Make an Enquiry
Contact Us

Social workers to receive expert training on female genital mutilation

Social workers will soon have access to expert training on female genital mutilation from a new centre of excellence.

Backed by £2m funding from the Department for Education’s innovation fund, the Local Government Association (LGA) and Barnardo’s will set up the centre, which will pool skilled social workers - with extensive experience of working with those at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM) - to offer a national initiative for prevention.

To meet the LGA’s target of eradicating FGM by 2030, these teams will help train social workers in tackling the issue, as well as lead national outreach programmes to educate communities and prevent new cases of FGM.

Local authorities with limited experience of dealing with FGM can come to the centre for advice, or alternatively the cases can be delegated to the expert teams at the centre.

Building professional skills and confidence

This programme will see a “system change” in children’s services and social work, said Lisa Brett, deputy chair of the LGA’s safer and stronger communities board.

It will work on “building the skills and confidence of professionals and creating positive change within communities to ensure the practice is no longer supported by community leaders or parents”.

A central intelligence hub for practitioners to share resources, best practice and receive expert advice will be set up, as well as a forum for girls and women who have been victims of FGM.

“Bringing together professionals across councils, health, education, police and the voluntary sector is a vital step in preventing, protecting and treating girls and women affected by FGM,” Brett said.

Story courtesy of Community Care

Knowledge & Resources

Keep abreast of the latest news in the children's services sector.

A look back at 2022 with WillisPalmer's Head of Practice, Lucy Hopkins…

09/12/2022

2022 saw people trying to get back to some degree of normality following the Covid-19 lockdowns, restrictions and school closures that we had faced for the previous two years. However, the impact of Covid-19 continued and many services experienced, and continue to experience, backlogs and difficulties, including those services relating to children and families.

Social worker [...]
Read Full Story

John Lewis Christmas advert highlights important messages regarding foster care and looked after children

09/12/2022

Every year people are excited to see what the theme of the John Lewis & Partners Christmas advert will be. This year's advert reminded our Head of Practice, Lucy Hopkins, of all the times she arrived at the homes of foster carers with children or young people who were anxious, scared, worried and hungry, having just [...]

Read Full Story

The WillisPalmer Christmas Tree Decorating Competition 2022

09/12/2022
Who Wins..? You Decide!

We have two Christmas trees at the WillisPalmer office and this year the staff upstairs are going to compete with the staff downstairs to see who has the best decorated tree... and we want YOU to decide on the winner!

Tree 1 - Downstairs 

Tree [...]

Read Full Story

A Mackman Group collaboration - market research by Mackman Research | website design by Mackman

linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram