This training allows access to, and licensed use of, the Safe and Meaningful Contact Guidelines.

  • Prior to the course participants will be given access to a 1 hour introductory video

  • The live online training will take place over two half-days

  • Participants receive access to the online Safe and Meaningful Contact Guidelines App

  • Participants gain access to quarterly supervision sessions to support use of the SaMC Guidelines through free one-year membership of the SaMC Guidelines Community. The Community allows users to share their experience of using the SaMC Guidelines and gives access to bonus training videos.

The Safe and Meaningful Contact Guidelines provide an evidence-based framework that:

  • Informs recommendations and decision making about contact arrangements for children in local authority or permanent care arrangements,

  • Organises information about the child, carer and birth relative around the potential of contact to achieve purposes associated with the child or young person’s developmental recovery,

  • Identifies how contact can be appropriately supported and managed to ensure it safely benefits the child or young person’s recovery from traumatic life experiences,

  • Offers a universal process for practitioners to evidence clinical reasoning about contact arrangements.

To commission training for your organisation or reserve a place on the next open course please contact: chris.burke@psychologicalminds.com

You can also add your email to the psychologicalminds.com mailing list to get the latest updates on courses.

Thank You

Is contact safe and meaningful for the child?

This evidence-based training draws on contemporary attachment theory and the latest research into childhood trauma to consider the potential of contact as a resource to facilitate the child’s developmental recovery. It explains the Safe and Meaningful Contact (SaMC) guidelines (Burke and Woodhouse, 2021) which identify key information decision makers require in order to make trauma-informed decisions related to the child’s contact arrangements. The course helps participants:

  • Understand how contact has the potential to help or hinder the child’s recovery from past trauma;

  • Use the Safe and Meaningful Contact (SaMC) guidelines that identify clinical information decision makers require to determine whether contact is safe and meaningful to the child;

  • Identify factors associated with the child, birth relative and carer that determine the potential benefits and risks of contact;

  • Identify the support needs of the child, birth relative and carer to ensure contact maximises its potential to facilitate the child’s recovery needs.

Who is the training for?

  • Legal decision makers can use the SaMC guidelines to determine whether they have the information required to make trauma informed decisions related to the child’s contact arrangements;

  • Practitioners such as social workers and mental health professionals can use the SaMC guidelines to identify support needs to ensure contact is maximising its potential to play a role in the child’s developmental recovery;

  • The SaMC guidelines can be used to help birth relatives and carers (such as adopters, kinship carers, special guardians, and foster carers) understand the benefits and risks associated with what contact means to their child.

Chartered Clinical Psychologist Dr Chris Burke

Chris is a Clinical Psychologist who specialises in developmental trauma. In his capacity as an expert witness in child and family law, Chris frequently offers psychological opinion about contact and residential arrangements and gives evidence in court. Chris attained his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Edinburgh University in 2003. He has pre and post-doctorate qualification experience working in both the NHS and the private sector with adults and children experiencing psychological distress.

Other courses available.

Online anytime training, webinars, live onsite events.

For additional information or enquiries contact Dr Chris Burke:

chris.burke@psychologicalminds.com

training.psychologicalminds.com

Tel: +44 7751062317