Portsmouth Children’s Trust
Rane Training, in partnership with Portsmouth Mediation Service, successfully won the tender for restorative practice training and development in Jan 2017. Since then, they have been providing training and support for the development of restorative practice (RP) throughout Children’s Services. To date they have trained well over 250 staff, including partner agency staff from NHS Solent, and secondary and primary education. Within the council they have trained social workers, early help workers, specialist family support workers, domestic violence advocates and others in working restoratively and developing a restorative culture. The majority of those staff have undergone an intensive 4 day training, equipping them to work restoratively in a less formal, one-to-one approach, right through to facilitating a formal conference and chairing child protection and other statutory meetings in a restorative way. Others have taken the modular approach, participating in 2 day training which equips them to work restoratively in one-to-one conversations and impromptu restorative conversations. Those who wish to can go on to further training if they will be facilitating restorative circles and more formal meetings.
Rane training has worked previously in Portsmouth Council, through the Community Safety Team where they delivered RP training to mixed groups of practitioners and volunteers across the city, and therefore they came with an excellent reputation for quality of training and with established positive working relationships with the council.
They have always reliably delivered very high quality training with a team of facilitators of a very high standard. All trainers are engaging and have knowledge, expertise and real experience which they bring to the training room to enhance the learning of participants. The working relationship with Rane Training has been a positive one, and they have always been flexible in working with us to achieve our goals, adapting their provision and offering good value in accommodating our needs. Recently they have helped us support and workshops to enhance the embedding of the training.
The early help service, which came into being at the time of the restorative practice training being rolled out, has been developed on a restorative footing and the restorative culture is obvious in the way these staff work with the service users, and in the workplace. This has resulted in better working relationships within the service as well as between practitioners and their service users.
Portsmouth City Council has carried out an independent evaluation of the impact of the training and the findings were very encouraging. Trainees report back that they have a full understanding of restorative practice, that they remain enthusiastic about the model and that they have partly or fully implemented the learning in their practice.
The training and workforce development in restorative practice is ongoing, but the impact seen so far has been, for example, a greater use of restorative language and practice in Child Protection Conferences, where parents have reported feeling more involved in the process and the creation of Child Protection Plans.
Hayden Ginns, Transformation Manager, Portsmouth City Council
I have been a participant and a trainer with Claudine Rane for nearly two years working closely with her supporting the roll out of Restorative Practice (RP) across multi-agencies in working with Portsmouth Children and their Families. There has been some fantastic work across children and families in Health, Early Help and in social work using restorative values and principles making a difference to children’s lives. Having just read 16 newly qualified social workers portfolios, there was clear evidence of RP being used with foster carers, children subject to child in need plans and in various meetings where there has been identified harm. Within the LADO role, they are requesting a restorative meetings with schools, Children’s Social Care, etc. where an allegation has been made that is found to be false or unsubstantiated, to find a way forward to repair relationships.
We have recently had an Ofsted Inspection which identified “The local authority’s well-embedded restorative model of practice draws on families’ strengths, focusing on maintaining children in their families wherever possible”.
Karley Middleton, Service Leader Academy & Participation / Principle Social Worker, Portsmouth City Council
Almost 200 staff have been trained across health in Solent NHS. This includes Health Visitors, Therapists, School Nurses, Family Nurse Partnership, medical staff and CAMHS. There have been very positive responses about the training.
The workforce has been using restorative practice in a range of ways. They have used it in writing case conference reports, in case conferences, to manage professional difference, in supervision to reflect on practice, to manage complaints and in one-to-one meetings with colleagues. Staff have embraced the approach in a positive way. Workers and families feel heard and are able to see other perspectives which leads to plans that are child-focused, and when dealing with complaints, working with staff leads to clearer resolution agreed by all parties.
Sonia King, Service and Quality Manager, Solent NHS Trust
The new Early Help and Prevention (5-19 years) Service was built upon principles of Restorative Practice. All staff, including leaders, managers, practitioners and administrative staff were trained as part of the development of the new team. Systems for supervision incorporate RP (restorative practice) questions and opportunities for use within a reflective cycle. The team successfully use the techniques with families to encourage open conversation and the exploration of issues and feelings. They report a positive response from parents and young people who enjoy being heard, and value being involved in identifying solutions within a family plan. As a service we continue to embed RP within all areas of practice and see the benefits for families of working with schools and other partners who are also committed to Restorative practice.
Gill Noble, Locality Service Manager, Portsmouth City Council
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Portsmouth City Council and Hampshire Youth Offending Team
The training delivered by Rane Training has, over a number of years, has been of a consistently high standard. The supplier is easy to work with, flexible, reliable and professional, as are the Associate Trainers used.
All training provided has been delivered on time and on budget, and as per the specification. Feedback has been consistently positive, and staff have felt supported in delivering the training. It has enabled the council, and in particular the YOT to roll out the training to a number of staff, and volunteers, increasing the use of restorative practice in the city, and thus advancing Portsmouth in its vision to become a Restorative City.
As mentioned, the training exceeds the minimum requirements of the RJC Code of Practice for Trainers.
PCC hopes to continue working with Claudine and Rane Training in the future.
Mark Owen, Service Manager, Hampshire County Council
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West Sussex Youth Offending Service
The training in its entirety is comprehensive and of a very high standard. The feedback from those involved in the first cohort and delivery of the programme has been consistently excellent, and we have seen the positive outcomes of this training on the work our staff are doing with young people, victims and their families, and in relationships between staff. People enjoy the training and learn practical skills and approaches they can implement in their work.
Positive feedback was received after all rounds of training in 2012 and 2014, and 2015 and it has had a positive impact on the work of the staff, and on the workplace as a whole.
As mentioned, the training exceeds the minimum requirements of the RJC Code of Practice for Trainers.
Claudine was reliable, delivering high quality training as per the specification. Her passion and commitment to increasing standards of restorative practice is evident in all of her work. Communication was good and services were delivered on time and on budget. West Sussex YOS would not hesitate to commission their training in the future.
Lorna Vincent, Restorative Justice Team Manager
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Victim Support London
Claudine is an excellent facilitator with ability to deliver complex information and sensitive issues in an appropriate way. She is always well prepared, works well in a team, promotes diversity and equality in her training and is inclusive of all members of the group. She is an excellent listener and has the ability to ask pertinent questions and draw out quieter members of the group. She encourages people to participate fully, uses humour in an appropriate way and has an engaging style that is all her own. Claudine is an experienced trainer with Victim Support London and we value her assessment skills, pairing her with new associate trainers to act as a mentor and to give the organisation feedback on their skills. Claudine’s training has resulted in new volunteers feeling more confident about their role and ready to begin working with victims, and has enabled experienced volunteers to work with more sensitive issues and more vulnerable victims with confidence.
Rachael Cross, Training Manager
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Haringey Youth Offending Service
Claudine adapted the volunteer training materials provided to meet local need and especially to include diversity issues, including those of disabled participants such as a volunteer with visual impairment.
She also delivered training to staff on restorative justice and working with victims, and tailored this to meet their needs according to previous knowledge and experience.
Claudine is highly methodical and organised. All her training materials were produced well in advance and all resources needed to deliver training were planned and ready for delivery. The course materials were of good quality.
The training was well paced and participatory and allowed for individualised learning according to personal style. Claudine is a very dynamic trainer with good use of voice and herself – the training that I observed had staff/volunteers fully engaged. Claudine used number of non-threatening techniques to ensure that quiet members of the groups had a chance to co-operate and to close down those who were dominating groups.
Haringey Youth Offending Service had a large cohort of well-trained, skilled and motivated volunteers as a result of Claudine’s training, and staff awareness on victim issues was also raised.
Shelley Greene, Operations Manager
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Capital Community Foundation and National Council for Voluntary Youth Services
Claudine is really strong in identifying an organisation’s learning needs and in planning programmes accordingly. She always ensures she tailors the session to the needs of her audience, taking into account the special requirements of the group, for example when training young people or people with English as an additional language. She does this through the use of a variety of participative facilitation methods and approaches, which are creative, fun and informative, ensuring she reaches all the learning styles within the groups and meets the course objectives. I have seen Claudine work with youth groups through to groups of high level social workers; her pitch is always accurate. She is a good communicator, very approachable, and participants feel comfortable speaking to her which enables her to meet their needs better. She manages a group well and is always in control of the session. Claudine has a very calming approach and uses humour appropriately. Her training events are very well structured and she is always well prepared, providing excellent resources.
Claudine is a first rate trainer. I have personally learnt a lot from her as she generates new ideas in putting together resources for her training groups. Any organisation who commissions her for training would be lucky to have her. Participants consistently leave Claudine’s training sessions stating they have learned news skills, received relevant information and enjoyed the day.
Claire Standring, Freelance trainer and consultant
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National Resource Centre for Supplementary Education
Claudine has delivered a variety of safeguarding courses within our programme. She demonstrates many strengths as a facilitator, but what struck me first is her professionalism and ability to make sensitive subject matter easier to deal with. Whilst addressing the serious issues of child protection, she manages to promote a sense of positivity, which relaxes the participants and enables them to engage with the session with greater ease. Claudine’s creative style enables learning to be accessible, highly participatory, educational and fun, which is exactly the kind of learning style needed to engage a diverse mix of adult learners, many of whom speak English as their second language. The feedback from learners is consistently positive, having enjoyed the session, whilst acquiring new awareness and skills, and gaining confidence to take back in to their organisation.
Rachel Bond, Supplementary Education Advisor
Further comments regarding Rane Training and Claudine Rane
“The case studies … on what providers have done as a result of LSIS training … have all made significant changes and improvements as a result of the training they have attended or done on line. This is very heartening and a real tribute to your hard work. You have consistently had excellent feedback, which is good, but the impact outlined really shows how effective you are. Thank you and I shall certainly sing your praises”. Ann Ruthven, Head of Learning and Learner Support, Learning and Skills Improvement Service, commenting on feedback given to the small team of Safeguarding consultants, of which Claudine has been a member since its inauguration in 2008.
“Just to add to this … everywhere I go in my region providers sing the praises of our safeguarding support. We had a regional conversation with LSIS council members … and again … they listed it as one of the best things we do”. A further comment to Head of Learning and Learner Support, Learning and Skills Improvement Service from a colleague regarding the Safeguarding work.
“I just wanted to drop you a line to say a thank you for your help with organising our training for us for yesterday… It was a really good session, 18 of our team and a couple from our neighbouring Children’s centre nursery attended. Claudine Rane was fantastic, she delivered a very professional day that was relevant and appropriate to our work with children under 5. The team enjoyed the day even though it was a delicate subject it was handled sensitively. We would very much like to work with her again in the future”. Email to voluntary organisation from nursery where Claudine provided a day’s safeguarding training.