With the support of the Welsh Government, Levelling the Playing Field has produced a training framework for everyone in our Community of Practice who supports ethnically diverse children.
The ‘Levelling the Playing Field (LtPF) Learning and Development Framework’ sets out appropriate levels of training across six different tiers of personnel and organisations; starting with free or low-cost training and resources for anyone working with ethnically diverse children in health, sport, physical activity and criminal justice (Group 1) and working all the way up to Managers in Specialist Organisations (Group 5) and the LtPF Leadership (Group 6).
At each level, the framework sets out training courses, toolkits and resources to develop skills, understanding and expertise around working to support ethnically diverse children.
The framework is the result of an ongoing working relationship with the Welsh Government and the adaptation of the principles within its National Training Framework on Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV).
The VAWDASV framework is statutory guidance used across Wales to train professionals named within the VAWDASV Act (2015) - employees of local authorities, health boards and trusts, fire and rescue services, Welsh ambulance service staff etc - to appropriate levels so they can identify and respond to victims of violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence.
A Policy Manager for VAWDASV team at the Welsh Government said: “Our framework which LtPF have adapted separates professionals into six groups. The training offered under each group is proportionate to roles and responsibilities of the workforce.
“This will help us to make sure that no matter where a victim lives in Wales, the professional response they receive is consistently good. It increases professionals’ confidence, awareness and ability to help victims most effectively.”
The potential to adapt this framework to standardise the support for ethnically diverse children across the Levelling the Playing Field Community of Practice in England and Wales was spotted by Alliance of Sport’s Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Justin Coleman.
He said: “We whole-heartedly thank the Welsh government for giving us permission to use the principles of its training framework and adapt them in order to empower the entire LtPF Community of Practice.
“Our network of partners across England and Wales does incredible work in alignment with the LtPF project’s common goals. Children from ethnically diverse communities across England and Wales will now benefit directly from this ongoing relationship by receiving the support of a confident, skilled and appropriately trained workforce.”
Welsh Government Minister for Social Justice, Jane Hutt, said: “The first of its kind in the United Kingdom, our VAWDASV National Training Framework will offer proportionate training to strengthen the response provided across Wales to those experiencing these issues.
“Our framework has already offered training to more than 240,000 professionals across Wales and been noted as good practice by other devolved Governments and services. I am pleased to give formal permission for its use by Levelling the Playing Field in support of training those working with ethnically diverse children.”
**Registered Levelling the Playing Field local delivery partners and organisations will be able to access the Learning and Development Framework soon***
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Anyone experiencing or impacted by issues relating to VAWDASV can access the Live Fear Free helpline. The helpline is a free 24/7 service for all victims and survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence and those close to them, including family, friends and colleagues. Information on keeping safe throughout the Coronavirus outbreak is available on our Live Fear free website –Livefearfree.gov.wales
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