Violence Against Women And Girls Partnership Training
Transforming responses to Violence against Women and Girls Project
The 小黄片app and Bute Violence Against Women and Girls Partnership has gained funds to deliver training that will have a transformational impact on domestic abuse and child protection services. The objective is to allow staff and managers to be able to identify and confidently respond to domestic abuse and related child protection events. As a result more women facing domestic abuse will be supported and more children will remain with their non-abusive parents and not have the experience of becoming care experienced. Services will be improved and 小黄片app and Bute will adopt the principles of the Safe and Together model.
Now is the time to act, in beginning to roll out the Safe and Together model we join a growing number of areas across Scotland, the UK, Europe and beyond. Levels of domestic abuse in Scotland have been increasing during the pandemic and this has impacted on the number of children on the Child Protection Register and being looked after.
A Programme Board has been created and will oversee the roll out of Safe and Together and other training. They will begin by using the Domestic Abuse-Informed Practice and Systems: A Self-Assessment Tool and Evaluation Framework to take a look at current services. Staff and Managers will be asked to complete two questionnaires to share their views on current strengths and weaknesses of services.
Keeping you linked in with training
Training calendars and notifications of up and coming training events will be emailed to staff. This training webpage will keep you up to date with what training is available and what will be covered in each course. This will help staff to decide what is right for them and how a course might help them to meet their work objectives and individual development needs. Managers will be able to use the information provided to help inform team and service training needs.
Those participating in training events will be asked to complete feedback forms at the point of training to determine their opinion of it and how far it met their expectations. Feedback may also be requested at a later point to determine how the training has actually impacted on how individuals have used new skills and knowledge in the course of their work.
Child and Adolescent to Parent Violence and Abuse
As part of the 小黄片app and Bute Violence Against Women and Girls, Training Calendar, we will be offering an all-day course on Child and Adolescent to Parent Violence and Abuse, which will be run by RESPECT on 19th June. If you would like a place, please contact mandy.sheridan@argyll-bute.gov.uk
Please note that places are limited, and priority will be given to those who work with children and young people.
As we know child and adolescent to parent violence and abuse is an underreported and hidden harm.
Do you want to learn more about CAPVA, why it happens, what are the risk factors and what you can do if you suspect a parent is being abused?
The Respect Young People's Service offers the Child and Adolescent to Parent Violence and Abuse (CAPVA) - Recognise and Respond Course.
(19/06/2025)
09:30-16:30
Online via Teams
This course will cover appropriate safeguarding responses and help practitioners navigate the complexities of an issue that straddles both adult and children鈥檚 services.
Safe and Together
In 2022 the 小黄片app and Bute Violence Against Women and Girls Partnership received a grant from the Scottish Government鈥檚 Developing Equally Safe Fund. This grant has continued and will run until April 2026. The monies were granted for a project called Transforming Responses to Violence against Women and Girls. This is largely a training project that seeks to improve services to victims and survivors of domestic abuse and other forms of gender-based violence, by improving the awareness and skills of staff. The project aimed to:
- Roll out Safe and Together across 小黄片app and Bute.
- Deliver a range of other training to improve the awareness, confidence and skills of staff groups.
In 2022 an 鈥渙verview鈥 event delivered information about the Safe and Together model to 200 managers and staff. In 2022 鈥 23 several children and families Social Work staff and managers completed the core 小黄片app. One staff member completed the Train the Trainer course, but subsequently left 小黄片app and Bute. However, due to unavoidable staffing issues, the rollout of Safe and Together stalled in 2024 and is currently on hold.
Since 2022 a large number of other training events have continued to be delivered to staff groups including Social Work, Health, Third Sector, Police, Education and Housing. Staff are given the opportunity to both improve their knowledge and skills and learn how other organisations work in delivering services to those affected by domestic abuse and other gender-based violence. This is helping to improve service delivery and interagency working. Key training being delivered includes:
- Routine Enquiry, Asking the Question
- Domestic Abuse Awareness Raising
- Working With Perpetrators Towards Change
- Understanding the Trauma Impacts of Domestic Abuse
- Domestic Abuse and Child Contact
- Human Trafficking
- Harmful Traditional Practices
- Commercial Sexual Exploitation
- Working with Domestic Abuse in Single Sex, Female, Relationships
- Getting Alongside Marginalised Fathers
- Dealing With Disclosure of Sexual Assault
- Child and Adolescent Violence Towards Parents
- Working With Male Victims of Domestic Abuse.
Safe and Together Model Principles and Critical Components
To improve practice and create better outcomes for children and families exposed to domestic violence perpetrator鈥檚 behaviour, the following Practice Principles can help guide assessment, and case decisions.
- Keeping safe and together with the non-offending parent (safety / healing from trauma / stability and nurturance)
- Partnering with non-offending parent as default position (efficient / effective / child centred)
- Intervening with perpetrator to reduce risk and harm to the child (engagement / accountability / courts).
For more information go to
What training should I attend?
Awareness Raising Training
Awareness Raising Training is for anyone who wants to increase their knowledge of domestic abuse and other forms of gender informed violence. Do you recognise that domestic abuse can include: physical, sexual, emotional or psychological abuse, harassment or stalking, financial abuse or coercive control? Do you know what impact domestic abuse can have on its victims and children and young people witnessing it? Do you know the legal situation and what supports are available locally? If not, this course is for you. You could be a front line worker or simply someone who wants to know more in case you come across it in the course of your work or day to day life.
This course will take half a day and will be delivered by Women鈥檚 Aid or Rape Crisis.
Find Awareness Raising Training Courses
Routine Enquiry
Routine enquiry involves asking all women at assessment about abuse regardless of whether there are any indicators or suspicions of abuse. It was established in maternity, sexual health, health visiting, substance misuse and mental health settings. Training in this area is important because if staff lack the skills and confidence to ask the questions, domestic abuse may go unrecognised and victims unsupported.
This training is for staff and Managers in a variety of services who work with women and children. (For example: Adult and Children鈥檚 Social Workers, Mental Health, ADP, Health Visitors, Midwives, Third Sector Workers). It will take place online and take a day; This course will be delivered by Jan MacLeod of the Women鈥檚 Support Project.
The first of 6 Routine Enquiry Training Courses took place on 18/05/2022 and 19-people attended; feedback was positive with regards to content, delivery and value to participants.
Commercial sexual exploitation (CSE)
Commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) includes a wide range of often linked sexual activities which typically men profit from, or buy from women and which objectify and harm women.
Examples include
- prostitution
- phone sex, internet sex or chatrooms
- stripping, pole dancing, lap dancing, peep shows
- pornography
- trafficking, sex tourism and mail order brides
These can be in exchange for things such as
- drugs
- food
- shelter
- protection
The Scottish Government includes prostitution, pornography and other forms of involvement in the sex industry within its definition of violence against women. The exploitation of women in such ways legitimises negative attitudes towards women and is inextricably linked to gender inequality and sexual violence.
This training will help you to understand the nature of commercial sexual exploitation and what support is required for women engaged with it.
Find Commercial Sexual Exploitation Courses
Harmful Traditional Practices
Harmful traditional practices are forms of violence which have been committed primarily against women and girls in certain communities and societies for so long that they are considered, or presented by perpetrators, as part of accepted cultural practice.
The most common are:
- Forced or early marriage;
- So-called 鈥榟onour鈥-based violence;
- Female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM).
The Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (Scotland) Act 2005 made it a criminal offence to have FGM carried out in Scotland or abroad. In 2016, the Scottish Government released the national action plan to prevent and eradicate FGM.
This training is for anyone who works with women and children; it will help you to understand harmful traditional practices and the social factors that support it. How do you recognise the risk factors and what actions do you need to take?
Find Harmful Traditional Practice Courses
Impact of Domestic Abuse on Children and Young People
Children can experience both short and long term cognitive, behavioural and emotional effects as a result of witnessing domestic abuse. Each child will respond differently to trauma and some may be resilient and not exhibit any negative effects.
Children鈥檚 responses to the trauma of witnessing domestic abuse may vary according to a multitude of factors including, but not limited to, age, race, sex and stage of development. It is equally important to remember that these responses may also be caused by something other than witnessing domestic abuse.
Children are individuals and may respond to witnessing abuse in different ways. These are some of the effects described in a briefing by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2004):
- They may become anxious or depressed
- They may have difficulty sleeping
- They have nightmares or flashbacks
- They can be easily startled
- They may complain of physical symptoms such as tummy aches and may start to wet their bed
- They may have temper tantrums and problems with school
- They may behave as though they are much younger than they are
- They may become aggressive or they may internalise their distress and withdraw from other people
- They may have a lowered sense of self-worth
- Older children may begin to play truant, start to use alcohol or drugs, begin to self-harm by taking overdoses or cutting themselves or have an eating disorder
Children may also feel angry, guilty, insecure, alone, frightened, powerless or confused. They may have ambivalent feelings towards both the abuser and the non-abusing parent.
This training is for anyone who works with children and young people; it will help you to understand the impacts of domestic abuse. How do you recognise the signs of possible domestic abuse or react to a disclosure? What supports and services are available locally?
Find Impact of Domestic Abuse on Children and Young People Courses
Trauma Training
This training event is designed for professionals who work directly with individuals and families affected by abuse, including domestic abuse and child sexual abuse and/or neglect. It will explore the impact of traumatic events on the individual, including the long-term impact of childhood trauma on children and adults. The training charts how living with inescapable stress and distress can exert a substantial effect on brain development across the life-span, fundamentally affecting the individual鈥檚 sense of self, long-term ability to manage relationships, feelings and behaviour, illustrating how adverse experiences can alter the structure and function of the developing brain. The session(s) will also explore the central role of attachment in mediating this process. Essentially the training falls naturally into two categories
The Impact of Trauma Across the Lifespan
- How trauma impacts on development
- Why attachment matters
- Type 1 and Type 2 trauma
- Development of post-traumatic stress disorders, simple and complex
- Identifying associated features such as dissociation, compartmentalisation and DID
- Other adaptations to abuse and attachment trauma
Working with Trauma Practical Interventions
This aspect of the training will concentrate on working with abuse survivors, especially those with complex needs who are all too often excluded from services. Based on the work of Judith Herman鈥檚 3 stage model of recovery, the event will cover such aspects of trauma recovery as
- Creating an effective intervention model - making a difference
- Sand therapy etc.
- Somatic Therapy
- DBT approach
- The Three Stage Model
- Issues with dependencies
- Mental health problems, oppositional behaviour or trauma adaptations?
- Client engagement
- Therapeutic techniques that work
Sessions can be tailored to suit the organisation(s)
This is a complex subject so the more time I can spend with groups the better, but training can be cut down into chunks if that鈥檚 more helpful and particular aspects of the Trauma program can be flexibly selected in order to suit the needs of participants.
Working with Men
Systems theory in social work is based on the idea that behaviour is influenced by a variety of factors that work together as a system. These factors include family, friends, social settings, economic class, and the environment at home. The theory posits that these and other factors influence how individuals think and act. It is therefore essential that we engage with all family members effectively and ensure that all voices are heard.
This training will look at engaging with men in a variety of situations, as partners, parents and grandparents. It will also look at engaging with men where they may be perpetrators, or alleged perpetrators of domestic violence. How to we hold them responsible for their actions and behaviours whilst respecting their rights?
National e-learning modules
Key Documents
Additional Resources
