Communicating Effectively with Vulnerable Children and Young People

Learn child-centred communication strategies to encourage children to talk

Communicating effectively with vulnerable children and young people is not always easy. Despite practitioners and carers knowing this is an important area of their work, research shows that practice is not always as effective as it could be.

This course will enable you to improve your communication skills through techniques which place the child at the heart of the interaction. You’ll examine why a child may become vulnerable and reflect upon the barriers to communication. You’ll also explore activities from pre-verbal to adolescent stages which encourage children to share their feelings.

The course is aimed at anyone working with vulnerable children and young people. It is also suited to foster carers keen to improve their communication skills.

The course is aimed at anyone working with vulnerable children and young people. It is also suited to foster carers keen to improve their communication skills.

• Reflect upon and develop skills in communicating with vulnerable children and young people, raising the profile of this essential area of child welfare and wellbeing
• Explore a child-centred perspective to help facilitate more effective communication with the children and young people for whom we are responsible
• Explain that improving our communication with children and young people requires consideration of specific activities and skills which facilitates this communication – it is more than just talking with them
• Discuss some helpful approaches, tools and techniques which may be appropriate for the pre-verbal child through to adolescents
• Engage with and reflect upon material from award winning child protection simulations to reflect upon how we can improve our communication with vulnerable children and young people