Return Home Interviews
There are more than 70,000 young people and children who go missing each year, with incidents estimated at 215,000 for these children and young people.
Children and young people who go missing or runaway can be at risk, and return interviews are a way in which this – or any actual harm – can be uncovered and dealt with.
A return interview is an in-depth conversation with a young person who has run away. It should be led by an independent, trained professional whom the young person trusts. The statutory guidance states that local authorities and residential care organisations must offer an independent return interview to all children who run away or go missing from their family home or care.
Our return home interview training supports independent people to focus on reducing the need for young people to go missing. This course explores how to equip participants with the knowledge and abilities to respond promptly to referrals and work alongside young people to understand the reasons they left, where they have been, and the level of harm they have experienced. Most importantly to work with local agencies and the child’s family and carers about what needs to change to reduce this in future.
dates, venues and booking
For information about when and where the next courses are running, please see below.
Learning outcomes:
- Engage young people in impactful return home interviews
- Understand and address the reasons why a child has run away such as abuse, neglect or exploitation, involvement in gangs or crime, use of alcohol or drugs
- Identify harm that may have occurred while the child was away
- Work with others to identify actions to reduce the need for young people to be missing
- Follow a clear process for undertaking and writing about return home interviews
the trainers
Rachael Courage is a trainer and consultant for dialogue. Rachael holds a masters degree in Social Work, as well as a level 5 NVQ in Management. Rachael has 20 years experience as a Social worker, and is currently practicing as a Chair for Child Protection Conferences for a Local Authority. She is an experienced trainer in child safeguarding, and child protection, and has managed sexual exploitation and missing services for Barnardos, including setting up services in new areas and working with Child Safeguarding Assurance Partnership around their strategic response to child sexual exploitation.
Rachael has been the safeguarding lead for the children and young people’s service within a hospice and has worked for the NSPCC delivering individual and group therapeutic interventions for children who have experienced abuse.
booking and dates
This half day course is being delivered virtually for £69+VAT.
If you have booked five places the sixth place is free.
CHA, NASAP, NAFP, SW Forum, and RI Network members receive a 25% discount – members price is £52+VAT
connecting you with organisations
We are exploring the potential to provide support to independent people undertaking return home interviews and help for local authorities and providers to find an independent person when they need one. If you would be interested in this group please add your details below: