Connected Practice – SW/SSW
Connected Practice
Connected Practice is underpinned by the elements below:
- Motivational interviewing
- Attachment and trauma informed practice
- Assessment and risk analysis.
Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative conversation style for addressing the common problem of ambivalence about change and strengthening a person’s own motivation and commitment to change.
PCF: Professionalism, Values and Ethics, Diversity, Knowledge, Intervention Skills, Critical Reflection
KSS: 1, 2, 6, 7
- Motivational Interviewing Foundation – 2 day course (part of the ASYE programme)
- Motivational Interviewing Advanced Skills – 2 day course (ESCC Learning Portal)
Webinars
- Refresher 1: Back-to-basics – Single Source
- Refresher 2: Recognising and responding to sustain talk, discord and change talk – Single Source
- Refresher 3: MI and trauma-informed conversation – Single Source
- Refresher 4: MI supervision – Single Source
- How can Motivational Interviewing support non-violent resistance? – Single Source
- Motivational Interviewing and graphic facilitation – Single Source
- Case work
- 1:1 supervision
- Motivational Interviewing mentoring session (following advanced session)
- Motivational Interviewing – ESCC Intranet – we developed this section on Single Source to help social work practitioners in their day-to-day practice.
- Motivational interviewing Community of Practice – supports the
development of practitioners and the organisation.
Social Worker’s should have a good understanding of attachment theory and its practical application in building resilience and promoting mental health and wellbeing. Attachment has been defined in various ways:
- A close and continuous bond with the mother (Bowlby, 1951);
- Affect regulation theory and personality development in the context of close relationships (Howe, 2010);
- A theory about protection from danger (Crittenden).
In ESCC we have adopted Pat Crittenden’s Dynamic Maturational Model of understanding attachment. Attachment behaviour in infants is designed to help them survive, stay safe and feel secure. It helps infants make sense, model, cope and explore – especially the self and others. In order to achieve these states the vulnerable human infant needs a relationship with a caregiver who is stronger (safety and protection) and wiser (in the ways of the mind and the world). (Howe, 2005)
Trauma informed practice aims to understand service-users in the context of their life experiences and history, and acknowledges how these factors affect people throughout their lives. The key principle of this practice is based on building a trusting, collaborative and empowering relationship – the focus being “what’s happened to you?” rather than “what’s wrong with you?” and trying to make sense for parents and caregivers on how this impacts on their parenting capacity. Also how this impacts on children and young people’s current functioning.
PCF: Values and Ethics, Diversity, Knowledge, Critical Reflection, Intervention and Skills
KSS: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7
If there is no link to course information please email the Training and events team.
Essential
- Introduction to trauma-informed practice eLearning module – (ESCC Learning Portal)
- Trauma-informed approaches to working with families in a multi-professional context – (ESCC Learning Portal)
Advanced
- Attachment based practice with families: Part 1 – Infancy, early childhood & school years – 3 day course (ESCC Learning Portal)
- Attachment based practice with families: Part 2 – Adolescence, adulthood & family system – 5 day course (ESCC Learning Portal)
- Advanced trauma informed training for Children’s Services – 1 day course (ESCC Learning Portal)
- Understanding and engaging with trauma informed practice* (CPD module at University of Sussex; online; September 2025 start date; 15 credits)
*Practitioners can apply for this post-ASYE or after the first year of employment with ESCC.
How to apply
Deadline for applications is Friday 4th July 2025. Please email the Social Work Education Team to express your interest before applying.
Attachment webinars
These two trainer-led videos focus on aspects of the attachment model covered in ESCC attachment training for practitioners:
- Crittenden’s resources for assessing parental functioning – Single Source
- Introduction to DMM Family Functional Formulation. Part 1. Theory – Single Source
Trauma webinars
- PACE – Single Source
- Motivational Interviewing and trauma-informed conversation – Single Source
- Trauma-informed education and social care – Single Source
- Poverty and trauma – Single Source
- Race and trauma – Single Source
- Case work
- 1:1 supervision
- Case consultation with Practice Leads and specialist services
Attachment
- Attachment – ESCC Intranet – we developed this section on Single Source to help social work practitioners in their day-to-day practice.
Trauma
- Trauma-informed practice – ESCC Intranet – we developed this section on Single Source to help social work practitioners in their day-to-day practice.
- Trauma-informed Community of Practice – ESCC Intranet – supports the development of practitioners and the organisation.
For experienced Social Workers who want to progress to being a Senior Social Worker- consider becoming an Attachment or Trauma Informed Practice Lead which gives you access to specialist training allowing you to share and support learning within your service area. See our Practice Lead development programme for more information and who to contact.
Social Workers must be able to decide on the best permanence option, using research to draw evidence-based conclusions and should eliminate drift by identifying the best care arrangement for the child as soon as possible. Social Workers will need to produce high quality case records of the permanence process that are well-considered and sensitively presented, having drawn upon the views and experience of those who know the child.
During this process, Social Workers must be able to also establish effective working relationships with other professionals including agency lawyers, Independent Reviewing Officers and Cafcass and communicate effectively, offering clear rationale for all recommendations.
The Social Worker will support children and families during this transition, supporting the placement and managing disruption and breakdown.
PCF: Professionalism, Values and Ethics, Diversity, Knowledge, Intervention Skills, Critical Reflection
KSS/PQS: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10
In-depth and ongoing family assessment of social need and risk to children is at the core of excellent social work with children and families. Effective assessment and recording needs the active participation of the child and family in the process and ongoing engagement with other professionals who contribute to social work assessments. To be confident in assessment and recording we need to feel comfortable with the use of multiple hypotheses and understand the role of intuition and logic in decision-making. It’s important to understand the difference between opinion and fact, the role of evidence, how to address common bias in situations of uncertainty and the reasoning that informs any conclusions reached and recommendations made. As a social worker your assessment and analysis skills will be further developed drawing on a range of research and theoretical models to inform your thinking. This will then be evidenced in more sophisticated planning and interventions that are evidence informed.
PCF: Professionalism, Knowledge, Intervention and Skills.
KSS: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
If there is no link to course information please email the Training and events team
Essential
- Risk assessment and analysis – 1 day course (ESCC Learning Portal)
- Holding difficult conversations with families – 1 day course (ESCC Learning Portal)
Advanced
- Working with young people at Complex Safeguarding Risk (CPD module at University of Sussex; on campus; October 2025 start date; 30 credits)
- Risk and decision-making: challenges for Children’s Services management and practice (CPD module at University of Sussex; online; October 2025 start date; 30 credits)
How to apply
Complete the University of Sussex application form and return to Social Work Education Team.
Webinar
- Cognitive assessment – Single Source
• Case work
• 1:1 supervision
• Self directed learning
- Assessment and planning – ESCC Intranet – we developed this section on Single Source to help social work practitioners in their day-to-day practice.
- Assessing parental capacity to change – Single Source.
- Holding difficult conversations with families: practice principles – Single Source.
- Neglect Toolkit – ESSCP – multi-agency toolkit.
- Assessment Handbook – Research in Practice.
Social Workers and Senior Social Workers should be building their expertise in assessment and analysis, and understand how to conduct assessments within specialisms such as domestic abuse and alcohol and drug use.