Advocacy training
These courses are all run on a regular basis. You can either buy places on these courses or negotiate an individual training package for your staff. We can also custom build a course for you or link you with another service with similar training needs in order to offer you excellent value for money.
- Advocacy in Child Protection Conferences (2 days)
- Advocacy in Family Group Conferences (2 days)
- "Getting Children’s Voices Heard" (1 day)
There was nothing that could be improved. This is the only time I have ever written this!
Attendee
at training session
Our trainers
Hilary Horan manages the Swindon and Wiltshire Family Group Conference and Advocacy Service. Since 1996 she has acted as a consultant and trainer for over 20 local authorities and organisations throughout the UK including the Shakti Imani Inclusion Project in Bristol and the Gloucester Family Group Conference project.She has set up and managed family group conference projects within education, youth justice and child welfare settings. In 2003 Hilary was a key note speaker at the Family Rights Group Leicester Conference on 'Getting Children's Voices Heard in Family Group Conferences', and presented a paper called 'The Child's Voice in the Family Group Conference Process' for the American Humane Association in Minneapolis. Hilary has also facilitated a skills building day for the American Humane Association Conference in Pennsylvania entitled 'From theory to practice ' empowering young people to participate in Family Group Decision Making'. Hilary previously worked as a Guardian ad Litem and as an Independent Chair of Child Protection Conferences for five years, chairing over 700 child protection conferences.
Download Hilary’s article Promoting the Participation Rights of Children and Young People in Family Group Conferences (PDF)
Richard Chalmers has worked as a family group conference co-ordinator and advocate for 6 years. He is one of the most experienced co-ordinators in the UK. Richard set up and manages a Family Group Conference project and has considerable experience of training new co-ordinators.
Dr Jane Dalrymple works for the University of the West of England and has written and researched extensively on the subject of advocacy. She has set up and run advocacy services and facilitated numerous courses.
Janet Byrne Goddard has been the team leader for Wiltshire’s Family Group Conference and Advocacy Service for two years. She has five years experience of working as a co-ordinator and advocate. Janet previously worked in a child health team and specializes in advocacy with disabled children.
Steve Smith is one of the most experienced family group co-ordinators in the UK. He has co-ordinated conferences in youth offending, education and child welfare situations. He comes from a probation background and has facilitated many courses.
Jane Wiffin has ten years experience of providing training and consultancy across the UK for family group conference services. She has worked extensively for the Family Rights Group and currently works for Making Research Count.
