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Foundation: Training for outreach workers

Improve the support you offer clients by learning about trauma-informed responses, strength based work and building resilience.

Key course features

Our Foundation: Training for outreach workers course will cover the following topics:

The short and long term effects of domestic abuse, including the impact of adverse childhood experiences, mental health and responses to trauma
How to assess and engage clients across the risk spectrum
Key skills and approaches for working with victims and survivors of domestic abuse, including care pathways, child contact and housing
How to build resilience with clients who’ve experienced domestic abuse, including the role of employment and education
Relevant legislation and how to apply it in practice
Effective ways of working with outreach clients, including group/peer support, strengths-based working and cognitive behavioural approaches.

Course overview

We’ve listened to what Outreach workers need, and developed specialist training to help you give the best possible support to your clients, including:

Trauma-informed responses to domestic abuse
Strengths based working
Building resilience and recovering safely

Our Foundation: Training for Outreach Workers course aims to enhance the essential skills and knowledge of domestic abuse specialists working with victims and survivors as part of a risk-led approach, with a particular emphasis on longer term recovery and resilience.

The Outreach Foundation 12 day course is aimed at refuge and recovery workers, Idva practitioners, domestic abuse practitioners and service managers who currently carry an active caseload of domestic abuse victims or are about to start doing so. The training can also be a great opportunity for non-DA professionals to gain CPD around the risks specifically around young people’s experiences of domestic abuse. SafeLives does however recommend that you have a strong knowledge of domestic abuse case management.

Successful completion of this accredited course will give you the title of OCN Qualified Domestic Abuse Outreach Worker.

The content is designed to give learners the depth and breadth of understanding needed to support domestic abuse victims, survivors and their children in a multi-agency context from a whole family perspective. Topics covered in the course includes:

Prosocial modelling, vicarious trauma and advocacy core skills
Using the Dash Risk Assessment and effective safety planning
Anti-racist practice
Harmful practices
LGBTQ+
Civil law including non-molestation options
Criminal justice system
Housing law and options
Mental health

“This training was extremely informative especially for someone who is fairly new to this area. I have learnt so much from Carlie and Lisa who made the training varied, engaging and informative.”

Time commitment

The Foundation: Training for Outreach Workers course is a 12 day training delivered in 4 blocks of 3 days.

The course comprises 12 days (in-room, online, or hybrid) training, delivered in four blocks; e-learning modules which must be completed prior to attending each block of training; and the completion of four assessed worksheets that are submitted online.

The first 8 days of all our foundation courses cover what we consider the core essentials for anyone working with victims of domestic abuse. The final 4 days focus on the specialist subject. You must attend all 12 days.

The list below provides guidance on recommended study time you should allow:

Guided learning (training blocks, pre-course reading and e-learning modules) – 120 hours
Worksheets – 50 hours
Notional study – 130 hours
Total course time requirement – 300 hours

Eligibility

Our Outreach Foundation course is available to practitioners who meet the following eligibility criteria:

Anyone with a current, active caseload supporting domestic abuse victims. This is to ensure that you have a variety of cases for practice reflection as part of your assessment.
Has a line manager or equivalent supervisor within an appropriate organisation. They should confirm your application details and support you for the duration of the course and whilst you are completing the worksheets.

To promote diversity and widen our learners’ network, we generally limit the number of successful applicants from the same organisation admitted to one course to two spaces. Please consider this before you apply to avoid any disappointment.

How the training helped Outreach worker Jenni Steele

This training was extremely informative especially for someone who is fairly new to this area. I have learnt so much from the trainers who made the training varied, engaging and informative

Previous learner

Price

£2,082.50 per learner

Subsidies

We are committed to supporting smaller and specialist services to access our services, and we’re pleased to offer a limited number of subsidised places for this course on two tiers. The reduced fee spaces are allocated by random selection from the pool of successful applicants who qualify. Please ensure that you complete the application as fully as possible as the answers provided on the application will be used to determine eligible learners.

Thanks to the additional funding from Ministry of Justice our subsidised spaces are offered at an even lower rate currently.

Subsidised space £200 (previously £2000) - Learners from registered charities with an annual income of less than £1million.
Super subsidised space £100 (previously £1000) - Learners from registered charities with an annual income of less than £500,000.

How to apply

Applications for the Foundation: Training for Outreach Workers course are now closed.

Accessibility

We welcome learners of all backgrounds and abilities. We encourage you to share with us any details on accessibility and diversity needs so we can ensure the right support is in place. You can also contact us if you have any queries via training@safelives.org.uk.