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Court skills knowledge and practice hub

Author: Community Care Inform

Updated Date: 15 October 2022

Publication Date: 1 June 2017

Learning points

Practical advice on all stages and aspects of court work, from pre-proceedings work with families to completing the social work evidence template (SWET) and feeling more confident if called as a witness.
Tips from lawyers and a judge to help you avoid common pitfalls when giving evidence and respond to difficult questions.
Videos and Learn as a group sessions to support team and individual learning.
Test your knowledge of private law proceedings (only available to organisations with a workforce licence).

For quick reference information and explanations of legal terms and abbreviations, see our family court and proceedings glossary.

Court reports

Writing court reports and statements

Social work evidence template (SWET): completed example

Guide to the balance sheet approach and Re B-S compliant evidence

Multimedia learning

Learn as a group: balance-sheet evidence after Re B-S

Direct work and the child’s voice

Woman blowing out letters

Writing up direct work in court reports

Types of proceedings

Files

Multimedia learning

Webinar: Public Law Outline and pre-proceedings

Care orders and supervision orders: guide to the law

Supported learning

Supported learning content is only available to organisations with a workforce licence. Find out more about supported learning here.

Guide to private family law

The coroner’s court: preparing to appear and giving evidence

Dealing with a high profile trial

Feeling more confident in court

Family court and proceedings glossary

Appearing in court: survival guide

A judge’s tips for social workers giving evidence

A barrister’s tips for giving evidence in the family courts

Improve your evidence

Multimedia learning

Video: inquest – giving evidence at a coroner’s court

Presenting evidence on neglect in court: quick guide

Using attachment theory in evidence for court

Multimedia learning

Learn as a group: evidencing neglect in court

If you can’t find what you’re looking for, do let us know.

Add item to CPD Log (SWE)

Title *
Court skills knowledge and practice hub

Date *
02-11-2024 (dd-mm-yyyy)

Learning or development activity, resource or URL
https://www.ccinform.co.uk/knowledge-hubs/court-work-skills-knowledge-and-practice-hub/

Learning

Use the boxes below to record what you have learned from this activity. The form below replicates that used by Social Work England in your online account, so that when you need to renew your registration each year, you can easily transfer examples of CPD. Everything you write will be stored in your My CPD log on CC Inform. You can return to each piece of CPD and edit or add to it at any time - for example, if you reflect on it with a peer. You can export all the information as a Word file and copy it into Social Work England's form for the pieces you choose to submit during renewal, and print it off for other uses - for example, in supervision or peer reflection.

1. Describe what you have learnt from doing this CPD activity. (Social Work England recommend that you write 250-500 words, and they say that you may want to refer to the CPD standard 4.1-4.8 - see below.)

Word count: 0

2. Reflect on and describe the positive impact the CPD has had (or will have) on your practice and the people you work with.

This could be people with lived experience of social work, colleagues, or students. If you are not currently working, or not in direct practice, you could think about how your CPD activity might benefit people you come into contact with or the profession as a whole. (Social Work England recommend you write about 250 to 500 words).

Word count: 0

3. Describe what you have learnt from discussing this CPD activity with a peer

This is an optional question. By answering it for at least one of your pieces of CPD, you will meet Social Work England's requirements to record one piece of CPD with a peer reflection during the registration year. You are expected to write at least 250 words.

Social Work England say: "Peer reflection means that you have discussed the content of your CPD activity with a peer, your manager or another professional.

This discussion can be informal or formal, and can take place in one to one or group settings. The role of the peer is not to approve your learning but to support and help you to think about how you can improve your practice. When discussing your CPD with a peer, you should talk about what you have learnt from doing the CPD and the positive impact the CPD activity has had (or will have) on your role, practice and the people you work with".

Read more guidance from the regulator about peer reflection here

Word count: 0

4. Which parts of the CPD standard have you met by doing this activity? By going through the recording process, you will automatically meet standards 4.6 and 4.7. You can use the box below to note the other standards you have met with this piece.

4.1 Incorporate feedback from a range of sources, including from people with lived experience of my social work practice.
4.2 Use supervision and feedback to critically reflect on, and identify my learning needs, including how I use research and evidence to inform my practice.
4.3 Keep my practice up to date and record how I use research, theories and frameworks to inform my practice and my professional judgement.
4.4 Demonstrate good subject knowledge on key aspects of social work practice and develop knowledge of current issues in society and social policies impacting on social work.
4.5 Contribute to an open and creative learning culture in the workplace to discuss, reflect on and share best practice.
4.6 Reflect on my learning activities and evidence what impact continuing professional development has on the quality of my practice.
4.7 Record my learning and reflection on a regular basis and in accordance with Social Work England's guidance on continuing professional development.
4.8 Reflect on my own values and challenge the impact they have on my practice.

For more information, see Social Work England’s guidance on CPD.

Add item to CPD Log (SCW)

Title * Court skills knowledge and practice hub

Date * 02-11-2024 (dd-mm-yyyy)

URL https://www.ccinform.co.uk/knowledge-hubs/court-work-skills-knowledge-and-practice-hub/

Learning Use the boxes below to record what you have learned from this activity. Everything you write will be stored in your Inform account and you can export all the information as a Word file or print it off. When you have to renew your social work registration with Social Care Wales, you can include this as evidence of continuing professional development.

1. What have you learned from this activity?

2. How has it contributed to your practice?

3. How much time have you spent on this activity?

4. Next steps (any additional learning you need in this area)?

For more details, visit Social Care Wales

Citation

Full Harvard reference for this document:

() Court skills knowledge and practice hub. Knowledge Hubs.
Community Care Inform
[online]
https://www.ccinform.co.uk/knowledge-hubs/court-work-skills-knowledge-and-practice-hub/
[accessed: 2 November 2024]

If you are directly quoting the author's own words from this document you must acknowledge that they are not your own words by putting them within quotes marks, reference the source in the text and then provide the full reference at the end of the document. For example:

In the text: Brackenbridge argues that "[t]he interpersonal dynamics of sexual abuse in sport are similar to those in other settings but exacerbated by some key situational differences" (Brackenbridge, 2008).

Full reference to insert at the bottom of the document: Brackenbridge, C. (2008) Child Protection in Sport. Guide. Community Care Inform Children [online]. Available at: https://www.ccinform.co.uk/articles/2008/02/22/1973/Child+protection+in+sport.html [accessed: INSERT DATE HERE (eg 25 November 2015)]