Project Location: Nationwide – Central London and Manchester
Project Contact: Sarah O’Gorman, Training Coordinator

Project Information:

AFRUCA launched a National Training and Advice Programme for practitioners who work closely with black African children and their families in April 2007. The programme was established to help consolidate our work with agencies and their staff in the area of skills development. This initiative also acts as a tool for informing and influencing policy at a higher level, since the practitioners extend what they have learnt to the authorities of their organisations.

Since February 2007, we have trained over 1400 practitioners who attend AFRUCA-run training courses as well as other training activities organised by other agencies but delivered by AFRUCA. Most of our training activities had previously been limited to London and the South, but in autumn last year with the inauguration of our new regional office in Manchester we have been able to extend the coverage of our activities so we can reach out to agencies and their staff in other parts of the country. We have also worked with agencies across the country in the assessment of child protection cases relating to black African children and families.

Many practitioners have given us positive feedback on our training:

‘I enjoyed and learn a lot about the difference between culture/religion and how this impacts on the safeguarding of African children’ Social Worker, Barnardos, London

‘It has enlightened me regarding some very serious issues and raised my awareness...I feel I have gained another dimension to my knowledge base’, Education welfare officer, Wandsworth council,

“very useful – better insight which will help me work more closely with ethnic minorities’, participant from Brent pct.

‘The course was informative, encouraging and trainers had good rapport with the audience’ participant at London 10th March 2010 event

‘The whole training was very informative and delivered well. It covered more than expected” Action for Children Hackney Young Carers and Beacon Project.

‘The course was very interesting and is a must to gain insight into African culture, which is a huge help when working with families'
Verna Plummer – Advisory teacher, Black Achievement

‘The topics discussed and presented were so interesting – I would have had questions lined up for another 2 days, longer…’
Dr Birgit Westphal – Child Psychiatrist

The Training Programme

Our training courses are accessible in different ways:
Regular courses are held in Central London and Manchester on a variety of subjects related to the welfare of African children; including issues around witchcraft branding, culture and religion linked to child abuse, domestic servitude and trafficking, female genital mutilation and witchcraft abuse. Courses are held every month in both cities 
Tailor-made, in-house training courses are delivered on demand to staff of agencies to meet organisational needs and priorities.
Conference speaking and workshop presentations on different subjects directed at a wide range of practitioners working with African children and families.

Information, Advice, Assessments and Guidancce (IAAG)

AFRUCA works with agencies nation-wide to input into ongoing casework involving African children and families. We are often invited to provide expert advice to help inform child protection case assessments, reviews and legal proceedings. We work with practitioners to offer specialist advice on cultural practices and religious beliefs to ensure they can achieve a good outcome for the children concerned. We are often invited as expert witnesses in court proceedings. We quality assure programmes and projects and carry out reviews of programmes to assess how well they meet the needs of black African chilren and families.

To find out more about our National Training and Advice Programme for Practitioners, click here

You can also download and read our new 2012-2013 Training Brochure. click here

Last Updated February 2012