Family Hubs Toolkit
6. Training, Governance and Capacity Building
Overview
Robust training ensures both volunteers and professionals are confident, competent, and aligned with the ethos of Family Hubs. Training also bridges cultural gaps and brings collaboration and mutual understanding across different sectors. It builds competency whilst reassuring local authorities and communities of the strength and reliability of what churches can offer.
Consideration should be given to equipping volunteers and staff with skills in safeguarding, cultural awareness, and legal compliance in order to deliver safe, effective support for families. Processes for safe and effective recruitment, ongoing learning, and retention strategies should be in place.
Essential Reading
- Volunteer and Staff Development
Training programmes for volunteers should cover topics such as safeguarding, family support, working with vulnerable families, and inclusivity. These programmes help ensure that church volunteers are well-equipped to support individuals and families in their communities. It’s also vital to equip local authority staff with cultural awareness when working with faith communities.- Key Training Areas
- Safeguarding and child protection
- Trauma-informed and relational practice
- Faith literacy for statutory partners
- Navigating multi-agency systems
- First Aid Training (at least for key team members)
- Data protection and confidentiality
- Inclusive communication and accessibility
- Key Training Areas
- Safeguarding and Compliance
Safeguarding is essential for protecting vulnerable children, young people, and families. Church leaders and volunteers must understand their legal obligations (such as DBS checks and safeguarding policies). Find the Safeguarding Children Partnership in your area and understand your local safeguarding procedures such as MASH. - Sourcing and Delivering Effective Training
Ensure that volunteers and staff receive regular training (at least annually) on safeguarding, health and safety, mental health, and other essential topics. A comprehensive training programme will foster trust and support positive outcomes for beneficiaries. - Governance and Culture
Creating a safe culture involves having clear health and safety and safeguarding policies, safeguarding leads, and effective management of risks, including training staff and volunteers on how to address potential concerns. Establishing a culture that welcomes feedback and promotes humility is key for maintaining a safe and supportive environment. - Training Opportunities
Local authorities can help churches by offering training and opening up their staff training to voluntary sector colleagues. If churches are closely connected to local schools, there may be opportunities to attend planned training together.
Deep Dive
- Understanding Assessment Frameworks Used by Local Authorities
It’s important to train volunteers on the basics of local authority assessment tools, such as the Risk and Resilience Matrix, or Signs of Safety. Understanding how family hubs are assessed can help churches collaborate more effectively with professional services, ensuring that families receive the support they need.
- Training Framework and Delivery
Training frameworks should be designed around the principles of trauma-informed care, strengths-based approaches, and evidence-informed decision-making. By focusing on the outcomes for the child and fostering a positive, reflective learning environment, organisations can improve their services and outcomes.
Guiding Principles to Practice Quality:- Child-Centred: Focus on the experience and progress of children.
- Trauma-Informed: Understand how trauma affects development and behaviour.
- Strength-Based: Focus on building on strengths while addressing areas for improvement.
- Reflective: Encourage reflection to improve practice and outcomes.
- A helpful list of training areas (in addition to the key training areas already mentioned) may also include,
- Listening and communication
- Motivation
- Support and help available for families
- Lone working
- Boundaries and limitations
- Challenges that families face
- Trauma Informed Practice
- A helpful list of training areas (in addition to the key training areas already mentioned) may also include,
- Recruitment and Retention of Volunteers
When recruiting volunteers, it’s essential to have clear role descriptions and processes in place, including application forms and DBS checks. Regular refresher training (at least annually) should be provided, along with ongoing support and supervision. Volunteers also need a safe and structured environment, with clear boundaries and expectations for their roles.
Key elements to consider:- Role Descriptions: Clear expectations for volunteers.
- Support and Supervision: Regular check-ins and feedback.
- Motivation and Boundaries: Understanding volunteers’ motivations and managing personal boundaries.
- Mental Health and Domestic Abuse Awareness: Specialised training, such as Mental Health First Aid and Domestic Abuse awareness, is essential.
- Safeguarding and Compliance Monitoring
Safeguarding is not only about child protection but also ensuring the safety and well-being of volunteers and staff. Regular reviews and updates to policies and procedures are essential to stay compliant with legislation such as the Children Act 1989, the Data Protection Act 2018, and GDPR. A strong, safe culture can only be maintained when everyone understands their roles and responsibilities regarding safeguarding.
Checklist for Safeguarding:- DBS checks for all staff and volunteers.
- Clear reporting processes for incidents and near misses.
- Regular safeguarding training.
- Active feedback mechanisms to assess and improve safety measures.
- Data Governance and Compliance
Compliance with data protection laws, including GDPR and the Data Protection Act, is critical for maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of beneficiaries and people you serve. This includes having clear governance structures in place and a commitment to sharing data appropriately within the bounds of the law.
Governance Questions to Ask:
- Does our organisation have policies that are up to date with current legislation?
- Are staff and volunteers clear about their responsibilities regarding information governance?