- Trainer
- West Midlands Virtual School
- Dates and times
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West Midlands Virtual School will be hosting virtual sessions throughout the year which support the education of children in care aimed at foster carers, adoptive parents, special guardians, kinship carers and those carers of children with a child arrangement order.
Moving to Reception Class
11 September 2026 09:00-11:00 - click here to book
4 March 2027 17:00 - 19:00 - click here to book
Understanding Post 16 Education Options
18 September 2026 09:00-11:00 - Click here to book
11 February 2027 17:00-19:00 - Click here to book
Moving Up to Secondary School
23 September 2026 13:30-15:30- Click here to book
18 March 2027 16:30-18:30- Click here to book
Helping Your Child Revise and Manage Exam Stress
8 October 2026 11:30-13:30- Click here to book
28 January 2027 17:00-19:00- Click here to book
Supporting Reading in Primary School
16 October 2026 09:00-11:00- Click here to book
11 March 2027 17:00-19:00- Click here to book
Understanding Attachment, Trauma and Learning (Primary)
19 October 2026 13:00-15:00- Click here to book
15 April 2027 17:00-19:00- Click here to book
Understanding the Special Education Needs Process
5 November 2026 16:30-18:30- Click here to book
7 May 2027 09:00-11:00- Click here to book
Understanding Attachment, Trauma and Learning (Secondary)
20 November 2026 09:00-11:00- Click here to book
13 May 2026 2027 17:00-19:00- Click here to book
Understanding and Supporting Your Child's Sensory Needs
3 December 2026 17:00-19:00- Click here to book
21 May 2027 09:00-11:00- Click here to book
Supporting Play and Development at Home (Focus Age 3 to 5 - Toddler Play)
14 December 2026 12:00-14:00- Click here to book
10 June 2027 17:00-19:00- Click here to book
Helping Your Child Manage Their Emotions
14 January 2027 17:00-19:00- Click here to book
14 June 2027 11:30-13:30- Click here to book
An Introduction to the PACE Approach
29 January 2027 09:00-11:00- Click here to book
1 July 2027 17:00-19:00- Click here to book
Supporting Reading in Key Stage 3
4 February 2027 16:30-18:30- Click here to book
9 July 2027 09:00-11:00- Click here to book
An introduction to Executive Functioning Skills (Helping Your Child Manage Focus, Feelings and Daily Life)
8 February 2027 11:30-13:30- Click here to book
8 July 2027 17:00-17:00- Click here to book
- Course aim
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Communication is key to our day-to-day lives. Some children and young people struggle more than others with the development of their communication skills. These sessions will provide a foundation level of understanding of the importance of speech, language and communication in your child's / young person's social and emotional and academic development, plus ideas and strategies to support the development of SLCN at home.
- Course outcomes
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1. To develop a foundation understanding of the importance of speech, language and communication
2. To find out about some strategies that can be used to support speech, language and communication needs at home
- Course information
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Moving to Reception Class
By the end of this course, you will:
• Understand what to expect when your child starts Reception.
• Learn what “school ready” really means and how to help your child prepare.
• Know what questions to ask your child’s nursery and new school in preparation for starting Reception.
• Feel confident supporting your child through the move into school.
• Discover simple activities you can do at home before school starts.
Understanding Post 16 Education Options (Education and Training)
By the end of this course, you will:
• Learn the laws about staying in education after age 16.
• Understand the education choices available after Year 11.
• Learn about different qualifications and courses.
• Understand the process for post 16 education/training if your young person has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
• Find out about financial support that may be available.
Moving Up to Secondary School
By the end of this course, you will:
• Understand how to apply for secondary school, including the process for children with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan.
• Learn what secondary schools can offer your child.
• Understand the challenges children may face during the move to secondary school.
• Find practical ways to support your child during the transition.
• Know what to do if your child is finding it difficult to settle in.
Helping Your Child Revise and Manage Exam Stress
By the end of this course, you will:
• Understand the impact of trauma on the brain, learning, and memory.
• To recognise how healthy habits support learning.
• Learn practical ways to support revision and study at home.
• Understand different learning styles and revision techniques.
• Discover useful websites and resources for revision.
• Help your child manage stress and anxiety during exams.
• Understand how schools apply for exam access arrangements when needed.
Supporting Reading in Primary School
By the end of this course, you will:
• Understand why reading is so important for your child’s learning.
• Learn how reading is taught throughout primary school.
• Understand school reading schemes and phonics.
• Discover ways to build your child’s reading confidence and understanding.
• Take away practical ideas and resources to support reading at home.
Understanding Attachment, Trauma and Learning (Primary)
By the end of this course, you will:
• Learn how early relationships shape children’s emotional development.
• Understand how trauma can affect the brain, behaviour and learning.
• Recognise different attachment styles and how they may appear at primary school.
• Explore ways schools and families can support children who have experienced trauma.
Understanding the Special Educational Needs Process
By the end of this course, you will understand:
• What Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support means.
• What an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or a SEN Support Plan is.
• When an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment may be appropriate.
• How parents can request an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment.
• What happens during the Education, Health and Care Plan process and how long it can take.
• When specialist school placements may be considered and how decisions are made.
Understanding Attachment, Trauma and Learning (Secondary)
By the end of this course, you will:
• Learn how early relationships shape children’s emotional development.
• Learn how trauma can impact learning, behaviour and relationships.
• Recognise different attachment styles in secondary-aged young people.
• Explore ways schools and families can support young people who have experienced trauma.
Understanding and Supporting Your Child's Sensory Needs
By the end of this course, you will:
• Learn about the eight senses and how they help us understand the world around us.
• Understand how experiencing trauma can affect the way a child or young person processes sensory information.
• Explore the four key senses that are often affected by trauma.
• Discover practical ideas and strategies that can be used at home or in school to help children and young people with sensory processing differences.
Supporting Play and Development at Home (Focus Age 3 to 5 - Toddler Play
By the end of this course, you will:
• Understand why play is essential for your child’s development.
• Learn about the different stages and types of play.
• Discover simple, low-cost play ideas to use at home.
• Learn about therapeutic play approaches, including PACE, Play Therapy and Theraplay, and how they support children’s emotional wellbeing.
Helping Your Child Manage Their Emotions
By the end of this course, you will:
• Understand the difference between co-regulation and self-regulation.
• Help your child recognise and talk about their feelings.
• Support your child to build resilience and problem-solving skills.
• Learn calming and alerting strategies to help manage emotions.
• Understand how schools use the Zones of Regulation.
An Introduction to the PACE Approach
By the end of this course, you will:
• Understand how trauma affects children’s development.
• Learn about Dyadic Developmental Practice (DDP).
• Discover how the PACE approach can strengthen your relationship with your child.
• Feel confident using PACE strategies in everyday family life.
Supporting Reading in Key Stage 3
By the end of this course, you will:
• Understand why reading remains important throughout secondary school.
• Learn how reading supports learning across all subjects.
• Help your child develop a wider vocabulary.
• Discover ways to encourage reluctant readers.
• Learn about reading support available in schools.
• Understand how reading skills help prepare for GCSEs.
• Find practical ways to encourage reading at home.
An introduction to Executive Functioning Skills (Helping Your Child Manage Focus, Feelings and Daily Life)
By the end of this course, you will:
• Understand the skills that children use to focus, plan, organise, remember things, and manage their emotions and behaviour.
• Learn why some children find these skills more difficult than others.
• Recognise the signs that your child may be struggling with these skills.
• Understand how these challenges can affect everyday life at home and at school.
• Learn simple, practical ways to help your child build these skills and become more confident and independent.
