Search for Learning and Development Services and Pathways

This will be delivered via Zoom and hosted by Suzanne Pearson. 

Please join the meeting prior to the 9.30 start, so you have time to check that the technology is working.

A community based course to increase awareness and challenge stigma about mental health that participants can draw upon in their day-to-day lives and work.

The views of people with ‘lived’ experience of emotional or mental health issues are central to informing the course content as well as up to date research evidence. 

The course is suitable for anyone including staff and volunteers from a variety of settings working with Adults, and/or Children and Families, who wish to learn more about mental health. It consists of a mixture of factual presentation, small group work and large group discussion within agreed ground rules of confidentiality and respecting each other’s points of view. There are extensive handouts available

The trainer Suzanne Pearson is a Registered Mental Health Nurse and CBT therapist with experience of working in the NHS and voluntary sector. She is a qualified adult trainer with extensive experience of delivering high quality mental health training to a range of participants and organisations. She is a Mental Health First Aid instructor (Standard and Youth courses) and an Applied Suicide Intervention Skills (ASIST) trainer.

SOUTH GLOS COUNCIL STAFF - To access training being delivered by Zoom please complete this form. Once the form is filled out access should automatically be granted within an hour of completion.  ZOOM Access Link

COSTS: £49

Seminar room 17  Learning and Development building,Southmead Hospital

This workshop is aimed at adult social care staff in South Gloucestershire, working in domiciliary, residential and day care services (statutory sector AND IVP sector agencies)

The course includes trainer presentation, discussion, and a short multiple-choice assessment at the end to check the information has been retained by participants.

Relevant handouts/paperwork will be provided by the facilitator Alfred Puerta Casadevall and the Clinical Skills Team in North Bristol Trust.

Please note this training is held at Southmead Hospital (Learning & Research building in the Science Quarter).


This course is £103.50 to external delegates

This course is suitable for Social Care Practitioners in both Adult & Children’s Services


Professional Curiosity Workshop – 1 day - The ‘WHAT ?, WHY ?, & HOW ?’

The ability and confidence to demonstrate Professional Curiosity, Professional Courage, and Professional Challenge together are essential to success when working alone as a single agency professional or as a member of a multi-agency team when working to safeguard and protect.

This workshop provides an opportunity for delegates to work together in scenario-based development and application of knowledge and skills. Those attending will be encouraged to fully participate in work and discussions on an individual, class, and small group basis. Trainer led debriefing and facilitation will allow delegates to explore the ‘What, Why, & How’ of professional practice in this area.

Click here to access workbook and PowerPoint

This half-day course is suitable for those who have previously attended the Epilepsy Awareness Training Day within the last 2 years AND only if they are responsible for administering rescue meds.

(The Joint Epilepsy Council recommends individuals named to administer rescue treatment to attend a refresher course within at least two years). Epilepsy Buccal Midazolam/ Rectal Diazepam instatus Epilepticus Refresher.

The standard charge for this course is £49. Please refer to our Course Charges on the Home page for information on discounts and exemptions.

Please note if you are a Social Worker you should book onto the Professional version of this course.



This training course provides Care Workers with the essential skills and knowledge to apply and comply with the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 when carrying out their role.

The MCA applies to every health and social care worker who is involved in the care, treatment or support of people who are unable to make all or some decisions themselves. Care Quality Commission Inspectors are increasingly asking care workers to explain their responsibilities under the MCA.

The MCA provides legal protection from liability for carrying out care and treatment of people who lack capacity to consent, provided that care workers:

• Understand the principles of the MCA
• Have carried out a capacity assessment and reasonably believe that the person lacks capacity.
• Reasonably believe the action they have taken is in the best interests of the person.

Learning Outcome
1. Understand what mental capacity is and what might affect the mental capacity of the people you work with
2. Be able to identify the decisions you are responsible for in your workplace
3. Be able to apply the MCA principles to the decisions you are responsible for
4. Be able to carry out an assessment of capacity
5. Be able to act and decide in the person’s best interests where they lack capacity for a particular decision.

If you work with Children please book onto the Children's Services version of this course

Please note you have to do this training programme in order.

For SGC staff only:
Additional learning resources here: Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty (Sway resource)
Request to shadow a MCA assessment here: Peer Shadowing Network Yammer Group


South Gloucestershire Council has launched a new interactive training programme that gives Health and Social Care Workers the skills, knowledge, confidence and practice to apply and comply with the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The programme is made up of interactive learning workshops. The new skills and knowledge gained from the workshops are then applied in the workplace.
The programme is designed for Care Provider managers, Social Worker and Occupational Therapy staff and managers, nurses and all other professionals working in health and social care.

The standard charge for this course is £49. Please refer to our Course Charges on the Home page for information on discounts and exemptions.

This training session is appropriate for everyone who works in social care settings who interact, communicate with and support people who have dementia.

This day is an updated version of the course entitled, ‘Connecting with People with Dementia.’ The facilitators believe people who have completed the previous course would benefit from attending this course too, as it has been adapted to incorporate Positive Approaches to CareTM. The core principle of PACTM is that as carers, we need to change our approach in order to understand how it feels to be living with the challenges and learn techniques to support people in a person centred way.

The day introduces Positive Approaches to CareTM and will enable participants to develop their understanding and skills in order to provide person centred support to people who have dementia.

The standard charge for this course is £103.50 per day. Please refer to our Course Charges on the Home page for information on discounts and exemptions

IMPORTANT: To complete your registration for this session please complete the pre-course preparation outlined below.

By booking onto this course, you are consenting to your contact details being passed onto the trainer.

The meeting will open at 9.15am, so that you can join the meeting in time to check that the technology is working prior to a 9.30am prompt start.

Pre-course preparation - please see attached

The session will focus on Direct payments and the legal framework. We will consider the benefits of a direct payment for adults, carers, professionals and the Local Authority as well as the challenges that may be experienced. Some guest speakers will be available to talk to you in small groups:
- A direct payment recipient will tell you about how it helps her to live a good life
- Steffan Lewis from the South Glos DP monitoring team who will be able to answer any questions you have about the process.
- A representative from one of the Support Providers will tell you about how they can offer bespoke to support to an individual receiving a direct payment

Plus a video of one of your social work colleagues who will tell you why she thinks direct payments can promote an individual’s wellbeing.

• Increase understanding around race, racism and systemic racism as well as how it manifests in relation to social care specifically
• Exploring disparities from statistics that have been caused by systemic racism specific to social care and other core English institutions
• Understanding our own unconscious bias and social conditioning to help us better challenge ourselves, our thoughts and our beliefs
• A deep dive into white privilege, power & advantage
• Cultural awareness and how being aware of cultural norms can help us be more culturally competent when supporting people
• Learning what microaggression are and what we can do to mitigate against them and how to support somebody who has experienced a microaggression
• Exploring Language the nuances and connotations associated with some outdated terms
• How to be an anti-racism ally and what this means as an individual, team and organisation

Your pre-course activity is attached. 

Please note: By booking onto this course, you are consenting to your contact details being passed onto the trainer. This is so they can send you any further relevant resources.

Who it's for:  Social Care and OT Practitioners working directly with people in need of care and support.

The course gives an understanding of the Care Act 2014, its principles and duties.
Content includes:
• an overview of the Care Act and its implications
• an outline of the wellbeing principle and duty
• general and specific duties under the Care Act
• how to prevent, delay or reduce care needs with information and advice
• a look at independent advocacy
• safeguarding adults
• assessments of needs, carers assessments and eligibility determination
• an individual’s journey through the reform system.

The standard charge for this course is £103.50. Please refer to our Course Charges on the Home page for information on discounts and exemptions