Dates and Venues
Thurs 5 November - Premier Inn, Kings Cross, London (This course is now full)
Thurs 12 November - The Place Hotel, Manchester
NEW DATE ADDED 14th January 2010 – Premier Inn, Kings Cross, London
(Course timings: 10am - 4.00pm)

Course Summary
The CWDC Training, Learning and Development Standards for Short Break Carers now apply to all short break carers offering placements that are regulated by the Fostering Service Regulations (2002). Supervising workers and managers are responsible for supporting carers to meet the standards and for signing-off the attainment of the standards. Shared Care Network developed the standards for CWDC to ensure they were relevant and proportionate to the short break carer role. This course will help supervising workers to understand their role and implement the standards effectively.

Content
• The standards - What, Why, Who, When, How?
• Mapping the standards to the knowledge, skills and attitudes short break carers need
• Evidence - different types, sources and locations
• What is ‘good enough’? The level of ability needed to meet the standard
• Integrating standards into existing processes of assessment, induction and review
• Hopes, anxieties and perceived additional support needs.

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, participants will:
• know what the standards are and how they reflect existing expectations of short break carers;
• know who the standards apply to, timescales for carers to meet them and the process for evidencing achievement;
• have engaged in discussions with peers to clarify the minimum level of evidence expected for a standard to be considered met;
• have gained practical experience in evaluating evidence against the standards (relating to both new carers and those of long-standing and
• have ideas for integrating the standards into existing assessment, induction andreview processes.

Who should attend?
This course is aimed at managers and practitioners who co-ordinate short break placements with carers who are required to meet the new standards for short break carers.

Trainer Profiles
Dermot McCann is Head of Policy and Regional Development at Shared Care Network. Dermot led the project team that developed the standards for short break carers. Prior to joining Shared Care Network, Dermot was a socia lworker and manager of short break and fostering services for disabled children,working in the statutory and voluntary sector.
Rob Fountain is Shared Care Network’s Head of Training. Rob was involved in the project team that developed the standards. Rob has previously been a lecturer in social work, as well as a practitioner working in the disability field.