London (UK), April 2007 - The global eLearning producer, Tata Interactive Systems (TIS), and BT, one of the UK's largest providers of learning services to government - with contracts with the MOD (Defence), NCSL, and the Police Training Agency, Centrex - are collaborating to produce a five-module programme to enable those working within 'children's services' to understand such concepts as the basics of child protection, how to identify a child at risk, and how to develop the skills needed to help each child.
With input from a number of councils, the eLearning modules have been designed by TIS and are delivered by BT's Flexible Learning service, which provides managed learning services to over 600,000 public-sector learners in the UK.
The modules comprise Safeguarding Young People and Children, a 'basic' awareness level module, which is intended for all local authority employees. It covers such topics as:
Additionally, the introductory modules of the Children's Services Common Assessment Framework are intended for those who work with young people - in children's services including education, social services, and schools. The modules include:
"Learning and training are becoming key issues for everyone who is involved with delivering children's services," explained BT's learning solutions consultant, Viren Lall. "Common questions include: how do I bring different organisations together, increase levels of multi-agency working, and provide effective and consistent training to a large audience? How can I ensure that the new legislation is communicated effectively and the department can audit that training has been delivered? And how can I provide learning at the point of need for front-line service staff so that they can carry out their jobs effectively and securely?"
BT and TIS believe that these eLearning programmes - which can be customised to each council or department - not only provide some answers to these questions but also provide an accurate, up-to-date message that is easily accessible and widely available as and when required. Lall commented, "As such, we believe that these are not only highly effective learning materials but that they also represent impressive value for taxpayers' money compared with the costs of classroom-based delivery of this subject matter."
According to TIS's Sunil Mehta: "Among the teaching techniques employed in the programmes is TIS's highly acclaimed story-based learning objects (StoBLs™) approach, which uses highly realistic scenarios and stories, interactive quizzes and case studies, along with other learning aids including checklists to present learning materials in a vivid and memorable way."
