Course description

Getting the balance right: for social workers, assessors and foster carers

Culture shapes how every family lives, loves and raises children. Understanding it helps us keep children safe. Misreading it, in either direction, can leave a child unprotected or a family unfairly judged. In this course, you'll learn how to get the balance right.

This interactive e-learning course has 6 short modules:

• Module 1: Welfare First: Finding the Balance
• Module 2: Lessons from Reviews
• Module 3: Curiosity, Humility and Interpreters
• Module 4: Physical Punishment and the Law
• Module 5: Harmful Practices, Handled Well
• Module 6: Culture as a Strength

It includes narration, practical scenarios and a final quiz of 12 questions (80% pass mark). You can learn at your own pace on any device, and you'll receive a certificate when you complete the course.

What will i learn?

• Avoid both 'it's their culture' thinking and cultural bias, keeping the child's welfare first
• Apply lessons from the Victoria Climbié Inquiry and the Child Q review
• Recognise adultification and challenge it
• Use curiosity, cultural humility and interpreters well
• State the law on physical punishment in England, Wales and Scotland accurately
• Respond calmly to FGM, breast ironing and abuse linked to faith or belief, and see culture as a strength

Frequently asked question