Putting Past Experiences
Into Best Practice
Offering a wide range of training and consultancy services across children’s social and residential care. ®
About MeThe logo that says it all – in a nutshell!
For children to recover from earlier trauma they need to feel safe; safety is the most effective treatment for trauma. Children typically feel safe when they are at the centre of a small network of safe parental figures, all of whom, in turn, experience safety in their own settings and who can offer a special and unique relationship to the young person. This is the message of the Matrushka doll model and it encapsulates the theory underpinning the Training From Tim Clare Programme (TFTC)
The Training From Tim Clare Programme (TFTC)
Training From Tim Clare (TFTC) is a newly formed training programme which offers expert training and consultancy services across children’s social and residential care.
The (TFTC) programme is innovative and the training is unique given Tim’s background and the experiences which Tim can draw on. Very few (if any!) Children’s Home Directors’ out there have the experience and insights which Tim is able to reflect on and share which collectively and quite literally have the power to transform services and outcomes for children in care for the better!
(TFTC) was set up as a direct response to the shortfalls and horrendous stories you will often see and read about in the media about the failings across social and residential care. With this in mind, Tim wanted to do more and offer support and training which pays particular attention to those interventions which can be direction-changing for the child or young person.
Tim is very passionate on wanting to work with as many institutions and people who work with children in care in ensuring they are (TFTC) trained and therefore understand what needs to happen for children to not only survive … but to thrive! Being (TFTC) trained and aware will also mean you have a better understanding of what it takes to be a good corporate parent and you will have an increased awareness of what is required when thinking about how we can achieve better outcomes and successful futures for children and young people who come into care through no fault of their own.
‘Putting Past Experience Into Best Practice’ is at the forefront and heart of the (TFTC) programme. This training brings with it an award of the (TFTC) quality mark. Other training includes ‘Brilliant Basics’ (a comprehensive day’s training course covering just about every aspect of setting up an Ofsted-approved children’s home) through to supporting providers with responding to the many hazards which are likely to present themselves and offering advice and intervention(s) on how best to overcome them and much more!
There are a range of other courses which should answer any training need that you have identified for you or your team, and other training which has the potential to transform services and outcomes for children in care.
All training provided will be certificated.
Quality Mark Award
Successful institutions who engage with the main training unit “Putting Past Experiences Into Best Practice” will be awarded the TFTC Quality Mark which will entitle them to display the Quality Mark logo.
Main Unit
of Training
Putting Past Experiences Into Best Practice
The journey from foster child to Children’s Home Director Delivered by Tim Clare (half Day/full day). This is a personal reflection by Tim on his journey through care and how that has impacted on his priorities and practice in the children’s homes he has founded. He will focus in particular on the importance of relationships and draw on his experience and understanding of ACEs and PACEs. The session pays particular attention to those interventions which can be direction-changing for the child or young person.
About Me
Tim Clare
Tim Clare: is the director of a group of children’s homes, the first one of which opened in 2017 as a direct response to having worked in the sector for many years. Alongside running three homes, Tim shares his expertise through his other company, Training From Tim Clare (TFTC)
There are few people who have experienced the care system from as many perspectives as Tim; in care for twenty years and then, as soon as he graduated, beginning to explore and experience the various work options available to him which he thought might enable him to support children and young people looked after in achieving better outcomes for themselves. While on this journey he acquired the various qualifications thought necessary for the work he wanted to do – along with the experience to do it better!
Tim has acquired many qualifications on his journey and has also carried out his own research on the effects of how being placed into the care of a local authority affects an individual’s educational achievement, as well as increasing their chances of engaging in criminal activity.
Tim has written and published his own book and fully intends to inspire and motivate those working with children in care, with the messages he gives. See ‘My Book’ Tab above to purchase a copy. Tim hopes to share past experiences in the hope it will lead to more positive experiences for those young people who come into care through no fault of their own.
Core Units
of Training
The Brilliant Basics
A detailed blueprint for setting up a residential children’s home, focusing on all aspects of the process, from selecting the right property to an attuned staff recruiting process, from appropriate record-keeping to the creation of safe spaces for each child. Tim Clare, the founder and guiding hand of three therapeutic children’s homes, delivers this unit. (half day/full day)
Brilliant Basics Part 2
- Brilliant Basics Part 2: This half day/full day course, delivered by Tim Clare, explores the issues that arise when your children and adolescents are suffering from complex trauma – and the vulnerabilities generated by the quality of engagement needed for the children to recover. Issues covered:
- Hazards and risks likely to compromise the work/registration of the home – and how to negotiate them
- How to aspire to be Good – and Beyond! – with Ofsted
- How to support children on their journey towards a life of warmth and purpose
- How to retain your team so that your children have security in their developing attachments
Brilliant Basics Part 3
This half day/full day course, delivered by Tim Clare, provides Local Authorities and those responsible for commissioning placements with an opportunity to ask questions and hear from someone who has set up homes from scratch and progressed them to their current therapeutic status. The session aims to enhance awareness of some of the issues and complexities which are often associated with setting up and running children’s homes – issues that can sometimes fall under the radar and not get the attention and due regard they deserve. Tim will draw on his experiences of living under the roof of 15 different foster families and will share what made the difference on his journey through the care system – and to university. The session will seek to offer useful insights to LAs in their quest to make good choices when placing children and young people, including a range of practical strategies to support commissioners in their selection process.
- A day in the life of a Director & Responsible Individual: The good, the bad, and the very tough
- What matters most for young people: working to achieve the best match and transition
- Choosing the right home (KPIs to watch out for). Making sense of the offer from the provider and their requests for further help and support. Getting value for money
- Relational Commissioning: in it together.
Additional
Units
Being a Responsible Individual:
- Delivered by Tim Clare (half day/full Day). This is a personal reflection by Tim on his journey as a Designated Responsible Individual. This training provides support and guidance to those in the role or who might be considering this. Tim is well positioned to advise on how the RI can play a key part in supporting the team and home with its overall aims and objectives. In some homes, the RI can often be just a name on an OFSTED certificate and in others the RI’s involvement can be counter productive. Tim advises on how to achieve the right balance of support and how best to support the home’s Managers. Tim is also well-placed to advise on how to prepare for crisis situations along with OFSTED inspections which are also covered in this training. ‘The management team is well supported by an equally committed responsible individual, who supports the home’s development. The responsible individual regularly meets with the staff team to gain their feedback on the home and the care that children receive. The responsible individual also carries out their own auditing and quality assurance.’ (Ofsted Feedback on Tim Clare’s role)
Creating and Maintaining a Therapeutic Home
- A training programme for residential children’s homes’ staff, ensuring that all are attachment-aware and trauma-informed before moving on to more in-depth PACE training. All aspects of the work of those engaging with children and young people in a residential home environment can be covered within this programme, from managing impulsive behaviour to connecting with children who withdraw from all social engagement, from children who have been sexually abused to those who bully and abuse others. (Full day introductory training. Other related topics on, for example, PACE, by negotiation)
Induction in a model of clinical supervision for all staff.
- This training explains and develops the ideas around providing the same quality of containment and safety for staff as for the children. Team members will discuss a particular child whose behaviour is causing them concern and we will facilitate a session where staff learn how to better make sense of the child’s internal world – and develop practical strategies for engaging with the child – and enhance their own resilience and therapeutic toolkit in the process.
Mentoring
& Support
Tim is able to offer an individually tailored and bespoke package which could see him providing a whole range of interventions and support to both practitioners and young people. Tim is happy to discuss whatever it is you feel you might need, whether this be consultancy support with setting up your service and/or providing advice and guidance to help improve your service. The list of options is endless and Tim would be happy to consider your request and would be happy to offer support via face to face and or phone consultation / Skype/Zoom contact.
Possible areas of support & intervention
Residential Children’s Homes
- Identify strengths and weaknesses within the home. Support team at all levels with development and trajectory towards achieving Outstanding with OFSTED.
- Review previous inspection reports and support with response and action plans
- Provide advice, guidance, and resources in establishing children’s home provision.
- Attend your TMs and be a source of support for your team and help bring a critical eye (Help facilitate some critical supervision/reflection)
- Provide training and support (at all levels) to your organisation.
- Provide PEP talks and reinforce why we do what we do and the difference we can all make to a child’s life.
- Share lived experiences and share how I was able benefit from a number of PACES which supported me through my ACES.
- Provide advice/guidance around meeting the educational needs of young people in care more effectively given my VS background and with being able to reference
Supporting those who work with Children in Care
- Provide PEP talks and reinforce why we do what we do and the difference we can all make to a child’s life.
- Provide advice/guidance and bring a critical eye to training / support sessions / Team Meetings / help upskill your workforce around meeting the needs of young people in care.
- Share lived experiences and give regard to the the PACES which supported me through my ACES.
- Provide advice/guidance around meeting the educational needs of our young people more effectively. Discuss the importance of ‘Relationships’ within education.
- Facilitate group sessions/forums for foster Carers/Teachers/CAHMS/Police/Social Workers/ and support in providing ideas/resources for intervention/strategies which could help in you make the difference.
- Be a source of support for teachers, social workers, foster carers and other professionals who find themselves working with children in care.
Costings:
• Please get in touch to discuss further where I would be happy to discuss bespoke packages of support and intervention.