday practice. 

Participants attending this training will demonstrate:

v     Understanding of the philosophy of the Children Act including the “No Order” principle

v     Understand the importance of the “Welfare Checklist.”

v     Understanding and demonstrate skills in applying Parts 1, 3 and 5 of the Act and understanding the concepts of
   “reasonable,” “need,” “impairment” and “significant harm” in terms of Sections 17, 31 and 47 of the Act.

v   Acquaintance with the most often used Sections of the Children Act in reference to the social care setting: S1, S3,
 (S8 is referenced and also S7 and S37), S17, S20, S22, S24, S25, S31, S34, S38, S41 and S42, S43, S44, S46,
 S48, S50. Knowledge of S18, S21 and S52, S119 (advocacy) and S120 Adoption & Children Act 2002 (re
 domestic violence); knowledge of Sections 10 and 11, 53 and 58 of the Children Act 2004.

v     Acquaintance with Volumes 1 – 9 + Index 10 of the Guidance and Regulations relating to the Act and Working
   Together guidance.

v     Knowledge of the Mental Health Act Code of Practice as it relates to Children

v     Knowledge of the concept of “Gillick Competence” as formulated by Lord Scarman and revised by Lord
   Donaldson and sometimes (mistakenly) referred to as the "Fraser guidelines".

v     Have awareness and develop competence skills in terms of the implications for social work with children and
   their families of the Human Rights Act and the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child.

This can be a one-day (but it is far better taught as two day where we can actually get through all the material - something we never achieve on the too packed one day) course where the connections between law, ethics and values is thoroughly explored. A Children's services department is a legally constituted entity working to statute legislation. All that you do is sanctioned by legislation or related guidance.  Staff need to know and understand the major components of this legislation in order to fulfil their role as a social care workers no matter what their precise job might be in the organisation. The main legislation we work to is the Children Act 1989 and besides teaching this directly, this course make use of a case scenario, which takes participants through the main sections of the Act and aspects of related guidance that is commonly used. The use of legislation is constantly reinforced and referenced throughout the entire course.

Feedback is excellent regarding this course. The use of an extended case scenario acts as a "coat hanger" for legal scenes which participants can then locate in the real world of practice. This proves to be a much better learning medium than slide after slide on the law or static "one off" case scenarios. More than once it has been commented that it is like an episode from TV's "Eastenders" with people shouting for the "next instalment". There is no doubt that this course gets people engaged in learning.

We can also offer half day or full day seminars on the Children Act 2004.

Course Key Texts:

Children Act 1989 (HMSO)

Guidance to Children Act 1989 Volumes 1 – 9 and Index volume 10. (TSO)

Working Together to Safeguard Children (TSO)

Mental Health Act (revised 1999) Code of Practice, chapter 31. (HMSO)

Local SSD C&F Procedures

Osiris Course Handout: The Osiris Guide to Legislation

Also see a sample page from the above: Key Sections of the Children Act 1989 (page 22 of the above Guide)

Selected Supplementary Reading:

Please click on the two links below to see details of the Osiris Guide to Legislation and the other link comprises a page from the Osiris Guide on Key Sections of the Children Act 1989

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