Our training simulations offer you a safe way to explore and reflect on scenarios related to child protection.

Using the 'serious game' concept can allow you to experience the kind of situations that arise when working in a profession that involves child protection. Whatever stage you have reached in your career, our simulations offer a unique way to evaluate child protection situations in a realistic but also completely safe environment. 

The training allows you to enhance your skills as a practitioner and learn how to use the simulations when working with children and young people, See below for the range of child protection topics covered. 

Child abuse: the Rosie suite

Child sexual abuse

Rosie 1 is an immersive simulation in child protection training for professionals. It is free to use and gives you the opportunity to go on a virtual statutory home visit to a young girl following a referral from her nursery. You are able to make conversational choices with the family, explore the environment and ultimately safeguard Rosie.

Neglect

In Rosie 2, a joint visit by a health visitor and social worker at nine-year-old Rosie’s home allows you to explore the boundaries and challenges of inter-professional practice. Spot the signs of neglect, learn about multi-agency perspectives and priorities and communication skills for working with families with complex needs.

Courtroom skills

myCourtroom: Rosie’s family goes to court provides an insight into the family court arena and its procedures. Rosie is 11 years old in this simulation which was developed with the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) for professionals and young people. This innovative tool offers a safe medium for users to explore court skills and develop good practice in court work in a child protection context.

Child abuse: the grooming suite

Radicalisation and online grooming

Maryam and Joe: Behind Closed Doors was funded by the Home Office to address routes to radicalisation and extremism. It educates professionals and young people on the dangers of grooming for radicalisation via social media and through face-to-face contact.

Zak at University is an engaging learning tool based on a social-media-style interface. It increases practitioners' confidence and raises awareness of radicalisation and online grooming. It was developed with Kent Police (Special Branch) and Kent County Council. Due to demand, an additional option Young Zak the Gamer has been included to look at over-sharing information through gaming.

Child sexual exploitation

Looking out for Lottie was developed with NHS Kent, Surrey and Sussex, and updated in collaboration with the NSPCC. Lottie is designed to raise awareness of, and to prevent, child sexual exploitation and grooming. It is styled to incorporate aspects of the latest social media apps to appeal to young people. 

It won The Guardian University Award for Digital Innovation 2016

Gangs, knife crime and county lines

Crossing the Line training uses a contextual safeguarding approach to inform practice. The approach of contextual safeguarding was originally developed by Dr Carlene Firmin at the University of Bedfordshire's Contextual Safeguarding Network. 

Train the trainer

An innovative solution to the challenge of delivering child protection training to your university students or staff in the workplace.

University academics, local authorities and other professional organisations are already making use of our simulations in their lectures and in-house training programmes. They have told us how useful our simulations are for engaging students and child protection professionals in real-life situations and for encouraging discussion of a wide range of scenarios.

How does this work?

  • Tell us who will be delivering the simulation learning: we’ll work with your trainers to discuss the specific needs of their audience and we’ll then deliver ‘Train the trainer’ training to your trainers and highlight potential areas for critical discussion and application
  • Trainers will have access to the online simulation for 12 months to use with their designated students/staff
  • Tell us who you want to use the simulation with: each person will be provided with a license to access the simulation for 12 months. This enables them to study at their own pace and in more depth

Want to know more?

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Please note:

Our Rosie Suite simulations, Rosie2 and myCourtroom, are available as train the trainer packages to university lecturers, local authorities and a variety of other child protection professionals looking to integrate an innovative and immersive training experience within their school or organisation. Our Grooming Suite packages, Behind Closed Doors and Looking out for Lottie can be made available as ‘train the trainer’ in certain circumstances (please make contact to discuss further if you are interested).

Access to simulations on External Moodle (for existing licensees)

More information

For more information on any of our simulations, please contact the Centre. Tailored packages and standalone modules can be booked and purchased on our online store. You can find out more about our CPD sessions and book your place via our events page

We also offer a range of other study options that you might be interested in.

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