Training Policy
Clifford House has a firm commitment to the training and development of staff as we believe that it provides the foundation to the continued provision of fresh and innovative child-care.
Two specialist NVQ Assessors are employed by Clifford House to manage a programme of NVQ qualifications up to Level 4 in Caring for Children and Young People and NVQ Level 4 in Management.
Working with external assessors, they provide a focused programme to ensure that all staff who have successfully completed their probationary period have relevant NVQ training opportunities.
Outside of the NVQ programme further training is identified in an annually evaluated training plan.
This covers all of the areas that underpin the work undertaken by Residential Support Workers and is linked into the practice needs and legislative framework of The Care Standards.
Clifford House has to date supported 20 students successfully through their Diploma in Social Work (now the Social Work Degree) and will continue to recognise that such investment is a key element to ensuring that residential services to children are maintained to the highest level of professionalism.
New members of staff undertake an induction programme that provides the support and reassurance they need to feel confident and well informed about their prospective role with Clifford House. During their six-month probationary period each new staff member has a ‘mentor’ who will offer support and guidance outside of their usual line management and a number of induction-based courses must also be completed.
As employees progress beyond their probationary period they become eligible for further courses but may also apply for more specialist courses appropriate to their development stage and needs.
PRICE (Physical Intervention) Training
In order to provide a safe, secure and caring environment, new members of staff will also participate in an innovative Behaviour Management training programme delivered by one of our five PRICE-approved instructors.
PRICE (Protecting Rights In a Caring Environment) techniques aim to give you the necessary toolbox of skills to defuse any given situation in the most appropriate way, by helping you prevent or de-escalate crises, manage challenging behaviour and reduce the need to rely on physical interventions, unless there is a real and immediate threat to property, to the young person themselves or to others.