Working with Complexity and the Implications for Restoration Assessment and Safety Planning Practice

This is the foundation course that lays out the theory and evidence underpinning the dynamics of common and complex risk factors that influence assessment and case planning work activities undertaken by restoration practitioners in their work with families. This highly interactive workshop is delivered as:

• 2 × 1 day workshops (can be face to face or online)
• 2 × 2 hour group coaching sessions delivered online

Stage 1 – 2 × 1 day workshops (can be face to face or online)

Content

• Introduction to poverty informed assessment practice
• Overview of the dynamics and intersection of Domestic and Family Violence, Parental Mental Health, Cognitive Disability and Parental Substance Misuse restoration practitioners are required to assess to promote safety
• Practice techniques to engage mothers and fathers in conversations about complicating risk factors and the impact on family functioning and on the children
• Practice tools to promote relapse prevention
• Develop and document robust Immediate Safety Plans, taking into account the dynamics of the harm they are managing, to enable a confident “Safe with Plan” outcome when/if danger may occur
• Develop and document rigorous Long-Term Safety and Support plans, taking into account the dynamics of the harm they are managing, to enable confident closure or restoration decisions

Practice activities incorporated intensively throughout the two-day program, focussing on:

• Assessment of the intersection of complicating risk factors and the implications for the safety of children
• Engagement strategies for partnering with mothers and fathers to promote change and safety
• Deepening safety planning skills, both Immediate safety Planning (where required) and Longer-Term safety and Support Planning
• Knowledge Translation Sheet for ‘homework’ with supervisor

Stage 2 – 2 × 2 hour group coaching sessions delivered online

Two x two hour coaching sessions are held at 3 or 4 week intervals after the Introductory workshop to bring practitioners and supervisors together to debrief practice experiences, share learning, solution finding for ‘wicked little problems’ and offering further practice opportunities.

Content coaching session 1:

• Debrief Knowledge Translation Sheet for ‘homework’ undertaken with supervisor
• Review assessment practice questions relating to the intersection of complicating risk factors
• Unpacking practice attempts at Immediate Safety Planning with different complicating risk factors
• Deepening skills – practicing developing Immediate safety Plans “in the moment” with families, where required

Content coaching session 2:

• Review assessment practice questions relating to abuse dynamics
• Unpacking practice attempts at Longer Term Safety and Support Planning with different abuse dynamics
• Deepening skills – practicing developing Longer Term Safety and Support Planning conversations with families, incorporating strategies to manage the impact of complicating risk factors on family functioning and the children